Faith Development for Children, Youth and Families
We welcome you and your family to our congregation! We are excited to have you join us in our faith development programming as we help each other grow into our full humanity.
CHILDREN’S RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (RE)
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Children’s Religious Education Programming runs during the regular school year beginning on September 21, 2025
Children’s Worship
Religious Education Sunday, December 6
This week’s Spirit Play story is “I Love You, Sun, I Love You, Moon”. Through this story, we will discuss how caring for the world around us is a Unitarian Universalist value.
2nd– 4th grade class
This session of “Growing Anti-Racist UUs” helps the children explore their world through the lens of “Looking at the Other.” This lesson on racial justice makes young elementary children aware of the features and variations of skin shades among others in the RE classroom. This session
ties into the principle of respect for the inherent worth and dignity of every person and
offering fair and kind treatment to others and self. We’ll be drawing, singing, and looking at works by famous artists as we explore this important topic.
5th & 6th grade class
In this session of “Growing Anti-Racist UUs” we will focus on the civil rights movement. It is important for all American children to know about the Civil Rights Movement for African Americans and about the work to end segregation of Mexican American children in California. They also need to be prepared to take action for justice when they notice something that is unfair. We’ll talk about and practice what this looks like.
Our Whole Lives (7-9th grade)
OWL will meet as scheduled for the continuation of our comprehensive sexuality education class.
Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU)
Our senior high (9th-12th grade) meets this Sunday from 12:15-1:30. Check-in and snacks will be just part of the fun. Come hang out with your peeps!
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Once or twice a month, instead of attending their religious education classes, kindergarten through 6th grade children attend Children’s Worship, usually offered by Rev. Leia.
Children’s Worship includes story, song, sharing of joys and sorrows and the lighting of the Rainbow Chalice as we work to deepen our understanding of Unitarian Universalism and our shared values.
Children’s Worship is held in the church parlor and parents and other adults are welcome. Parents of K-6th grade should pick their children up from the Church Parlor on Children’s Worship days instead of their religious education classrooms.
Multigenerational Worship
Multigenerational worship services are offered about once a month. Everyone is in the sanctuary for the full hour. The service is intentionally designed to be child & family friendly.
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Nursery and Elementary School Programming
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR 2025-26 RE
Nursery- 3 year-olds Celebrating Me & My World
Children under 4 begin in our congregation’s nursery with loving care provided by paid staff and trained volunteers. Each Sunday activities are structured around the Unitarian Universalist curriculum Celebrating Me and My World.
Most Sundays, 4 year olds through 5th graders begin in the sanctuary for the first 25 minutes or so of Community Worship and then are sung out of the congregation to participate in their religious education learning groups.
Spirit Play – 5 year olds through 1st grade
This year, our 5 year-olds through 1st graders will be focusing on a Unitarian Universalist curriculum called Spirit Play. Spirit Play uses a Montessori approach where the classroom environment and the teachers are key elements. These elements free the children to work at their own pace on their own issues. This year we are using stories that help our children explore issues of kindness, equity, and justice.
Growing Anti-Racist UUs (GARUUs): 2nd – 4th and 5th – 6th grades
Now more than ever, our children need opportunities to deepen their understandings of and live into our UU values of justice, interdependence, equity, generosity, transformation, and pluralism. We want to help our children do this while we keep “love at the center.”
Our GARUUs curriculum for elementary and early middle school children does all this through age-appropriate lessons. Our RE sessions help our children build on their knowledge of what it means to be a loving human in today’s complex world. The materials and connections made a church also help grow our children’s confidence and courage to do the next right thing.
With greater understanding, we can all show up in the world with the capacity and desire to create relationships across our diverse human family while fostering compassion for ourselves and others.
Middle and High School Programming
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Our Whole Lives – 7th and 8th grades
Our Whole Lives (OWL) is the UUA’s award-winning comprehensive sexuality education program.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR OWL
12:15-1:30 Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU) 9th-12th grades
Our senior high youth group, YRUU, is a lively weekly gathering of our high school youth. Sunday morning sessions vary but often include an exploration of moral dilemmas and timely topics as well as fun and games. Under the guidance of trained youth advisors, a safe and nurturing space is created to allow youth to explore topics of interest and build friendships. Activities vary from week to week and focus on learning, service, worship, community-building, and leadership development. Newcomers to YRUU are always welcome. For more information about how to participate and connect, contact Rev. Leia.
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Second Hour Child Care (12:30 – 1:30 pm)
** Offered during the regular school year only**
Supervised free play on the playground is offered most Sundays for children 6th grade and younger. Parents are invited to attend the newcomer circle, linger for coffee and conversation, enjoy Adult Faith Development programming (such as the Parenting Circle or Creativity Salon.) Parent are encouraged to pack a lunch for their children. Snack foods will be provided. If your child has food allergies, please be sure to let us know. Parent are asked to sign their children into and out of childcare each week.
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Your Soulful UU Home
Our weekly Wednesday email offers easy ways to stay connected to our UU community and faith during the week. The content is directly connected to our monthly ministry theme and allows opportunities for all ages to connect and explore together. Each week includes conversation starters for mealtimes, a chalice lighting, an inspirational message, and information on upcoming Faith Development and Community Worship services. Click here to subscribe.
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How to get involved with the Children & Youth Religious Education Program:
- Speak with Rev. Leia or RE Assistant Bryn Malone
- Volunteer as part of a teaching team
- Help with the children’s playground maintenance
- Help with and attend congregational special events and social gatherings
- Serve on the Children & Youth RE Committee
- Tell us about your gifts or talents – we’d love to help you share it!
The Children & Youth Religious Education Committee
The Children & Youth RE Committee meets monthly and works directly with the Minister of Faith Development to ensure a comprehensive faith development program for nursery through senior high youth. For more information or to join us, contact Rev. Leia
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Ceremonies of Child Dedication
Several times during the year, parents are invited to bring their children before the congregation to participate in a ceremony of Child Dedication. These ceremonies are usually offered on Ancestors’ Sunday (October), The Giving Tree Service (December), and again on a Sunday in May. The Ceremony of Child Dedication welcomes the child with intention into the wider circle of the congregation. Parents pledge before the congregation their commitment to caring for their child in body, mind, and spirit with loving support and acceptance. The congregation makes the following promise:
PROMISE TO ALL CHILDREN
From your earliest infancy, we give you our love so that you may grow with trust in yourself and in others.
We will recognize your worth as a person and help you strengthen your sense of belonging to the whole family of humankind.
We will respect your right to be yourself, and at the same time, help you to understand the rights of others.
We will encourage you always to seek the truth.
We will provide you with every opportunity possible to develop your own understanding of faith.
We will endeavor always to inspire you to act on your faith.
We will encourage you to strive to make the world a better, more caring, more whole place to be.
This we promise to you with all our hearts.
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Are children welcome in worship?
YES! Children are always welcome to stay with their parents/guardians in the sanctuary for worship! Naturally, some services lend themselves more easily than others to a child’s participation and understanding. There are sanctuary “activity packets” next to the sanctuary doorways that are available for anyone. Packets usually include some sort of simple paper craft activity and drawing materials. There are also finger labyrinths and child-appropriate reading materials available at these locations. Please return materials at the end of the worship service.
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11:00 AM Community Worship
All are welcome for weekly Community Worship. Sanctuary activity packets are available near the doorways to the sanctuary. Finger labyrinths are also available to use as part of the worship experience.
Families with young children and warmly welcomed to attend worship. You are welcome in the sanctuary or in the social hall in a space created to be especially friendly to younger children. The service is livestreamed to a large monitor in the social hall so that children can play with blocks and toys while the family experiences worship together and with other families.
Please return to this page for updates on how the Unitarian Universalists of Charlottesville can be part of your family’s faith.