We are excited to begin the new year of religious education in Spirit Play. On Sunday, September 18, we gave our participants the annual orientation to Spirit Play. This included sharing with them that the 2016-17 class will again fold in 3rd-5th graders and that we’re meeting in a new-to-them room (room 7/8). The orientation included a tour of the room.

We explained the Spirit Play order of service and how Spirit Play is a time for reflection and contemplation. To successfully create a space for that work, we talked about how we act in Spirit Play and collectively developed (with notetaking by one of our Spirit Players) a list of promises to each other about how we will treat one another while in class. (See picture.)

This compact will be an important guiding document for us in class. The Spirit Play religious education volunteers will also be using the behavior guidelines should there be an issue that the class compact cannot successfully address. We urge parents of Spirit Play participants to review this document.

We’re off to a great start! The Spirit Play team looks forward to welcoming your kindergarteners through fifth graders into their “free and responsible search for truth and meaning.”