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Religious Education

It has been said that the greatest gift we can give our children is "roots and wings." Unitarian Universalist Religious Education seeks to give all persons, regardless of age, roots of connection and wings of possibility and hope. Our religious education is lifespan in scape, progressive in theory, experiential in method, and liberal in theology and ethical perspectives.

Adult programs are planned and scheduled by the Program Committee, and the Children's Religious Education programs are planned and scheduled by the Religious Education Committee in cooperation with our Director of Religious Education, Marie Houck.

The mission of the Religious Education committee is to design a religious education program that will provide spiritual growth and development for all children and youth. To fulfill that mission, we currently offer programs for these age levels:

1. For infants through toddlers: Child care is provided at no charge during the adult RE class and the worship service.

2. For pre-school through high school age: We cover a variety of curricula using age-appropriate materials and grouping. Some recent themes we have studied: Honoring Mother Earth (Native American spirituality); Timeless Themes (Old Testament stories told from a UU perspective), Norse Mythology, In Our Hands (working for social justice), and a special unit on people who have worked for social justice, as shared by various guest speakers from our congregation.

Our children participate in planning and leading several intergenerational services a year, including the Flower Communion, the Water Communion, and a play with a seasonal theme performed in mid-December. We enjoy frequent outings, including hiking and skiing in the nearby mountains, camping, and riding the Virginia Creeper Trail.

What’s happening now in RE?

We have three RE age groups. We have over 35 children and youth, sometimes as many as 25 on a given Sunday! We have 20 committed volunteer teaching staff and assistants to encourage and guide the spiritual and kinetic energy our young people bring to our church.

Age 3-2nd grade is using the curriculum “We Are Many, We Are One” which introduces the UU basics through discussion, games, crafts and stories.  Units include “Nature gives us gifts,”  “We are alike, we are different,” and “Me and my family,” among others.

Grade 3-7 is using the curriculum “Holidays and Holy Days” which introduces world religions.  We experience Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Native American and other religious celebrations through presentations, discussions, crafts and snacks.

Grade 8-12 begins each class with a personal check-in and engages in spirited discussions on various topics which have included racism, sexism, and current political events.