ABOUT OUR CHILDREN’S
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM
Children’s Religious Education classes are held every Sunday beginning at 11:00AM. Childcare and formal classes are provided for children and youth from infants – 18 year olds. Volunteer teachers, under the supervision of the Director of Religious Education, guide our children in their religious studies with exciting and enjoyable curriculum gathered from our UU Association and other UU churches. The child who attends RE classes from elementary school through high school will receive a broad exposure to Unitarian Universalist principles, traditions and history; the beliefs and practices of the vast number of world religions; and develop the tools to help build a peaceful, fair and free world. Underlying all of the interaction with our children and youth is our desire to encourage their self-awareness and to affirm their worth as individuals and as members of our community.
WHAT WILL MY CHILD LEARN ABOUT…..
GOD ?
Many people think that their lives are part of a much larger life force, and they call that larger force, "God." People the world over have different ideas of what God is like. We share many of these ideas with our children and encourage them to develop their own. Our children also learn that belief in God is not necessary for living a good and meaningful life.
JESUS ?
Our children learn about the historic Jesus, his life and times, and the impact of his ministry. They learn that Jesus was a loving human teacher who helped people to understand each other and be kind to one another. In following the guidance of the ideals of love, peace and forgiveness taught by Jesus, we make the world a better place in which to live.
THE BIBLE ?
The Bible is a collection of books telling about the early days of the Jewish people, their ideas about God, the teachings of Jesus, and what some of his followers said about him. The Bible is not taught as the singular "word of God;" rather Bible stories are used to teach a lesson, convey a message, and acquaint our children with Jewish and Christian traditions.
WORLD RELIGIONS ?
The children learn about the scriptures, deities, holy days and customs of a variety of world religions including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Taoism, Confucianism, and Native American religions. Through these studies we show our children that there are many spiritual paths people take to find meaning, and there is no one path that works for everyone.
WHAT WILL MY CHILD’S RELIGIOUS IDENTITY BE ?
In church school we identify ourselves as Unitarian Universalists. Our curriculum is based on the Purposes and Principles of the Unitarian Universalist Association :
We affirm and promote:
WHAT ARE MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS A PARENT IN MY CHILD’S RELIGIOUS EDUCATION ?
ATTENDANCE
We hope that you will make a sincere effort to bring your child to Religious Education as often as possible. Children are more comfortable and they get much more out of the program if they attend regularly. Regular attendance also facilitates friendships, which in turn are a strong incentive for the children to want to come to church on Sundays.
SHOW AN INTEREST
Come into your child’s classroom, speak to his/her teacher or the DRE and get involved in special events. Most importantly, talk to your child about what happens each week in the classroom and feelings about it.
Read the RE section of the JOURNEY newsletter. Keep the RE calendar handy so your child does not miss special events. Each family will have their own mailbox in the hallway of the RE wing. Please check here weekly for important notices and information on upcoming activities. Also, check posted notices on the RE bulletin board in the RE wing.
You can join the Religious Education Committee, become a Teacher or Assistant Teacher, volunteer as a Room Parent, become an Inter-session or substitute Teacher, help with special events, become an RE greeter, or help with classroom or playground upkeep. Lots of people with great ideas and energy are needed to make our program strong. We would love to hear your ideas and share your talents and energy with our children.
Remember, you are still your child’s primary religious educator ! Let your child know your religious beliefs. Share what you used to think about God, religion, prayer, heaven, etc, and what your ideas are now. Let your child know why you chose this church, and what it means to you. Talk about how you act on your beliefs about fairness, tolerance, caring for the earth, etc, and provide your child opportunities to act on his/her beliefs. If you are not sure what your own beliefs are, that is fine as well. Adult Lifespan courses are offered at the church and are run by our minister, Gail Tapscott, as well as others in the congregation. These programs, some specific to parents, will help guide you in developing your own theology and vocabulary for discussion. We encourage you to take some of these courses for yourself as well as your children. Our church’s library also holds a variety of books on many topics including UU Parenting.
MORE ABOUT OUR ACTIVITIES
Time spent in the classroom is an important part of our children’s religious education, but it is not the whole experience. We strive to provide our children with a well-rounded program which includes worship, service to the community and the church, and social activities as well. Participation in these additional activities will help our children grow as spiritual, caring and loving members of our church community and the community-at-large.
WORSHIP
Children join their parents and the rest of our church family in the sanctuary for the chalice lighting, first hymn and affirmation of faith each Sunday before classes begin. The minister and DRE will ask the children to join them for "Children’s Space" in the service. They share a special time and message with the children and then will invite them to their classes.
CHILDREN’S WORSHIP SERVICES
The first Sunday of every month, the Children’s Chapel will meet in the multi-purpose room for their own brief worship service at the beginning of regular Sunday School class time. It is lead by the DRE with participation of the children.
INTERGENERATIONAL SERVICES
Occasionally, throughout the year the children celebrate full services with their families in the sanctuary and we will not have any religious education classes. The nursery, however, is always available for children under the age of 3. Possible times for these services include Thanksgiving, December Holidays, Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Religious Education Sunday.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION SUNDAY
This intergenerational service celebrates our children’s efforts to grow through religious education and pays tribute to those who help guide them throughout the year. Our teachers and special friends of RE are recognized with well deserved awards.
WORSHIP IN THE CLASSROOMS Each class begins the Sunday session with its own special chalice lighting and sharing of joys and concerns. A basket is passed to collect an offering from the children. We ask that this offering come from the children’s "pockets," so that they can learn that it takes a little sacrifice from all of us to keep the Unitarian Universalist light shining in Fort Lauderdale, and that we all reap the harvest of that sacrifice.
The children will celebrate this holiday by listening to this exciting story of religious freedom, singing songs and enjoying traditional foods. This event will take the place of regular classes on that Sunday morning.
SOCIAL SERVICES
Each October our children participate in programs based on the United Nations Children’s Fund. They are given collection boxes to raise funds from friends, neighbors, and family to give to this worthy cause. Our older youth sell UNICEF holiday gift items. We also display a large pumpkin in the foyer and ask you to donate to guess its weight. Winner takes home the pumpkin(if you can move it!)
GUEST AT YOUR TABLE
The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) sponsors this program in November, asking us all to contribute to its worthy projects and services. We (all church members) are asked to keep special boxes on our tables during the holidays to remind us of the needs of those less fortunate than us, and to place money in them equivalent to feeding a guest at the table. The money is collected in January. This is a wonderful way to remind our children that UU’s are working world-wide to make this world a better place (with our help !)
A group of volunteers from our church attends Broward County’s Special Olympics each year. Our Middle and High School youth are encouraged to take part in this volunteer effort. It is always a rewarding and memorable experience.
STONE SOUP SUNDAY
The story goes that two wayward came upon a stingy village and taught the villagers how to make soup from stones. Our children are each asked to contribute an ingredient for our soup which is cooked and served to our congregation for a fee following the service. Proceeds go to benefit our local homeless feeding program.
SANDWICH MAKING
On the fourth Sunday of each month, during coffee hour, our congregation is asked to participate in making sandwiches for the homeless. Our children are supervised and are encouraged to do their sharing in helping those in our community who are in need.
CLASSROOM PROJECTS
Each class is asked to perform its own special service project in the community every year. They are given ideas appropriate to the age group and are supervised by classroom teachers.
HOLIDAY PLAY
Our children will perform and sing in a play with holiday theme for the December season. The play will portray the spirit of this joyous season and will be presented to the congregation to enjoy.
Celebrate our planet home with music, arts and crafts and activities. It is always a fun time for all ages.
HOLIDAY GATHERING
Deck the halls and the trees, make Chanukah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa decorations, sing carols and even get your picture taken with Santa. Don’t forget to bring your favorite cookies and plenty of good cheer to share !
EASTER EGG HUNT
A sure sign of spring is children hunting for colored eggs filled with goodies. Remember to wear your fanciest hat !
SERVICE TO THE CHURCH
The children in each class are asked to find ways that they can contribute to the care taking of our building and grounds, either on a regular basis while they are there, attending work days with their parents, or by special projects. We are all a part of this beautiful community, and all hands – large and small – are welcome to help.
COLLECTING OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR FAMILIES IN NEED
Working in conjunction with the Florida Department of Children and Families, our children are asked to collect school supplies for students of families with special needs. This is an excellent way for our children to realize that needs exist, even by peers their own age in their own community and that they can do their part to help.
Martin Luther King inspired many to heed the call for social justice. In focusing on our Unitarian Universalist principles, many members of our congregation march proudly on this day celebrating truth and freedom. Our children create signs and banners marking this important day which are carried by the marchers. Children and adults alike are encouraged to participate in the parade in Fort Lauderdale which is always fun and rewarding.
EVENING UNDER THE STARS
Each fall we celebrate the arrival of autumn in our own special way. We may not have colorful leaves or cool weather, but we’ll carve some pumpkins, roast some marshmallows, and sing around the campfire. All ages are welcome to pitch a tent or a bedroll, or just join us for this evening of seasonal fun.
FRIENDSHIP DAY
Each February, adults of our congregation are invited to become better acquainted with our younger UUs and enjoy some holiday fun together. Our new-found friends will participate in games together and will get to know each other better finding out how they are similar and at the same time different from each other. Many of the friendships found on this day last long into the future for children and grown-ups in our congregation.
The children are invited to dress in costume the Sunday morning before Hallow’s Eve and share in some fun with the congregation and their classmates.
FLOWER COMMUNION
Springtime is a time of rebirth and the glories of nature. During this inter-generational service, everyone is asked to bring a flower to place in the grand bouquet on the pulpit. During the service, everyone is invited to approach the bouquet and take a different flower than was brought. This service celebrates the loving, sharing and community common to all of us.
WATER SERVICE
At the end of the summer when many return to our area, we are each asked to bring a tiny bit of water from some special place where we spent some time over the summer. In this service, the water is collected in a community container to celebrate the places we have been. This water is boiled to purify and is used in Unitarian Universalist Naming Services welcoming new-born children into our community.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (ages 14 – 18) gather at weekly meetings for worship, fun, social action, and learning. They take part in district and national YRUU events and attend and host conferences at our church for district youth each year.
Our Whole Life is a UUA (Unitarian Universalist Association) sponsored sexuality education program held at our church or in cooperation with our neighboring congregations and is offered every three years for youth ages 11 – 13.
COMING OF AGE
This year of intense UU study and service is for those youth ready to make a serious commitment to our church and UU family. Youth completing the program participate in a special Spring service. This program is offered every 3 years for youth ages 14 – 18.
VACATION CHURCH CAMP
For one year each summer, our children are invited to participate in a special day camp at our church. A new theme is chosen yearly and includes lots of UU fun. The program is designed by our DRE and is run with volunteer assistance.
CHILDREN’S CHOIR
Our children’s choir performs once a month and for special events for our congregation. Rehearsals take place in the Multi-Purpose room every third Sunday at 11:00AM. Our Choir director, Jim Speights, is an accomplished singer and song-writer. Jim knows just how to work his magic with the children and gets them singing their hearts out.
NURSERY
Our youngest UU’s (Infant – 4) are cared for in our Nursery during service by qualified caretakers. Parents should bring necessary supplies and are invited to enjoy service in the Sanctuary or can listen to the service in the Nursery via speaker .