Chalice Chidlren 2011-2012

Chalice Children (Toddlers and Preschoolers)

Classes begin on September 18. Registration is open!

Our Toddlers and Preschoolers begin their faith journeys in our Chalice Children class. They begin to find their place in our church community with circle time, sharing, stories, music and activities.

Chalice Children meets during our worship service after the Time for All Ages and ends at 11:15 am. Chalice Children is intended for children with group and/or classroom experience. Younger children and those who are new to a classroom setting are welcome to participate but will require a parent companion. Our Volunteer Religious Education Leaders are unable to assist with potty-training needs during the RE Class time. Please let us know how we can help you and your family take advantage of our Religious Education opportunities.

From the middle to September to the end of May our Toddlers and Preschoolers will use the Unitarian Unviersalist Preschool Curriculum, Celebrating Me and My World. Celebrating Me and My World begins by celebrating the wondrous qualities of the children themselves and expands outward to the things and people around them. The  classes provide preschoolers with experiences and opportunities to grow in their sense of trust and caring and to develop their self-identity and their sense of connectedness with all of life. 

Journeys in Faith Classes 2011-2012

Journeys in Faith, Religious Education Classes (Kindergarten-8th Grade)

Our Journeys in Faith Religious Education Classes meet on Sundays after the Time for All Ages, from about 10:15 until 11:15. These classes are based on Unitarian Universalist curriculum from many sources and are taught by volunteers from our church community. Families registered for these classes are encouraged to participate regularly so that children and our RE teachers have a rich experience exploring their faith. Parents of participants are expected to volunteer their time to assist with these classes.

Kindergarten-2nd Grade - Wonderful Welcome

The Wonderful Welcome curriculum engages and challenges leaders and children alike to explore how and why we are willing to welcome others into our lives. We welcome not only strangers, but family, our peers, our neighbors and even entities that are not people such as our animal friends and nature itself. We welcome by sharing intangible gifts, those positive qualities which we all have inside us such as kindness and love. The intangible gifts explored in Wonderful Welcome are all components of welcoming itself, a core Unitarian Universalist value. This program helps children understand and practice other values central to Unitarian Universalism such as friendship, hospitality, and fairness.

Special Project: Kindergarten-2nd graders will lead our Stone Soup Sunday in late November.

3rd - 5th Grade - Faithful Journeys

Faithful Journeys takes children on a pilgrimage of faith, exploring how Unitarian Universalism translates into life choices and everyday actions. In each session, they hear historic or contemporary examples of Unitarian Universalist faith in action. Faithful Journeys demonstrates that our Principles are not a dogma, but a credo that individuals can affirm with many kinds of action. Children will discover a unity of faith in the many different ways Unitarian Universalists, including themselves, can act on our beliefs.

Special Project: 3rd-5th graders will lead our UNICEF Collection in the Fall months.

 6th-8th Grade - Living in UUVille

Living in UUville gives youth an opportunity to explore the full meaning of the principles of Unitarian Universalism in their lives within an environment that encourages individual initiative as well as teamwork in pursuit of goals.  These activities encourage youth to think about their own religious beliefs and how they will promote their own spiritual growth.

Special Project: 6th-8th graders will lead our congregations participation in the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee’s Guest At Your Table Program.

In addition to Sunday morning classes, the middle school group will have occasional special events that will take place outside of the regularly scheduled time.

UUth 2011-2012

UUth (9th -12th Grade)

Our Youth Group, UUth, meets Sundays between mid-September to early June. Youth group meetings include opportunities for Worship, Community Building, Social Action, Learning, and Leadership. Meetings are held most weeks during the Sunday morning worship services. UUth members are encouraged to participate in various programs in the life of the congregation. The youth group will have occasional lock-ins and other events that will take place outside of the regularly scheduled time.

This year UUth will be Coming of Age as Unitarian Universalists. Using a variety of resources, formats for sessions, and activities individuals in the youth group will discern what it means for them to be Unitarian Universalists. After covenanting to create and sustain a safe enviroment for one another, they will explore through discussions, films and other activities what personal beliefs they have and those they hope to develop.

Registration Information

All families, returning or new, must register (hard copy or online) for Children’s RE and our Youth Group annually. Visitors and newcomers are welcome to participate in our Children’s Religious Education Classes and are asked to complete a Children’s RE Visitor's Pass for their safety. After the fourth week of attendance, new families will be invited to register for the Children’s RE and/or our Youth Group.

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