Children & Youth
Our Religious Education
The Religious Education program for children and youth is an integral part of the church. Children and adults join together for the beginning of the worship service in the sanctuary and then go off to classes.
The children are greeted in our beautiful classrooms by their teachers. Each class will have four teachers and two of those teachers will be in the classroom each week. The classes are divided according to the school grade of the children. Parents are expected to volunteer to spend a few Sundays each year in the classroom with their child’s class. Parents also provide the snack.
We try to give each child a well-rounded experience in a holistic way. Every curriculum is taught with a UU perspective. We want our children to have the tools that enable them to make their own free and responsible search for truth and meaning.
2010 – 2011
We have planned an exciting year for our children. Classes will use newer, teacher-friendly UU curricula, and will be divided into specific age groups for the 11:00am service. At 9:15am, there will be one multi-age class. Several intergenerational services will be held throughout the year. Here is what each class will learn:
9:15 am:
One multi-age class. Contact the Director of Religious Education, Robin Pugh, for details.
11:00 am
PreK – Kindergarten: Chalice Children nurtures young children’s spiritual growth, creativity, and connection to their Unitarian Universalist community through rhymes, games, finger plays, stories and activities.
Grades 1 and 2:Picture Book UU features wonderful picture books and related activities that teach young children about the love, reason, tolerance, and good works that make up our faith.
Grades 3 and 4: Toolbox of Faith invites children to reflect on the qualities of our Unitarian Universalist faith, such as integrity, courage, and love, as tools that they can use in living their lives and building their own faith. Each class session uses a tool as a metaphor for an important quality of our faith such as reflection (symbolized by a mirror), flexibility (duct tape), and justice (a flashlight).
Grades 5 and 6: Riddle and Mystery helps children answer “Is there a God?” “What happens after I die?” “Does my life have purpose?” These are the big questions we all ask. Though Unitarian Universalists espouse different theologies, we agree on many answers to these questions. This curriculum helps young people understand that our individual search for meaning in the universe is supported and strengthened when we come together as people of faith. Participants explore our shared UU beliefs and determine where their beliefs fit in the spectrum.
Grades 7 and 8: Our Whole Lives (“OWL”) is a comprehensive sexuality education curriculum that provides youth with accurate information about sexual health, human development, sexual behavior, relationships, and personal skills in the supportive setting of our religious community. Parents must attend a parent orientation before their child may take this class.
Grades 9 – 12: The Senior Youth Group will meet on alternate Sunday nights from 6:00 to 7:30 pm this year. We have four youth advisors, all of whom are excited about facilitating the youth group. Youth Group’s purposes includes nurturing spiritual, emotional, and intellectual growth; developing leadership skills; building community; increasing understanding between youth and adults; and serving the wider community. Activities include worship, learning, games, overnights, social action, field trips, youth conferences, and (we hope) a mission trip.
Our program is a cooperative one in which parents are expected to play a part. We encourage you to share your time and talents with us. And how can we help you – as parents? – as a family? Classes, discussion groups, support groups are all possible as we identify the needs.
See the UUCWC Religious Education Prospectus for more information.
Our school year for Religious Education begins in September and continues through mid-June. If you wish to enroll your children in our programs please complete a registration form and a health history form.
Summer Program
UUCWC will be offering a summer program for children ages 3 to 10, every Sunday from June 21 through September 6 during the 10:00am service. The multiage classes will base their curriculum on Picture Book Unitarian Universalism. Pre-registration is not required.
Resources