Religious Education at Stony Run
The Religious Education (RE) Committee provides year-round activities for infants and children through a variety of programs.
Meeting for Worship is always open to children of all ages. Typically, children ages five and older attend silent worship with adults for the first twenty minutes, then at 11:20 AM they leave with their instructors for "First Day School." During the summer and high-travel-holidays, children ages five and up gather in one group for an assembly.
Nursery
Both the 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM Meeting for Worship have a fully-staffed Nursery for very young children. Babies in arms are welcome in Meeting for Worship or in the nursery (or a combination). Nursing is welcome anywhere in the Meetinghouse, including during Worship. If parents need a quiet space to feed a baby, please see an usher or one of the staff for assistance.
First Day School - Elementary Aged Friends
Elementary aged children, in Kindergarten through 5th Grade, join First Day School teachers to read books exemplifying Quaker values, Faith & Play Stories, collaborative games, art projects, and playground time. A close-knit group, students learn to find their quiet, about the Quaker faith and values, and to work collaboratively with children of various ages.
First Day School - Junior & Young Friends (J/YF - Middle/High School)
As students grow older, the Religious Education program transitions from mostly teacher-planned lessons to programming planned and largely led by the students. Year-round, students steward service learning projects, such as the Women's Housing Coalition Thanksgiving Pie Bake Fundraiser or the Earth Day Electronics Drive. Students bake cookies for Carol Sings and hide eggs for the annual Easter Egg Hunt. With the support of a Friendly Adult guide, they discuss important issues to the Quaker faith, such as racial justice or conscientious objection. Their work together fosters the growth of empathy, teamwork, and kindness.
Child Safety Policy
The Stony Run Child Safety Policy is a document that states our policy on child safety, our procedures for ensuring that safety, and the process for reporting and investigating any instance of suspected abuse.
Service Learning
Stony Run Friends Meeting has an active service-learning program, developed at the request of youth and families in our community. It is a way to demonstrate our Quaker values in action:
- Justice
- Community
- Equality
- Peace
- Stewardship
Some of our projects are open to all ages, as we recognize the value of community service and conversations about why we do this, for everyone. Other projects are for teens (and their advisors or chaperones) only.
Students must meet certain service-learning requirements to earn a Maryland high school diploma. Those requirements vary by school or school district.
Service learning is a teaching method that combines meaningful service to the community with curriculum-based learning. In addition to interpersonal and social skill development, students improve their academic skills by applying what they learn in school to the real world; they then reflect on their experience to reinforce the link between their service and their learning.
The Stony Run Religious Education program works with our teens to identify and develop service-learning projects that will match their areas of interest and help them explore new things. Some of our teens need service-learning opportunities to meet their school's requirements. Others have already met their graduation requirements and wish to do more. Either way, the facilitator and teacher(s) are here to support our community.
Other resources for Quaker families
Baltimore Yearly Meeting (BYM)
Youth Programs and conferences
BYM is the regional group for Quakers in Maryland, Virginia, DC, West Virginia and south central PA. Their affirming and fun youth programs have been important to many generations of Friends.
BYM Camps
Many people learn about Quakers through our vibrant summer camps. Learn more here, or ask at Meeting, to hear lots of people share the positive impact BYM Camps had on their lives.
Questions?
Contact the Religious Education Committee.