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Religious Education for Young People
2007-2008 Schedule | Class Schedule | Special Activities

Our Youth Religious Education (RE) program conducts classes each Sunday that run concurrently with the services offered in the sanctuary. The program is under the direction and leadership of Ruth Cowger, our Director of Lifespan Education (DRE). Children are assigned to classes according to age and/or grade level. 

Children begin each Sunday class sitting with their family in the sanctuary for the first segment of the worship service (10-15 minutes), after which they are invited to their classrooms. Parents are always welcome to join in the lesson with their children.

Classes for Children

CUUC Religious Education ClassOur Religious Education Program for children and youth places a focus on three major content areas important to Unitarian Universalists:

1) World Religions and our Judeo-Christian Heritage
Our focus is two-fold . We investigate our Judeo-Christian roots in the context of Unitarian Universalism through the study of foundational biblical stories, figures and events in both the New and Old Testaments. We also investigate major world religions as well as the many existing Jewish and Christian denominations.

2) Social Justice
We offer opportunities to both examine and practice our Seven Principles . We
nurture concepts of responsibility, respect for diversity, compassion, justice and peace within oneself, one’s family, this church, the community, the nation and the world.

3) Unitarian Universalist Heritage and Identity
We encourage the development of a sense of religious identity as a UU by teaching our long tradition of reason, questioning, good works and tolerance. We provide lessons which help our children develop an awareness of events, people and symbols significant in UU history with a focus on understand the polity or structure of our congregation and the denomination as a whole.

We offer the above on a three year rotation so that children revisit these major areas with increased depth as they mature. Children are grouped by grade level:

  • Preschool (toddlers through age 5),
  • Primary Class - grades K-1-2,
  • Intermediate Class - grades 3-4-5,
  • Junior High Class - grades 6-7-8 and
  • High School.

Our style is casual; our classes are usually “hands on” learning. Our over-riding goal is to build community and make life long friends while learning all we can.

As is our tradition, children attend the first part of our Sunday worship service with their family and then leave the sanctuary to attend their classes. We offer nursery care for infants during the entire service. We always welcome and encourage parental involvement. Our classes can be visited at any time.

Contact Ruth Cowger at home, (720) 283-1157, for more information or at the church on Tuesdays and Thursdays 10:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

RE for the 2007 - 2008 Year
Preschool Ages 3-5 | Grades K-2 | Grades 3-5 | Middle School Grades 6-8

Last year, the focus of all religious education lessons was on Social Justice and living our 7 UU principles. Next year, our focus will shift to UU history and identity. Using this three-year rotation, we now start the year of World Religions and Theology. Please see detailed information on four age groups.

Once a month we bring all our children together in one large group for a Community Building Sunday. This allows the children to get to know each other better and to experience a common focus together. Lygia Garrick and Joan Bradt are the adult coordinators. We also feature a monthly family event. Please see our newsletter for current information on these activities

A commitment to attend on a regular basis will allow your child to get the most out of our entire Religious Education Program. Feedback and parental involvement as a support person and/or teacher are always welcome. Please feel free to contact Ruth Cowger, director of Religious Education or Jane Wiater, Assistant Director of Children’s Religious Education.

May Class Schedule Highlights:

Four Classes continue with these themes:

Preschool/Kindergarten — Buddhism and Zen Shorts, Planting Sweet Allysum

1st and 2nd Grade — Buddhism and Zen Shorts, Planting Sweet Allysum

Intermediate — Stepping Stones: Ways to look at Creation. What does your own body tell you about Creation: Genetics.  George Eger will speak about his experience in the design of space vehicles.

Middle School — God Images: What do physicists and philosophers say about g.o.d.? Reviewing your very own concept of GOD.

High School — Career Stories: Members of the congregation discuss their career tracks with the high school youth in Barry’s office during Sunday morning service.

May 4th: Dan Gaiser, Teaching High School Math;

May 11th: Bob Blizzard, Engineer/Physicist Perspective.

Youth RE Special Activities

Affirmation SundayMay 18th: Mark your calendars now! This is a children and adult service that celebrates our wonderful children and their religious education. Several of our children will sing and/or play a musical instrument. If you would like your child to perform, please let Ruth Cowger know.

Community Building SundayMay 25th: End of the Year Party. Just as we started our school year with a potluck, we will end our school year with one in the back garden area. Signup for potluck items in the sanctuary signup area.

Detailed Schedules

Preschoolers aged 3-4-5
Complete 07-08 Schedule (PDF)

In an effort to respond to the developmental needs of preschoolers, we rotate UU curricula that is designed for children aged 3, 4, and some of our 5’s. Placement of our 5’s in either the preschool or the primary class is made by the DRE, the parents and teachers, based on each child’s individual needs. Our preschoolers will have lessons based on the UU curriculum Chalice Children which introduced preschoolers, on their level, to various aspects of church life. Each lesson includes story books and creative art projects. We end each class with juice and a simple snack.

  4  Combine or select from:
      Lesson 23: May Day: At our church we celebrate spring
      Two Stories about Flowers Growing: Billy Bunny
      Where does your Garden Grow?
      Lesson #20: Pussy Willows – (Loraine has some in her yard)
      A Story about the changes that come with spring:
      The Very Hungry Caterpillar
11  No Lesson: Preschoolers plant Sweet Alyssum
If time- a Story about Seeds and Plants: Wonderful Worms
18  Affirmation Sunday- A Lifespan Intergenerational Worship           Service celebrating US
25  Community Building #9: Our End of the year party!

Primary Grades K-1-2
Complete 07-08 Schedule (PDF)

The lessons listed below are based on the curriculum Picture Book Religions which explores through children’s literature on a K-1-2 level, the major beliefs and/or practices of Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism as a way to understand rather than judge others.

Once a month we bring all our children together in one large group for a Community Building Sunday. This allows the children to get to know each other better and to experience a common focus together. Lygia Garrick and Joan Bradt are the adult coordinators. We also feature a monthly family event. Please see our newsletter for current information on these activities

A commitment to attend on a regular basis will allow your child to get the most out of our entire Religious Education Program. Feedback and parental involvement as a support person and/or teacher are always welcome. Please feel free to contact Ruth Cowger, director of Religious Education or Jane Wiater, Assistant Director of Children’s Religious Education.

   4  Class 14 B Buddhism and Zen Shorts- art projects
11  Class 15: Conclusion: Making Pinwheels for Peace
and a collage of world religions
18  Affirmation Sunday- A Lifespan Intergenerational Worship Service celebrating US
25  Community Building #9: Our End of the Year Party

Intermediate Grades 3-4-5
Complete 07-08 Schedule (PDF)

The lessons are based on the UU curriculum A Stepping Stone Year which explores (on the level of 3-4-5th graders) many commonalities in: a) various ancient and modern creation stories, b) the birth stories of major religious leaders, c) various sacred books and d) how various religious paths look at issues like life and death.

  4  Class #24: What did Charles Darwin say about Creation?
11  Class #25: What does your own body tell you about Creation: Genetics!
18  Affirmation Sunday- A Lifespan Intergenerational Worship Service
celebrating US
25   Community Building #9: A party with our pets: Blessing of the Animals

Middle Schoolers in Grades 6-7-8
Complete 07-08 Schedule (PDF)

The lessons are based on the UU curriculum God Images which explores various ways that God has been and is conceptualized in our society, allowing our young people to fashion their own perception as the lessons progress.

Six mentoring Sundays are build into the year. These are opportunities for our middle schoolers to meet with our high school youth, as a way to help prepare 6-7-8th graders for their transition to 9th grade. Sandra McKenzie and Rene Sonderegger are the adult leaders.

  4  Lesson #24 what do physicists and philosophers say about God?
11  Lesson #25 Reviewing the year and stating my concept of God
18  Affirmation Sunday- A Lifespan Intergenerational Worship Service celebrating US
25  Community Building #9: Our End of the Year Party

Ruth Cowger
Director of Religious Education.

YRUU- Young Religious Unitarian Universalists -- our Sunday morning program for high schoolers - continues to offer discussions around high school interest topics.

Career Stories: Members of the congregation discuss their career tracks with the high school youth in Barry’s office during Sunday morning service.

May 4th: Dan Gaiser, Teaching High School Math;

May 11th: Bob Blizzard, Engineer/Physicist Perspective.

 

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Columbine Unitarian-Universalist Church
6724 South Webster Street
Littleton, Colorado 80128
303-972-1716