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)

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 2026-27

Children’s Religious Education Programming will run during the regular school year beginning on September 20, 2026.

Summer Sunday Fun Co-Op

Summer programming will run from May 24 – September 6, 2026.

Register for Summer Sunday Fun here!

Children nursery-aged through rising 5th graders are invited to participate in our Summer Sunday Morning Fun! From 11am – 12pm each week, there will be a different fun and friendly activity for participants concurrent with the worship service. Children begin the morning in the sanctuary and then are sung to their Summer Fun activities. Parents of participating children are asked to sign up to help with at least one Sunday over the summer. The more families that register, the fewer Sundays each family needs to commit to helping. There will not be Second Hour childcare during the summer, so parents will sign out their children at 12pm. For more information, contact RE Assistant, Sunny Manato.

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.

How to get involved with the Children & Youth Religious Education Program:

  • Speak with Rev. Leia or RE Assistant Sunny Manato
  • 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

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.

 

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.

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 Universalist Congregation of Charlottesville can be part of your family’s faith.

 

ALL AGE FAITH DEVELOPMENT STAFF:

Rev. Leia Durland-Jones