First Universal Parish welcomes new youth coordinator

CHESTER — The First Universal Parish of Chester is pleased to welcome Jamie Maloof as its new youth coordinator. Maloof leads a children’s program at 9:30 a.m. on the first and third Sunday of the month. The schedule is subject to change; updates will be available on the church’s website,www.chestervtuu.org.

Children begin the morning in church for opening words, music and children’s time, and then go downstairs to the classroom for programming with Maloof. The program focuses on how different religions from around the world interact with nature and the many ways small acts of kindness can make our world a better place.

Last spring the children created a Medicine Wheel, on church grounds, where they grew a variety of medicinal herbs. During the fall, they harvested the herbs and made herbal teas, infusions and salves which they sold to raise money for the Chester Andover Family Center (CAFC). They will be helping to make a meal for the Springfield Warming Shelter each month when the Shelter is open. As part of their discussion about civil rights, the children developed their own Bill of Rights.

Maloof brings more than 20 years of teaching experience with schools, camps, museums, adult workshops and children of all ages to the Youth Program. She is the creator and teacher of two nature / survival programs called O.W.L.S and Dancing Moon Girls. She holds a degree in outdoor education, and certificates as an herbalist and Reiki practitioner. She leads wild edibles walks and offers herbal medicine workshops.

Maloof lives with her husband and two boys on an organic sheep farm in Andover, where she enjoys gardening, making herbal medicines and teaching wilderness awareness classes.

First Universalist Parish is pleased to have Maloof as the youth coordinator. They invite anyone who is interested in enrolling their children in the program to contact the church through their website,www.chestervtuu.org