Religious Education for Children and Youth

Religious Education programming offers the opportunity for children and youth of all ages to come together to share in exploration of our liberal religious heritage, our common values, and our individual journeys toward truth. Our goal is to cultivate and sustain in our young people a love of the spiritual life, a foundation for a personal theology and a confidence in their ability to be stewards of their own souls.

Watch for opportunities to enroll in Religious Education programming that will begin in September 2021. Click here to learn about our Summer Sundays in the Garden program.

Enrollment for the 2021-22 church year!

As we continue to monitor public health guidelines and vaccination rates needed to safely return to in-person ministry, we are readying for in-person church this fall. We invite you to attend an in-person session to orient parents to volunteer roles, provide important updates, and share instructions for enrolling children in this year's Religious Education classes. Sessions include enrollment for Our Whole Lives (grade 8) and Coming of Age (grade 9). Please attend any one:

• Saturday, July 10, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., in the Parish Hall
• Saturday, July 24, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., in the Parish Hall
• Sunday, August 15, 1:00–3:00 p.m., in the Foote Room on the second floor.

 
Sessions are for parents. Anyone needing childcare should contact Ray Hommeyer (ray@unityunitarian.org) at least 24 hours in advance of the session you will attend. Please include the date of your session and age(s) of children needing care.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CALENDAR

Nursery Care: ages 6-months to 3-years

Families with young children can count on the loving care provided to children ages six months to three years in our nursery. Adult and youth staff work together to comfort and engage infants and toddlers. In addition to our primary nursery Room, we have a second child-friendly Parent Room to accommodate nursing parents and other needs. We also have a child-sized bathroom and changing table in the nursery.

Nursery care is available free of charge during all services. Nursery care is also available during most church-sponsored events; families in need of childcare should complete the online request form at least a week in advance of the event. Families can bring their children to the nursery beginning 15 minutes before services/events and should pick them up immediately following worship/event.

Families should provide the nursery workers with a labeled bag containing any items necessary for the care and comfort of their children, including diapers and wipes. Donations of diapers and wipes for emergencies are always welcome.

The nursery is generally a food-free zone (bottles are welcome) to ensure the safety of all of our children. Please alert caregivers to any allergies, sensitivities, accessibility needs that your child has!

We request that children who are ill or feeling unwell not be brought to the nursery to avoid discomfort and stress to the children as well as to avoid the spread of contagious illnesses. 

​If your family has questions about our nursery care or has a youth 12 years or older who would like to work as a Nursery Assistant, please contact Ray Hommeyer, Nursery Coordinator, by e-mail at ray@unityunitarian.org.​

Spirit Play: ages 3-6

The Spirit Play curriculum is a UU adaptation of the Godly Play curriculum by Jerome Berryman combined with aspects of the Montessori Method, by Maria Montessori.

The purpose of religious education in the Spirit Play classroom, as we see it, is to help children find their own answers to some existential questions.

• Where did we come from?
• What is our purpose?
• How do we choose to live our lives?
• What are our gifts?
• How do we use them?
• What happens when we die?
• Why do we die?
• Why are we lonely and sad sometimes?

​The structure and key elements of the classroom are based on the Montessori Method. These elements free the children to work at their own pace on their own issues. Stories have been developed using current children’s literature, myths, religious stories, and church history that cover answers from various sources to the existential questions above. Thanks to Sarah Cledwyn and Michelle Mecey, you can now view our story library online.

For information about junior high programming at Unity Church, please contact Rev. KP Hong, Minister of Faith Formation, at kp@unityunitarian.org.

Workshop Rotation: grades 1-6

Children in grades 1-6 explore our five theological questions through a unique, effective model called Workshop Rotation. The Workshop Rotation model is a method of instruction and exploration that builds on kids’ and teachers’ various intelligences. It’s called "Rotation" because the teachers stay in the workshops that they know and enjoy and the kids rotate to a new rooms each consecutive Sundays, learning about one or two big ideas from our curriculum in six different ways. The spaces are high-interest, kid-friendly and set up according to purpose.

Each year, we have five units, each one touching on themes or “big ideas” related to our theological questions:

• What is the nature of God?
• What does it mean to be human and alive?
• How is the Sacred present in each of us and in our lives?
• What is the purpose of Beloved Community?
• How do we live in the face of death and loss?

Our workshops include:

• Story: We share sacred stories, ancient ones and our own. Using words, rhymes, poems, and books, we discover the central themes of the unit.
• Art: Children and teachers explore the big ideas through visual means. We draw, paint, sketch, sculpt, and paste our way into the heart of each lesson.
• Science: Through logic, reason, and exploration we experiment with the big ideas, reinforcing our understanding of stories, images, and concepts.
• Drama: Puppets, costumes, and sets bring our stories and ideas alive as we use dramatic play to continue our explorations of the central themes.
• Music: Together, through sound and song, we think about our big ideas in musical ways. We listen to music and create our own music, too!
• Kinesthetic: Our body is an amazing tool for experiencing the universe! Through moving and making we reinforce the unit’s themes.

For information about Workshop Rotation at Unity Church, please contact Rev. KP Hong, Minister of Faith Formation, at kp@unityunitarian.org.

Junior High: grades 6-8

Each semester we explore a new topic in depth; the content is related to our own religious heritage, our developing personal theology or the traditions and wisdom of world religions. Youth can select between two concurrent offerings, based on their interest, past experience or classroom friendships. The structure of each lesson includes a reflective meditation, some energizing fun and some participatory learning about ourselves and the human experience. Course semesters start in September and January and class offerings include:

• UU Identity and History
• Religions of Star Trek
• Stories of the Hebrew Bible
• Beloved Community

For information about junior high programming at Unity Church, please contact Rev. KP Hong, Minister of Faith Formation, at kp@unityunitarian.org.

Our Whole Lives: grade 8

The Our Whole Lives (OWL) program is appropriate for youth in grades 7-9, though at Unity Church, the course is most often taken in 8th grade. 

Our Whole Lives is a nationally known, highly esteemed whole-person UUA/UCC curriculum about human sexuality and spirituality. OWL is a positive and comprehensive program that helps participants gain knowledge, values and skills in order to lead sexually healthy, responsible lives. The OWL curriculum is abstinence-based yet comprehensive in its informative approach to low-risk and high-risk behaviors, sexually transmitted infections, reproductive options, and emotional and psychological aspects of becoming sexually active. Several lessons employ hand-drawn slides, all of which are previewed in our parent orientation sessions. OWL is taught by a team of trained lay-leaders who care deeply about the well-being of our youth.

For information about the Our Whole Lives program at Unity Church, please contact Drew Danielson, Coordinator of Youth and Campus Ministries, at drew@unityunitarian.org.

Coming of Age: grade 9

The Coming of Age program is the culmination of Unity’s Religious Education sequence. The COA program is open for 9th grade youth and meets September-April.

Coming of Age, is a rich program of spiritual exploration that culminates in the creation of a personal credo. Through engaging classes, supportive mentorships and individual reflection and writing, youth will arrive at a point where they will feel confident sharing their statement of their personal theology in a joyful ceremony.

In late April, our COA program culminates in a weekend of sharing and celebration. Youth and mentors enjoy a final banquet together. Family and friends are invited to attend the evening ceremonies where youth share their statements with the congregation and guests. On Coming of Age Sunday, the youth are recognized as full participants in our faith community.

If you or your child are interested in participating in the COA class that begins in September 2021, please complete the Coming of Age Youth Application and Mentor Selection Form.

For information about the Coming of Age program at Unity Church, please contact Drew Danielson at drew@unityunitarian.org.