Sunday Morning Religious Education

The regular Religious Education session will begin on September 16, 2012.

Beginning September 11 two services will be offered; 9:30am and 11:15am.  Nursery care and Religious Education classes are provided during both services.  However, due to attendance numbers for each service, different curricula and/or age groupings are offered at each hour.

Age specific programming follows...

Nursery

Infant through Three Years of Age - Both Services

For the youngest of children, loving nursery care is provided during both services.  Patty Christiansen and Cathy Shanahan are the nursery care providers.  Babies and toddlers find many toys, books and hugs in the nursery.  Very simple activities are introduced for the older two-year-olds.  Parents who wish to keep infants with them are welcome to bring babies to the service.

Spirit Play

Pre-School and Kindergarten – Both Services

Spirit Play is a Montessori-based program that teaches children about Unitarian Universalist principles, history, and liturgy through storytelling and play. The Spirit Play classroom is a special, child centered place to be together to discover the spirit of love and mystery that some people call God. Children discover their own answers to the existential questions: Where did we come from? What are we doing here? How do we choose to live our lives? What happens when we die?

Core stories of our faith are presented with special props.  After the stories children are guided towards making meaning through wondering and art. A spiritual community is created that supports multiple learning styles.

Free to Believe

First and Second Grade – Both Services

This is an experiential program designed to nurture the emotional, social, and spiritual life of children.  The first two-thirds of Free to Believe uses the Unitarian Universalist principles as starting points for exploring values, beliefs, and what it means to be Unitarian Universalist.  The last third of the program examines some “big questions” through the perspective of our UU sources.

This curriculum:

· Offers a wide variety of hands-on activities, stories, games, songs, and discussions.

· Includes experiences that nurture and enrich children’s spiritual development, including a variety of meditations, ritual chalice lightings and closings, and opportunities to explore the wonders of nature.

· Considers children’s different learning styles by including a variety of activities related to many of the different intelligences.

Timeless Themes: Stories from the Hebrew and Christian Bibles

Third and Fourth Grade – Both Services

This curriculum introduces children to religious literature that is central to North American culture and to Unitarian Universalist heritage. Children become familiar with their cultural heritage, and to the human issues that inspired these scriptures: the timeless themes of transcendent power, human responsibility, love of freedom, speaking out against injustice, respect for the beliefs of others, love of one's neighbor, and forgiveness.

The Bible stories are taught from a UU value structure. God is referred to as "God," not "he." The stories, drawn from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, are gender-inclusive. Violence is not avoided, but recognized and used to guide participants toward an understanding of non-violent ways to resolve conflicts.

Jesus and His Kingdom of Equals

Fifth and Sixth Grade – Both Services

This Unitarian Universalist curriculum was created to provide students with an introduction to the life and teachings of the person Jesus of Nazareth. While based on the stories as told in the four Gospels of the New Testament, this curriculum uses insights from 20th century archeological, linguistic and theological findings and interpretations.  The guiding premise is that familiarity with Jesus, his life, his stories and his message of equality are central to our cultural literacy.

Neighboring Faiths

Seventh and Eighth Grade – Both Services

This curriculum introduces youth to the faith traditions and practices of other religious groups in their community.  During the year the class will explore the sources that enrich our Unitarian Universalist identity and principles.  In class and on field trips, the students will learn about Judaism, Catholicism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Protestant denominations, earth-centered traditions, fundamentalism and cults.

All church adults are invited to be field trip drivers and chaperones.

Permission slips will be posted under "This Week's Lesson's" and are required for field trips.

High School Youth Group

Ninth Through Twelfth Grade – 11:15 only

High school youth meet each Sunday at 11:15 am with adult advisors. The group is self-directed and plans programs that include: worship, education, social events, social action projects and development of leadership skills.

This group plans trips to various events in the area and has several overnights at the church during the year. An important component of their programming is the Youth Sunday Service, a biannual church service planned, prepared and presented by the youth.

Another highlight of youth group is attending district Youth Conferences. At these events, youth meet other young UUs from churches in Wisconsin, Missouri, Indiana, Michigan and other parts of Illinois.  Lasting friendships develop within the local youth group and across the district.

Youth Group is a wonderful experience for teens – it broadens their perspectives and gives them a comfortable atmosphere in which to discuss the issues they are dealing with, as they become adults.