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Northshore Unitarian Universalist Church

Religious Education Program, 2007-'08

Senior Youth Group members conducted our service at Youth Sunday
on June 8, 2008, guided by adult leaders Susan Timmins (left) and Ann Terry.
Welcome

The Religious Education Committee welcomes you to the 2007-'08 Religious Education Program at the Northshore Unitarian Universalist Church.

The following information will provide you with a brief description of the curriculum, projects, and events offered to our children, young adults, and their families. We hope you find your experience here a fulfilling and enriching one. We are a cooperative educational group that continuously seeks new ideas, suggestions, and input from parents, children, and all members of our congregation. We welcome your participation and are happy to answer any questions you have.

Religious Education mission

We seek to open our children and youth to spiritual pathways that encourage their personal growth and awareness of the larger world by expanding their minds and opening their hearts.

Religious Education Program overview

Coordination and integration with the total church community is one of the most important elements of our Religious Education Program. With this cooperative approach, everyone feels involved. We schedule many activities for all ages, including children's attendance at the first service of every month, special Sunday services, holiday activities, and a yearly, all-family retreat at Ferry Beach, a UU conference center on the coast of Maine.

Our statement of purpose

Teach our young people about:
  • Their Unitarian Universalist heritage
  • The teachings of other religions of the world
  • Christian and Jewish beliefs and practices
  • The richness of biblical literature
Guide our young people in their spiritual development by:
  • Teaching them how other people answer basic questions about religion
  • Encouraging and assisting them in exploring their own responses to these issues
  • Including them in the life and worship of our congregation
Provide a loving community for young people in which they can:
  • Feel a sense of connection and belonging
  • Grow and contribute as equal members of our community
  • Develop respect for the people around them
Model what "taking responsible action in the world" means by:
  • Practicing moral and ethical decision-making
  • Participating in community service


Religious Education activities and events

Fun Nights. Two to three times a year we organize Fun Nights. These evenings are designed to bring children together to play games, see movies, learn about other cultures, experience new food, tell stories, do magic, and just have a good time. Parents can use these evenings to actually have a date or do errands that you just do not want to do with the kids in tow. The Fun Nights take place on Friday (6 to 9 p.m.) or Saturday (5 to 8 p.m.).

We will need a few chaperones/helpers for each Fun Night, so look for dates and sign up for one of them. It's a lot of fun and a great way to lend a hand -- you do not need to be a parent of a child attending.

Holiday Workshop. At the beginning of the holiday season, the church organizes a crafts workshop for all ages to make gifts and various crafts. There is plenty to do, fun to be had, and wonderful holiday gifts to be created. Please join us.

Social Action. As part of our Religious Education Program's commitment to social justice, we cook and serve meals at the Salem Mission several times a year. We assist the head cook in preparing the mid-day meal, serving the guests, and helping with clean-up.

Another dimension of our commitment to social justice is our participation on the Guest at Your Table collection during the holiday season. In addition, we contribute food and clothing to multiple shelters, and we have many members of our congregation who participate in charitable events such as Project Bread's Walk for Hunger, HAWC (Help Abused Women and Their Children), and the like.

We typically raise funds and donate them to Heifer International, and the Junior and Senior Youth Groups organize a community-service project each year.

If you have any ideas or suggestions for community-service projects, they are very welcome.

Religious Education curriculum

Chalice Children. For pre-kindergarten and nursery (infants and children under the age of 2 years, 9 months, as well as those not yet in kindergarten). Coming of Age graduates, Senior Youth Group members, and volunteers from our parent team provide loving care and creative play and learning activities for our youngest learners.

Treasure Hunting. For kindergarten through second grade.

Social Justice: In Our Hands. For third through fifth grades.

Junior Youth Group: Traditions with a Wink! For fifth and sixth grades. This is a well-known UU curriculum that comprises flexible sessions exploring the history and development of different faith traditions. The young adults participating in this program design their own road map by selecting the religious groups they wish to learn about, to visit, and to relate to their own UU faith. The curriculum includes historical resources, visiting other faiths, creating worship experiences, and more. The students will also select a community-service project that will be ongoing throughout the year.

Senior Youth Group: Neighboring Faiths and "The Simpsons." For eighth through tenth grades. The Senior Youth Group will work with two separate curriculums this year. The students will use Neighboring Faiths  to learn about a variety of different faiths and visit many places of worship to learn about other beliefs, practices, and rituals. Additionally, they will use The Gospel According to The Simpsons, designed by the UUA. The year will be filled with lots of learning, laughs, field trips, and community service.

Coming of Age (COA). The Coming of Age Program at the Northshore UU Church is designed for young adults, typically in high school, who are making the transition to adulthood. With the assistance of one-on-one adult mentoring, our goal is to guide them in:
  • Clarifying and giving voice to their own beliefs about religion, faith, and spirituality
  • Learning about the history, traditions, and organization of our church
  • Becoming aware of Unitarian Universalist identity, values, principles, and purposes
  • Transitioning from the Religious Education Program to the adult church.
The program culminates in a special ceremony in May. Participants completing the program are honored and introduced to the church community. Participants in the COA Program are expected to make a year-long commitment. The program runs every other year. Our next COA Program will begin in September 2008.

Special programs

Overnights. During the course of the year, a couple of overnights are organized for the children. Fun activities are planned after a pizza-and-sundae party. This is a great opportunity to go "camping" without the bugs and with indoor plumbing. Most of all, it is a great way to strengthen our children's sense of community.

For the Senior Youth Group. About every two years we offer the OWL (Our Whole Lives) course to our Senior Youth Group. The OWL course will next be offered in the fall of 2008. This course is designed to:
  • Develop good communication skills between young people and adults
  • Explore attitudes about their own sexuality
  • Foster responsible decision-making about their behavior
OWL is a values-based sexuality curriculum designed for teenagers by the UUA.

Every June for every family

The Northshore Unitarian Universalist Church organizes a wonderful family retreat at the Ferry Beach Conference Center on the coast of Maine. This three-day event, held the weekend after Memorial Day, is a 28-year tradition and is always well-attended.

It is a perfect location and opportunity both children and adults to play, relax, and get to know each other better. Please join us -- rain or shine, it's always a ball.