Church
for Children
The
Church for Children strives to welcome, affirm, challenge, and support
our young people in the discovery and development of their religious
being.
While class offerings change year to year, the overall curriculum
provides
a broad program addressing the heritage of Unitarian Universalism,
world
religions, and local practice; personal life issues; social justice and
peace; the natural world; and spirituality and faith.
Organization
- - Registration
- - Statement
of Goals
Programs:
Infant-3
years - - 4
years-Kindergarten - - Grades
1-2 - - Grades
3-4 - - Grades 5-6
- - Grades 7-8
- - Senior High
Announcements:
YOU ARE NEEDED
The Church for Children is a
cooperative volunteer program
that needs the involvement of the congregation, as a whole, and, in
particular,
each parent/guardian. You are encouraged to find a way to share your
time
and talents with children and youth. In addition to Circle Leaders,
helpers
are needed for Game Days, special events, and snacks. If you have time
or a special talent to share (baking, art, storytelling, music), we
want
your participation. Please contact Marie Keifer, Director of Religious
Education, at 673-1870. marie.keifer@att.net.
General
Information:
ORGANIZATION
The Children's Program Committee develops programming for and
administers
the operation of the Church for Children. The committee welcomes
questions
and ideas. For more information, contact Marie Keifer, Director of
Religious
Education, at 673-1870.
[Back
to top]
REGISTRATION
To ensure safety and proper care, all children and youth participating
in church programs need to be registered. Registration forms are
available
from Marie Keifer, Director of Religious Education.
[Back to top]
STATEMENT OF GOALS
To foster an attitude
of acceptance of self and
of others, a feeling of uniqueness and self-worth, and an openness to
ideas
and feelings.
To teach the history,
traditions, and ideas of
all religions, to encourage a sensitivity to them and an awareness of
their
relevance to our own religious lives.
To convey a clear
sense of the meaning and experience
of Unitarian Universalism, as well as its history.
To model and to
reinforce values of social responsibility
and democratic process in both an advocacy and an activist mode.
To provide an
experience of community, of acceptance,
love, and compassion, to be cherished.
To create an
environment for children to explore,
develop and celebrate their own spirituality and an affirmation of
life;
to provide times and places for reflection and centering.
To guide the
children's questioning and search
for meaning, including an acceptance that sometimes there are no
answers,
and to provide ongoing challenge to newness and growth; to foster a
sense
of personal responsibility, integrity, and courage of one's own
convictions.
To provide support,
assistance, and clarification,
leading toward individual empowerment in dealing with difficult life
problems
and with ethical concerns.
To develop
experiences and an environment which
encourage awe and wonder of the natural world and awareness of the
interconnections
of all of life.
[Back to top]
PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS
2007-08
Below are brief descriptions
of the programs that are
offered during the church year. Our classes (often referred to as
Circles) for
children, kindergarten age and younger begin at 10:30 AM. Our
congregation,
including children/youth in grades 1 and up—unless noted
differently—usually
gathers as a community in the sanctuary during the first part of the
worship.
After the “Story for All Ages,” children/youth and
their Circle Leaders leave
the sanctuary to begin their programs. Parents and guardians are
welcome to
attend Circles at any time. All sessions end at Noon.
[Back to top]
LITTLE
LIGHTS (infant-3 years)
This is a place where the youngest of our church community
are supported in a safe, nurturing environment.
Caregivers provide a secure place for play and
begin to develop a sense
of community. Selected
games, stories,
and simple crafts will be offered to interested children to begin
exploring
learning experiences and having fun together. Activities are
age-appropriate
and tailored to the group.
[Back to top]
SHOOTING
STARS (4 years - Kindergarten)
Curriculum:
Spirit Play
Based
on Montessori techniques, this program allows
children to experience sacred space and become a community of children. Though the use of stories
and engaging
multiple senses, children can explore the meaning of life’s
questions. Children
are given real choices within the
structure of the morning. The
program
develops an underlying sense of the spiritual and the mystery of life..
[Back to top]
Grades
1-2
Description:
What is peace? How can we promote
peace within our world and ourselves? Exploring peaceful
living skills
and conflict resolution, children will also experience a multicultural
awareness of peace. Music, stories, and hands-on activities
aim to
connect children to the concept and symbols of peace.
[Back to top]
Grades
3-4
Curriculum: Timeless
Themes
Through
stories from the Hebrew and Christian Bibles
children become familiar with cultural heritage and 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.
[Back to top]
Grades
5-6 (Fall)
Curriculum: Our Whole Lives
Participants
learn about and discuss the physical
and emotional changes of puberty, while stressing the values of love,
justice,
equity, and responsibility. Participants
will read, It’s Perfectly Normal,
by
Robie Harris, and examine topics such as values, sexuality,
communication, and
decision-making. Each
session includes a
‘Home Link’,’ an activity for parents and
children to complete together at
home. The program
promotes our religious
community as a place to ask important questions as we search for truth,
meaning, and understanding. Parental
permission is required for this program. A parent orientation will be
held in
the fall prior to the start of the program. This Circle begins at 10:30
AM.
Grades 5-6 (Spring)
Curriculum: Small Group Ministry /Service
The
program is based on the curriculum, “Adapting
Small Group Ministry for Children’s Religious
Education,” by Gail Forsyth-Vail.
The focus is for the youth to build an intentional community, practice
being
together, provide a framework for responding to the great questions of
life,
create a space for each person to feel valued and to be of service. The
group
will work together on justice making (service projects) within the
community
and in the larger world.
[Back to top]
Grades
7-8
Curriculum: Our Whole Lives
Our
Whole Lives helps
participants
make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual health and
behavior. It equips
participants with
accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas: human development,
relationships, personal
skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture. Grounded in a holistic
view of sexuality, Our Whole Lives provides
not only facts
about anatomy and human development, but helps participants to clarify
their
values, build interpersonal skills, and understand the spiritual,
emotional,
and social aspects of sexuality. Parental permission is required for
this
program. A parent orientation will be held in the fall prior to the
start of
the program. This Circle begins at 10:30 AM.
[Back to top]
Coming of Age (Grade
9 and youth in 10 –12th grade who have
not
participated earlier.)
The program provides a focus for youths’ spiritual
development and helps them transition to more mature involvement in
church life. The structure of the program provides opportunities for
youth to reflect on their spiritual experiences within and beyond UUCM,
inventory their skills, and decide what their credo or faith statements
are, as this point in their spiritual journey.
Young
Religious Unitarians Universalists
– YRUU (Grades 9 to 12)
Provides an opportunity for fellowship, conversation,
service, and fun for high school youth. The meeting time and day is to be
determined by the group.
[Back to top]
Unitarian
Universalist Congregation in Milford