Worship : Religious Education for Children & Youth
Worship is a central aspect of our church life generally, and our religious education program specifically. In addition starting every week in the worship service, all children and youth enjoy worship and ritual in their classrooms. Every class starts with a chalice lighting, opening words, and Joys and Concerns. And every class ends with an intentional closing.
Having our children present at the beginning of the service every week underscores the importance of them to our collective lives and demonstrates our commitment to developing in them strong identities as Unitarian Universalists. Similarly, by including worship in the more intimate setting of their individual classes, we encourage them to develop a community of trust and sharing among their peers and teachers.
Multigenerational Services
We celebrate several multigenerational services every year, including a Thanksgiving service, a winter service that may be more traditional or it may be all about the solstice, and our annual Flower Communion. Children and youth are often an integral part of the service.
Additionally, the CRE Committee provides coloring and activity sheets relating to the themes of the services. We hope that these will provide an appropriate outlet for children’s energies, while also enhancing their experience of the service.
Our special multigenerational service is Religious Education Sunday, which is the third Sunday in May. All classes make presentations from their work during the year. It might be a song, or a reading, perhaps a book that they made, or something they built, it might be a skit, or a game in which they ask the congregation to participate. All of our volunteers are recognized and thanked. This is the culmination of our year when the children get to shine!