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.

From Memorial Day Sunday to Labor Day Sunday, our Summer in the Garden program is offered at 10:00 a.m. From September through May, Religious Education classes are offered during both the 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. service.

Religious Education enrollment for 2023-24 will be offered again for families who missed spring sessions (Sundays in the Foote Room): June 11, 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m.; July 16, 1:00-2:30 p.m.; August 20, 1:00-2:30 p.m. Child care provided. To schedule alternative times, contact katrina@unityunitarian.org.

Summer in the Garden

Summer in the Garden is held each Sunday at 10:00 a.m., Memorial Day Sunday through Labor Day Sunday. Great for children ages 4-12. Please meet in our outdoor garden, next to the parking lot. No registration is necessary but drop-in capacity will be limited by the number of adult volunteers present. If you would like to help, please contact Katrina Nichols at katrina@unityunitarian.org.

These photos were taken in the summer of 2022 by Kim Wolston and student photographers Sophie, Bea, Claire, Marina, Marvin, and Duncan.

Religious Education Programming
September-May

HOW TO DO SUNDAYS WITH KIDS

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CALENDAR

tEACHER reSOURCES

Nursery Care: ages 6-months to 3-years

2021 Nursery Hours

Sundays during the school year: 8:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
Wellspring Wednesday programming: 6:45-8:45 p.m.
Holiday services and special programming hours will vary

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 in-person 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 after worship/fellowship or immediately following events/groups.

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 Katrina Nichols at katrina@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.

Good to know for Sunday mornings:

Children can be signed in to their Spirit Play class beginning 10 minutes before the service.
Check to make sure two teachers are in the room; if not, please stay with your child until they arrive.
Nametags are in the pocket charts on the door. Please return nametags when you leave.
Collect your preschooler following worship (after 10:15 a.m., after 12:15 p.m.).

For information about Spirit Play programming at Unity Church, please contact Katrina Nichols at katrina@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.

Good to know for Sunday mornings:

Children should be escorted to the Ames Chapel starting 10 minutes before worship.
Check to make sure at least two teachers are in the Chapel; if not, stay with your child until they arrive.
Please collect your child following worship (after 10:15 a.m., after 12:15 p.m.).

For information about Workshop Rotation programming at Unity Church, please contact Katrina Nichols at katrina@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

Good to know for Sunday mornings:

Junior high youth can escort themselves to and from classes.
Youth should wear nametags while in the church building for reasons of safety and community-building.
Youth conclude with worship in Ames Chapel. Please designate a meeting location following class.

For information about junior high programming at Unity Church, please contact Katrina Nichols at katrina@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.

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

Tower Club

Tower Club, Unity's high school youth group, is called "Tower Club" because of our historical connection to high school group meetings held in the bell tower long ago. Tower Club is a gathering place for 10th-12th graders to enjoy one another’s company, gain insights into the world and our faith, cultivate compassion, have fun and eat tasty food. Tower Club typically meets Sunday afternoons, 12:30-2:30 p.m., at Unity Church. Youth and parents who wish to receive email updates about Tower Club events should let Drew Danielson know by emailing drew@unityunitarian.org.

Story Sundays

Family Sundays

On Story Sundays, children in grades 1-8 begin in worship with the congregation in the Sanctuary. After the opening hymn, prayers, and story for all ages, Workshop Rotation children (grades 1-5) proceed with their Journey Guides to their classrooms for religious education programming while junior high youth (grades 6-8) remain in the Sanctuary for the entire worship service.

On Family Sundays, children experience the entire worship together with their families in the Sanctuary. A story for all ages and activity books related to the stories and sermon help children to engage in the experience of worship. Regular religious education programming does not take place on Family Sundays; however, the nursery is open for children under three years of age.