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“The great end in religious instruction is not to stamp our minds upon 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.”

~ William Ellery Channing,
UU Minister

What is the focus of religious education at UUCC?
We begin with the idea that all of us, children and adults, are responsible for seeking personal truths surrounding our spiritual lives. We strive to help our children develop an understanding of the importance of taking time for dedication, introspection, creating inward and outward peace, compassion and understanding for self and others.

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How can we teach without a doctrine?
We have a strong faith in the inherent spirituality of children and believe it is our task to nurture, not to indoctrinate. We give children the building blocks from which to form their own beliefs. Throughout the church year our classes may include the seven UU principles, Unitarian Universalist history and identity, Judeo/Christian beliefs, other world religions and peace and social justice.

What are the classes like?
We honor the fact that children learn in many different ways. This means we must offer multiple approaches in learning spiritual concepts to engage the child holistically. Discussions, art projects, music, stories, and games are some of the ways we help our children explore spiritual concepts. Some Sundays will feature small peer group classes; other Sundays will find children of all ages together or participating in intergenerational services.

What are my responsibilities as a parent?
Our program is kept vibrant and operational due to the input and contributions of our congregants. It is expected that parents find the most comfortable way in which to share their time, talents and resources by knowing (becoming informed about) the varying opportunities available to them in the RE program. We highly encourage intergenerational relationships in our church community. We strongly encourage everyone in the church to spend a few Sundays a year sharing their passions and life wisdom with our youngest attendees.

For the 2007-2008 year, our RE program will encompass five classes:
Nursery/Preschool:  infant – Age 3
Primary:  Age 4 – Kindergarten
Elementary:  1st grade – 4th grade
Middle Youth:  5th grade – 7th grade
Youth:  8th grade – 12th grade

We will work with parents to find the best fit for your child. If you feel your child would be more comfortable or function more appropriately in a class other than what is listed please let us know.

What happens on Sunday mornings?
Children join the adults for the first 10 minutes of Sunday morning services, then are invited to  come forward for a “Children’s Moment,” a story or discussion led by the minister, Director of Religious Education or a member of the congregation. Afterward, children are accompanied by the adult facilitators to the lower level for RE classes, which last until 11:15am. Once a month the children all gather together for Children’s Worship Sunday and share with each other what they have been learning.

Who plans the program?
Our Director of Religious Education, Miriam Epskamp, along with the Religious Education Committee and Curriculum Teams, map out the program for the year. In the course of a year, children may engage in lessons from religious education curricula, explore environmental and social issues, work on service projects, take field trips and re-design their classroom space. Whatever the activity, they have plenty of time for social interaction and fun. Please check out our church calendar and view our class schedules.

We keep parents and the entire congregation updated on what is happening in the RE program with monthly newsletter articles, weekly updates in the Sunday morning Order of Service and emails, as needed. Religious Education committee meetings are held once a  month. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.

We urge parents to keep us up to date about any changes in their children’s lives that may affect their participation in RE classes.

UUCC offers religious education for children free of charge. Parents need not be church members to have their children participate in RE activities. We require that parents register children in our program by completing registration forms each fall, which are also available throughout the year to newcomers.

For further questions or more information please contact

DRE, Miriam Epskamp
dre@uucommunitychurch.org
Office phone: 324-7262 during office hours, Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30am – 12:30pm

RE committee
Marcia Adams, marciaanddavid@sbcglobal.net
Katy Ettwein, Youth member, ettwein@charter.net
Erin Michael, timerin@charter.net
Brian New, dion@net-link.net