Unitarians meeting to discuss children's insurance program

The impact of restrictions on the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will be the discussion topic for the North Idaho Unitarian Universalists on Sunday.

The group will meet at 10:30 a.m. at the Harding Family Center. Childcare and coffee will be provided.

"Healthy Outcomes for Youth" is Idaho's plan to increase enrollment of eligible children into CHIP. Karen Cotton, coordinator of the plan at Kootenai Medical Center, will discuss the plan and how it's been affected by recent legislative action.

During the last session, the Legislature limited state matching money which could be spent on CHIP and restricts outreach efforts in all programs to the minimum level allowed by federal law.

Kootenai County is one of two pilot communities chosen to receive a three-year grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation "Covering Kids" national initiative.

The Unitarian group will discuss the developments and how they will affect children, health-care providers and taxpayers.

In other church news

Community United Methodist Playgroup has planned a special day for mothers of young children called "Moms Day Out."

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at Honeysuckle Beach. Mothers will have a chance to water ski, go tubing, swim or just relax in the sun.

Registration is required, call Tammy at (208) 687-6518. Bring a lunch, beach chair and any needed items for a day in the sun.

Real Life Ministries is holding an "All Church Evening at Q'emiln Park" from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday. Families may bring their own dinner or buy pizza. Proceeds will benefit the church. Soft drinks and ice cream will also be available.

Real Life Ministries is located at 1866 Cecil Road in Post Falls. The church started meeting in June 1998 with about 40 members in two little renovated houses and moved in October to the River City Cinemas. It then moved into the Post Falls Middle School in September for about six months while a church was being built for the growing congregation. With about 1,500 members attending, the move in March to the new building was much anticipated.

The church houses an all-purpose auditorium, 10 classrooms and office spaces.

Cori Hart, administration assistant for the church, said about 16 people are on staff but the church could use 20 more. The senior minister is Jim Putman; Aaron Couch is the youth minister; Michael Orr is the junior high youth minister; Chad Gates is the administrative pastor; Jim Simpkin is the executive minister; Brandon Guindon is the home groups minister; Jim Harris is the music minister; and Craig Miles is the families minister.

The church's stated reason for existence has four main parts, each based on Bible verses. The first part - we exist to share Christ with a dying world - is based upon Luke 19:10. The second part - we exist to connect people to God and to each other - is based upon 2 Corinthians 10:5,6. The third part - we exist to train believers in Christ to minister to those in the church and in the community - is based on Ephesians 4:11-13 and the fourth part - we exist to prepare our children for God-centered lives - is based on Mark 10:14 and Luke 17:2.

Some of the many family-oriented ministries include a weight-loss group, a men's and ladies ministry, a sports ministry, a mom with preschoolers ministry and a dealing with disease support group.

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