Religious Education Program for Youth

The great end in religious instruction…is not to stamp our minds irresistibly on the young, but to stir up their own; not to make them see with our eyes, but to look inquiringly and steadily with their own; not to give them a definite amount of knowledge, but to inspire a fervent love of truth…not to impose religion upon them in the form of arbitrary rules which rest on no foundation but our own word and will, but to awaken the consciousness, the moral discernment, so that they may discern and approve for themselves what is everlastingly right and good. — William Ellery Channing (1836)

Sept. 9 is the annual Water Ceremony. It is an intergenerational service, intended for people of all ages. Please bring a bit of water that has significance: from a vacation trip, a new relative's home, a new baby's bath, or anything else that you would enjoy sharing.

Sunday Morning, 10:00–11:15 a.m. (Sept. 16, 2007 to June 1, 2008)

Please register your child for class; it helps us to plan for the year. You may print a registration form or fill out an online registration form as you prefer. Our religious education program is a cooperative program that depends upon volunteers. Volunteers are welcome at all levels of experience and commitment. The volunteer information form is available in both printable format and online.

• Nursery (infant to 2 yrs. old) — Loving care is provided for the youngest members of our community.


• Preschool — Celebrating Me and My World. Encourages children to develop their self-identity, to feel accepted and at home in church, and to expand outward to the things and people around them.


• K–1st — A Discovering Year. Nurtures childrens spiritual and religious growth through connections to an ever-widening environment. Children discover and celebrate as they learn about themselves and others, families and churches, nature, and religious and cultural days


• 2nd–3rd — Timeless Themes. Introduces children to the rich stories from the Hebrew and Christian Bibles, which are an important part of our culture and our Unitarian Universalist heritage. Also includes songs, games, role plays and imaginative learning activities.


• 4th–5th — Bibleodeon. Participants dont just read, they experience great stories of the Hebrew and Christian Bibles, including performing eleven original playlets.


• 6th — The Questing Year. Participants are invited on four quests tied to the themes of Self, Church, Mystery, and World. The year culminates with a coming-of-age ceremony during a worship service.


• Junior High (7th–8th) — Neighboring Faiths. Focuses on learning about other religions, incorporates visits to other places of worship, and encourages young people to relate what they learn to their own growing faith.


• Senior High (9th–12th), Young Religous Unitarian Universalists (YRUU) — Living in UUville. What would life be like if we lived in a UU world? Role playing games examine this question. Retreats, social justice, recreational, and other special activities scheduled at additional times throughout the year.

Visitors

Visitors are welcome throughout the year! Please register for class after two or three visits when you decide this is the right church for you. You may print a registration form or fill out an online registration form as you prefer. You can also sign up to help with the RE program.

For more information, please contact Deborah Kahn, Director of Religious Education, 301-762-7666, dkahn -at- uucr.org, or Suzanne Carrillo, suzant -at- earthlink.net, Chair of the Religious Education Committee.

UUCR's Safety Policy for Children and Teens

Adult Religious Education and Enrichment Programs