Children’s Programs

Children’s Programs 2023-2024

Building Community by nurturing loving hearts,

curious minds and joyful spirits!

We believe that faith is something we live, not something we learn.

Being a part of a loving community strengthens a child’s love for others, themselves, and the world.

Nurturing a child’s curiosity about the big questions of life gives them confidence to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world.

Living with a sense of wonder and reverence everyday deepens a child’s capacity for joy and connection.

We also believe worship is something we engage with, not something we sit through. Worship is when we pause to take the time for wonder, love and gratitude for all that is our lives. Our children’s worship is active and participatory. Each week, on Sunday morning, children will gather to experience the love and connection found in our beloved community. Adults and children begin together in the Sanctuary for the first 10 minutes or so before the children are dismissed to go to their RE program with their adult leaders.

This Fall, we will be focusing on learning our Unitarian Universalists Principles and Sources. Each Sunday children will join their families in the Sanctuary for the first 10 minutes of the Sunday Service, and then will then head outside with the Director of Religious Education and adult volunteers to explore our Unitarian Universalist values and principles in our natural classroom outside.

Our overarching goal this church year is to reconnect after spending nearly 2.5 years spending out time learning out the core values of our UU faith.

Childcare (6mo – 2) Exploring our World.

Loving and age-appropriate care is available for children during Sunday morning worship services. Our youngest children are “mentored” by older children eager to help them learn.

Pre-K (ages 2 – 4) Making Friends.

We make friends with other people, the world around us and with ourselves through play, children’s worship, and service to others. UU message: “I know that I am loved.”

K-3 (ages approx. 5-8) Exploring Our Stories.

We explore the stories that ground us in our Unitarian Universalist faith, with wisdom from the worlds’ religions and insight from many cultural perspectives. UU Message “I know that I am a valued member of this UU church.”

Gr. 4-6 (ages approx. 9-11) Soul Matters.

We build our church community by worshiping together, asking and seeking answers to life’s big questions and being of service to the wider world. UU message “I know what Unitarian Universalism is and how it affects how I act in the world.”

Gr. 7-8 (ages approx. 12 – 13) Creating Connections.

We create meaningful connections while learning about ethics and safety in personal relationships. We also create meaningful connections to our faith by composing and presenting our credo statements in Coming of Age. UU message: “I know what I believe.”

Gr. 9-12 (ages approx. 14-18) Living Our Faith.

By the time we reach high school age, we are ready to live our faith in the world through service, celebration and involvement in the wider church and U.U. community. Our teens gather weekly for Youth Group where they delve deep into how to live their UU faith. UU message “I live my UU identity in my communities.”

Young Adults: Deepening Faith Formation.

I support my community and work for justice, to grow my soul and heal the world. We do this through worship, social justice, volunteering, and faith formation classes. UU message: “I continue to grow and change and develop my faith and spiritual practices.”

This we believe.

The Unitarian Universalist Principles, simplified here in terms we can understand at any age, provide the context for developing and practicing the values family seek to reinforce.

Each and every person is important
All people should be treated fairly and kindly
We should accept one another and keep learning together
Each person is free to search for what is true and right in life

All persons should have a vote about the things that concern them
We should seek a peaceful, fair, and free world for all
We should care for our planet Earth together, the home we are sharing with all living things.