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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
 Our
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.
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Youth RE Special
Activities
Affirmation Sunday —
May 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 Sunday
— May 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.
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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. |
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.