SpiritJam for $400.00

Some folks think that SpiritJam was expensive to the Fellowship. After all, paid lead teachers instead of volunteers? 
Quick answer? NO.
Quick total additional cost? $400.00
I'll explain this more at the LREDA Fall Conference, Sat. Oct.24, 2015, 4 p.m. in Morristown, NJ. Rev. Lydia and I will be presenting details about SpiritJam, how it has transformed our congregation, the structure and the cost. Hope to see you! For now, here's the quick and dirty.....

The R.E. staff previous to SpiritJam included a:

1. 30 hr. wk DRE for Babies - 18 year olds
2. 15 hr. wk Youth Coordinator
3. 10 hr. wk R.E. Assistant
4. 4 hr. wk Preschool Teacher

I spent about 30% of my time recruiting and supporting volunteers. The R.E. Assistant spent 80% of his time supporting and filling in for volunteers. Our time spent chasing volunteers was re-allocated to SpiritJam at no cost to the Fellowship.

In SpiritJam, we expanded and enhanced the program with an alternative staffing plan removing the recruiting and support of the volunteers:
1. The DRE becomes Lifespan Director of the School of the Spirit. (No change in salary or hours)
2. The Youth Coordinator and R.E. Assistant becomes the SpiritJam Youth Coordinator. 25 hrs. (no change).
3. The Preschool Teacher becomes part of the SpiritJam Faculty. (add $400.00 for extra planning time)
4. Hire the SpiritJam Lead Teacher from proceeds of the Day Camp ($4,000.00; 6 hrs. per week plus planning time) 

Thus, we needed $400.00 of new funds to implement SpiritJam.

Here's the special circumstance for our congregation - we have offered a Day Camp each summer for 9 years. We generated a profit, which used to go into the Boulder Valley UU Fellowship general fund. We received permission to use that money to hire the SpiritJam Lead Teacher. 

Here's the reality - even without the Day Camp proceeds, spending $4,000.00 is still a bargain: to free up the energy of the parents, create a multigenerational, unique program and to enter the future of congregational life.

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