Our Children / Youth Program
Children, though natural questioners, are not skeptics for whom doubt is an end in itself. Children are as open to belief and faith as they are to questioning. They are looking, as we are all looking, for things on which they can depend, values they can faithfully live by, ideas that make sense, things to believe in.
Rev. Earl Holt, Religious Education at Home
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An Invitation to Exploration |
Give us an hour-and-a-half each Sunday, and we’ll give you the future. On Sundays, our children and youth leave the sanctuary for their classrooms where their covenant of care and nurturing guides them to a deeper understanding of the Unitarian Universalist mission. We identify with our children’s newness to the world and their joy at discovery. We remember the lightness of childhood, the ease of carrying our short histories and simple responsibilities to the here and now. Great hopes for the future unfurled before us. This is the mindset we foster in our RE classes and projects. We remind ourselves and the children that the work never ends to know ourselves, to know one another, to seek wholeness through forgiveness of ourselves and others, to learn again and again to speak with a softer word, to look with a softer eye, to hear with a softer ear, to be kinder. Some of us, in our uniting faith of diversity, call this holiness while others call it wholeness. As Unitarian Universalists we join together in our goal to achieve this holiness/wholeness of spirit and to share joy in our relationships with all beings. What does our faith mean if not that we strive to look beyond ourselves to realize our oneness with all? This oneness then is the aim of our lessons. The children study us as role models. Daily they are imprinted by us. We guide them to alternate ways to think, to act, to speak, to love. This is what it means to truly be a Unitarian Universalist. With hope,
Jane Edwards
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The Religious Education program at UUFG is a nurturing, safe, and intellectually challenging community in which children learn and grow. Children and youth cultivate meaningful relationships with adults and peers as they develop spiritually, socially, mentally, and emotionally. We emphasize self-worth, tolerance, and an inquisitive, questioning mind. Children are taught by direct instruction, often with enriched UUA-recommended curricula. Lessons in Unitarian Universalism merge with studies of the many religions of the world, the very sources of the living tradition that inform our faith. These subjects are not disparate pillars but provide a firm foundation.
The growing intersection between the political and the religious in the United States has resulted in a determination to give our children the tools to participate in the discussions and debates shaping our country. It is our obligation to provide the necessary skills so our children will have a place at the table and a voice in the dialogue. We teach the lessons of the Bible without teaching its divinity. We teach about the values and truths found in world religions. Most importantly we give our children and youth what they long for: they are grounded morally and spiritually with discussions of justice, compassion, truth, conscience, and dignity.
It truly does take a village to raise a child. At UUFG we are all part of a supportive and loving village. Our village includes every member of our congregation, whether they relate to the children as ministers, musicians, teachers, assistants, CYREC members, or volunteers. Our intention is to fully integrate our children and youth into the UUFG community. |
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Safe Community
At UUFG, we continue to work to make all our programs for Children and Youth safe and nurturing. Two teachers are assigned to every classroom, and background checks are performed on all volunteers, staff, and ministers, anyone who works with our children. No photos of a child will be published without written parental consent. While children wear nametags in their classrooms, nametags are removed before they leave class. Children may play on the playground after Religious Education classes if they have parental supervision.
We will continue to look for ways to improve our safety and welcome your feedback. At UUFG, we feel the time and money that makes this a safe place for all our children are well spent.
Religious Education Registration
All children and adolescents involved in any Religious Education program at UUFG, including Youth Group, must have a current, updated, registration form filled out and on file. A new registration form needs to be filled out annually or whenever a child’s living situation changes. Any time new people wish to attend UUFG Religious Education classes, they can register.Parents, children and youth do NOT need to be members of UUFG to register for and participate in UUFG Religious Education and Youth Group programs.
All Registration Forms can be accessed by the following link: CYREC Forms
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Unitarian Universalist Principles and Purposes Interpreted for Children
We Affirm and Promote (We Believe):
- The inherent worth and dignity of every person
(each and every person is important)
- Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations
(in fairness and caring for all people)
- Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations
(our churches are places where all people are accepted and where we grow and learn together)
- A free and responsible search for truth and meaning
(each person is free to search for what is true and meaningful)
- The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large
(in everyone having a voice and a vote about the things they care for)
- The goal of a world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all
(in working for a peaceful, fair and free world)
- Respect for the interdependent web of existence of which we are all a part
(in caring for our Earth and all other life that shares our home)
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