See below for Religious Education Classes for Children
Register Children and Teens for the Religious Education Programs!
Children and teens will be welcomed to their new classes for the coming program-year on Ingathering Sunday, September 9th. We ask that families register all children and teens in Nursery through High School so that we may keep you informed about important news and special events. Registration also insures that there will be materials and supplies in place for everyone. Don’t delay, register today by completing and returning these downloadable forms.
Email Karen Lewis to sign up or get further information.
Infants and Toddlers - up to Age 3 - Warmly Welcomed
8:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Trained and carefully screened Caregivers and parent volunteers work together to staff our inviting, well-equipped nurseries.
Parents of children in the nursery may request a silent pager to wear during the worship service so that they can stay in touch, if they desire.
Parents are asked to assist in the nursery on a rotating basis. Helping in the nursery is a great way to get to know our caregivers and the other families with young children.
The nursery is open every Sunday including those designated as "No R.E. Classes."
Age 3 - Celebrating Me & My World
9:15 a.m. – 10:30 or 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Curious three-year-olds will celebrate the wondrous qualities of themselves and the animals, objects and people around them.
This age-appropriate curriculum, facilitated by dedicated teachers, provides experiences and opportunities that foster trust and caring. The children will spend their time with teachers and friends developing a sense of self-identity and a feeling of connectedness to all of life.
We know that children develop at differing rates physically and intellectually. Experience has shown us that in order to have a meaningful experience in this class, it is important that children have celebrated their third birthday by September 1st of the year for which they are enrolling.
Ages 4 & 5 - A Discovering Year
supplemented with 10 sessions from Stories About God
9:15 a.m. – 10:30 or 11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Children four and five years of age will be immersed in a newly acquired curriculum that is rich in content and developed with differing learning styles in mind.
Centered on four of the U.U. Principles, the goals for children in A Discovering Year are:
- To appreciate the worth of each person, including themselves.
- To work and play cooperatively.
- To recognize and express their feelings.
- To explore and celebrate the rich diversity of humankind.
- To explore and celebrate the natural world and to understand the interconnectedness of all living things.
- To discover and express a spiritual dimension in their lives and the world around them.
Grades 1 & 2 - UU Super Heroes & Super Heroes Bible People
9:15 a.m. – 10:30 or 11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Children in first and second grades will enjoy hearing and portraying the stories of real Unitarian Universalist "Super Heroes" and the "Super Heroes" of the Bible; all of whom acted with courage and wisdom in their attempts to make the world a better place for others.
Throughout the year children will meet Moses, David, Solomon, Elijah, Esther and Jesus as well as Henry David Thoreau, Clara Barton, Lewis Latimer, Beatrix Potter, Christopher Reeve and Olympia Brown.
While learning more about U.U. Principles and Purposes, children will be encouraged to develop and use their own "super powers" as they interact with the world around them; growing both spiritually and ethically.
Grades 3 & 4 - Spirit of Adventure
9:15 a.m. – 10:30 or 11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Children in this class will delight to find opportunities to engage in active learning as well as time for quiet reflection at the end of each class.
This new curriculum reinforces the Principles, Purposes and Sources of Unitarian Universalism while exploring the themes of Sports, Medicine, Food, Science, Building and Architecture.
While children will enjoy learning about famous UU's from the past who were engaged in these professions, the highlight will be visits from members of the congregation who will share both their experiences in one of the fields listed above and stories of how Unitarian Universalist principles shape their daily lives.
Grades 5 & 6 - Living the Promise
9:15 a.m. – 10:30 or 11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Fifth and sixth graders often find themselves engaged in conversations about religion with their peers. This is a wonderful time for them to learn that the complex tradition of what is often called the "Old Testament" is important as a primary source from which Unitarian Universalism developed.
Carefully crafted lessons will help them tap into some of the great wisdom found in the Hebrew scriptures – ideas about trust, personal responsibility, and justice. The essential Unitarian Universalist theme of covenant – that reaching out (or in) to create a transcendent bond among members of a community – runs like a thread through this curriculum.
Grade 7 - Neighboring Faiths
11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. only
Seventh graders, and eighth graders not participating in the Our Whole Lives class, will explore religions of the world through stories, study and visits to churches, temples and mosques in the Dallas area.
Special guest-speakers from other faiths will visit the class from time to time to share information and stories of their own faith journey.
The youth will deepen their understanding and appreciation of the world's major religions, through guided discussions comparing and contrasting the major tenets of each faith and those of Unitarian Universalism.
Grade 8 - Our Whole Lives ("OWL" Human Sexuality)
9:15 a.m. – 10:30 only
Youth who participate in this class will end the year equipped with accurate, age-appropriate information about human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture. Grounded in a holistic view, comprehensive sexuality education helps class members clarify their values, build interpersonal skills, and understand the spiritual, emotional, social, and political aspects of sexuality.
Participants in this class must covenant to attend on a regular basis. Parent participation at the orientation sessions and signed parent-permission forms are required in order to enroll 8th-graders in this course. Should an 8th-grader choose not to participate in OWL, or should they register for classes after October 1st, they may join the class for 7th and 8th graders that meets at 11:30.
Grade 9 - Coming of Age
11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. only
Crossing the bridge from childhood to young adulthood is a milestone worthy of our attention as a faith-community.
During this important year, youth are provided opportunities to explore their maturing religious identity as they learn more about the history of our faith, begin to clarify their personal religious positions, and are invited to join the Church.
The year culminates in a ceremony of congregational recognition of Coming of Age, offering the youth all of the opportunities, rights and responsibilities in the church that adults enjoy.
Participants will also enjoy a Heritage Trip in the early summer. Parents and students are asked to attend special meetings regarding orientation, fundraising and planning throughout the year.
Teens in Grades 10 through 12 -
Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU)
10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.
The six pillars of YRUU (worship, fellowship, social action/community service, intellectual growth, youth/adult relations, and leadership development) are central to time spent together on Sunday mornings.
With guidance from the Youth-Adult Committee, youth determine topics for worship and discussion, and plan social events throughout the year. Caring and dedicated advisors assist the youth as they explore together what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist. In addition to time spent together on Sunday mornings, members of YRUU participate in several community service projects. Each Spring, the youth also present a worship service to the larger congregation. They broaden their understanding of leadership in the areas of social justice and community service during their annual end-of-year Service Trip in June.
Children’s Worship in Chapel and Church
While attending Children’s Chapel and services with the entire congregation in the Sanctuary from September through May, children learn some of the ways in which Unitarian Universalists worship, and what it means to be a part of a larger faith-community. Children three years of age through sixth grade spend the first few Sundays of the church school year in
their classrooms getting acquainted with their teachers and greeting friends, old and new. They will then attend the first fifteen minutes of worship in the Sanctuary for up to five consecutive Sundays, attend Children’s Chapel for up to six consecutive Sundays, and continue this rotation through the year. The children begin approximately seventeen Sundays in the
Sanctuary, a comparable number in Chapel and join their families and the larger congregation for the entire worship service in the Sanctuary on several Sundays during the year.
Children in the Sanctuary
Children gain an understanding of the ways in which we worship together by attending the first fifteen minutes of services in the Sanctuary. Seated with their families, they join with people of all ages singing hymns, listening to a story and
joining their voices with those of the larger congregation as we recite our Affirmation of Faith and sing our Doxology.
Children three years of age begin these Sunday mornings in their classroom and are seated with their teachers and friends in pews reserved just for them.
Children’s Chapel
During services in Raible Chapel, the children recite our Affirmation of Faith, sing hymns, listen to a story and often join in meditation or prayer. In prayer, focus is drawn toward expressing gratitude for the gifts of life, regret or sorrow over disappointment or loss, and hope for a better tomorrow for ourselves, our loved ones and for all of creation.
During the service an offering is given and received by the children. At the end of the year, the children put their money to work by donating it to a favorite charity or worthy cause. In past years, the offerings have been presented to Heifer International, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, the Red Cross and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Through this offering, children learn how a small act of generosity can have a positive impact on our society. Children look forward to being able to drop something in the basket when it is passed.
Please help them feel a part of the service by reminding them when it is “Chapel Sunday.” Families are always welcome to attend this worship service.
Worship With Families in the Sanctuary
Children four-years-of-age and older and teens attend the entire worship service several times during the year. Children three years of age and younger will be cared for in the nursery on these Sundays. These services provide an important opportunity for children to witness first-hand the way their parents worship in the Sanctuary when they would usually be in their classrooms. These services are not designed for children and teens, but are designed to provide them the experience
of joining in worship with the larger congregation. Family Worship services include post-Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and Earth Day. Other services, such as the Coming of Age Ceremony and Youth Sunday, may be appropriate for older children. Our two-service schedule provides families the opportunity to attend worship services together at one service time and attend Religious Education classes for children and adults at the other time. |
