Children's Religious Education
We Teach Our Children About Life
Our
children's religious education program encourages children to think for
themselves and to have respect for the values and beliefs of the larger
community. It promotes basic values of love and respect for ALL people
and teaches the responsibility to make the world a better place. The
life of the child is emphasized, along with his or her experiences, beliefs,
fears, and family relationships through discussion, historical perspectives,
drama, and other creative experiences. We work hard to make our religious
education program relevant to the times in which we live.
The curricula draw heavily from the world's great religions and the Unitarian Universalist Principles. The curriculum this year emphasizes other major world religions and UU Principles.
Here is a brief breakdown of our R.E. classes:
Preschool
For ages ages 2 1/2-4.
Chalice Children leads young children in learning about their church and congregation through concete experiences with its people and places.
Kindergarten and First Grade
Stories About God exposes children to a wide variety of stories about that which people call God based on insights: from all the world religions; from feminist experience; from science; and from ordinary and extraordinary experiences of life. The understanding that God can take many forms and is called by many names.
2nd - 4th Grade
Timeless Themes: Stories from the Hebrew and Christian Bibles introduces children to religions literature which is central to our culture and to our heritage as Unitarian Universalists.
5th - 8th Grades
God Images. As UU's we believe that it is up to each individual to sort through the variety of knowledge, theories and meaning in modern life as we work out a unified sense of meaning. Some youth will find the notion of God imaging useful, some will not, but all will have a chance to thoughtfully explore and decide about this question. This group has its own service projects for the 3rd and 4th Sundays of the month. They generally meet as a group and do not begin in the Sanctuary.
It Starts with Me is the service-oriented curriculum we will draw on for all Kindergarten through 4th grade children each third Sunday.
We Believe will be used to creatively engage with one UU principle each month on the fourth Sunday.
Sunday Mornings |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
| Nursery 0 - 2 /12 years |
Room 2 | ||||
Chalice Chidren |
Room 2 | ||||
| Stories About God K - 1st grade |
Room 3 | It Starts with Me Service Projects |
We Believe Music, Art , and the Priciples |
Field Trips, inter generational services, special projects | |
| Timeless Themes 2nd - 4th grades |
Room 4 | ||||
| God Images 5th - 8th grades |
Room 1 | ||||
High School
High School youth will assist with childcare, sing with the choir and attend worship services. Occasional social activities are planned.
It Starts with Me is the service-oriented curriculum we will draw on for all Kindergarten through 4th grade children each third Sunday.
Special Events
In addition to religious education, the Emerson Children's Religious Education Department encourages the growth of our children through special events.
MUSIC
This year, under the supervision of our gifted Music Director Galina Barskaya, children and youth interested in music will have the chance to participate in a Christmas Pageant in December, an opera in January, the choral concert in Spring and to sing at an intergenerational service in April. In addition to this, there will be the opportunity for informal participation in Sunday services. This will be an exciting musical year for the children and youth of Emerson!
INTERGENERATIONAL SERVICES
Each year the children's R.E. department coordinates at least three special programs during the worship service: a presentation on Famous UUs in late October, a holiday pageant held in mid-December, and Teacher Recognition Sunday in mid-June. Also, all of the children and youth are invited to stay in the service for our Water Communion in September.
SERVICE PROJECTS
On the each third Sunday of the month, all the classes are united to work on service projects. Some of our past activities have included the Heifer Project, Empty Bowls, and Mitzvah Day.
FIELD TRIPS
We try to schedule at least two field trips per year, held during the Sunday worship service time, as a community building experience for all of our children and youth.
In addition to our professional Religious Education Coordinator Marlene Everingham, we have a wonderful, committed group of individuals who have volunteered to teach our younger children, work with our teens and support our inter-generational activities. Members and friends are welcome to participate in all aspects of the program. Come visit us. Both young and old have fun and experience growth!
