Religious Education Program
For Unitarian Universalists, religious education includes all of the ways that children, teens and adults grow toward their potential as compassionate, ethical and fulfilled human beings. We know that studying spiritual questions is a life-long quest and so we believe, in order to have a good start on the road of reflection, our youth program should be creative, passionate and openly respectful of all beliefs.
We can play a key role in the spiritual development of youth within a nurturing, caring environment and we can enable children and teens to develop a positive sense of self, as well as a spirit of independence and responsibility. We know that the relationship between young people and their elders must be one of mutual respect.
Our UUFP children’s and teen’s RE classes explore UU principles* and history, holidays of the world’s religions, and character development issues using age appropriate curriculum and crafts. Examples of past classes include:
- Water ecology & conservation, illustrating the 7th UU principle, “Respect for the interdependent web of existence”
- “What’s in a Name?” – exploration of the multitude of names we humans use for the “Great Mysterious”
- Making Eid Il-Fitr cards, from the Islamic tradition
- Hope and rebirth, from Greek myth and Christian traditions
- Participation in the vote for the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child
Children’s RE Classes take place during our monthly services. Babysitting is also available.
Here are the UU Principles in children’s language:
- Each person is important.
- Be kind in all you do.
- We’re free to learn together.
- And search for what is true.
- All people need a voice.
- Build a fair and peaceful world.
- We care for Earth’s lifeboat.
