Welcome to the Religious Education Program for Children, Youth, and Families at First Unitarian Church.

Liberal Religious Education is no small task—it is a lifelong pursuit.

In a recent opinion piece for the New York Times, professor of psychology Alison Gopnik wrote, "Generations of psychologists and philosophers have believed that babies and young children were basically defective adults—irrational, egocentric and unable to think logically.... New studies, however, demonstrate that babies and very young children know, observe, explore, imagine, and learn more than we would ever have thought possible. In some ways, they are smarter than adults."

This happens to be a keen description of faith development in the Unitarian Universalist tradition—not only for young children, but for everyone. Ours is a faith that endeavors to light the spark of religious imagination—a sense of awe and wonder and generosity—in everyone. Every week, children, youth, and adults gather in classroom communities and worship to "know, observe, explore, and imagine." We strive to grow generous hearts and to feel the blessing of life.

Our Sunday School is one that

• Expresses that life is a joyful experience
• Promotes critical thinking
• Teaches that every person is worthy of love
• Educates that we have a responsibility to positively engage the world in order to promote justice and equity for all people
• Recognizes that we are inextricably linked to the earth and all life upon it
  

Having a strong and vibrant connection with a church-community shows our children that there are indeed other like-minded people in the world, and it supports them as they endeavor to live an honest and ethical life. Also, they have fun with their church community! For as Professor Gopnik says, "... What children observe most closely, explore most obsessively and imagine most vividly are the people around them. There are no perfect toys; there is no magic formula. Parents and other caregivers teach young children by paying attention and interacting with them naturally and, most of all, by just allowing them to play."

Come and play in the land of Religious Education and add to the dynamism of the living faith of Unitarian Universalism.

With peace —

Lynn Hunt
Credentialed Religious Educator

Religious Education Program Mission Statement

The Religious Education Program strives to promote religious education as a lifelong creative process by fostering an atmosphere supporting spiritual exploration and ethical decision-making in which individuals are respected.

In keeping with this mission we have established the following objectives:

• To promote understanding of and participation in Unitarian Universalism
• To provide opportunities for meditation, discussion, and community service
• To encourage opportunities for relationsips with other church members and with our wider community
• To provide opportunities for the study of the history, spirituality, and ritual of the world's religious traditions, especially our Judeo-Christian heritage
• To provide opportunities for examination of important questions concerning the existence and nature of God and the meaning of our lives
• To foster appreciation for the rich tapestry of spiritual life.
  
  

These elements constitute the program:
Worship, personal reflection and prayer · Classroom study
Fellowship · Community action · Leadership opportunities

Registration Information
If your child attended the Sunday School last year, he or she is pre-registered. You will receive a registration form indicating the information the office has concerning your child and class assignment. Please check over this form, make any corrections, and return to the Religious Education office. New families are asked to complete a registration form by the third week of attendance.

Safety
The safety of children and youth is a major concern of the Religious Education program. In order to create as safe an environment as possible, all volunteer teachers and Sunday School staff are subject to child safety background checks. Other procedures are also in place. If you have any concerns, please contact the Religious Educator. If you would like to review the full Safe Church Policy, you may download it from the church website.

During fellowship times, parents need to monitor the whereabouts of their children. Outdoor play is available on Sunday mornings on the fenced lawn along Kingshighway. Children should not play outside without supervision.

If the building is evacuated due to fire, teachers are instructed to escort their classes to either the parking lot off Waterman Blvd. or the lawn along Kingshighway—depending on the location of their classroom.

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