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Welcome to the Davies Religious Education Program
for Children and Youth!

Religious Education at DMUUC

As Unitarian Universalists, we believe that the process of religious education is a lifelong quest to answer fundamental questions asked by all people:
• Why am I here?
• How should I conduct my life?
• What is right or wrong?

We do not offer easy, set answers to these questions. Instead, we will help you guide your child in beginning his or her search for truth, value, and spirituality within a Unitarian Universalist context.

Children and youth are invited to join their families for the first 15 or 20 minutes of the worship service each week at 10:30 AM, and then go to their classrooms with our volunteer teachers.

The Nursery is staffed from 10:30 for infants or toddlers who have difficulty sitting quietly in the service.

Each class is age-appropriate and fun!

This year, all classes are learning about Peace and Justice: Multiculturalism!

Our church community is working to grow more diverse and multicultural.  So this year, in our Religious Education classes we will:

• Learn about what multiculturalism is, the ways in which our church and larger community are already diverse, and how we can embrace our multicultural diversity through pluralism.
• Learn how these ideas relate to our Principles and Sources.
• Advocate for a peaceful, fair, and free world for ALL people and beings.
• Act to change our community and the larger world.

- Dawn Star Borchelt, Credentialed Religious Educator

Introduction, Our Mission,  Classes, Your Child's Church Experience,  Young Religious Unitarian Universalists

OUR MISSION

Introduction, Our Mission,  Classes, Your Child's Church Experience,  Young Religious Unitarian Universalists

CLASSES

• Nursery

  Warm and loving care for babies and toddlers during the worship service. Age-appropriate toys and books are available. The nursery is open and staffed during worship even when classes are not being held. When appropriate, the nursery joins with the preschool, with older toddlers participating in some of the lessons.

• The Explorers
  For Preschoolers & Kindergarteners

  Come back for Curriculum information or email Dawn Star Borchelt, Credentialed Religious Educator.

   

   

   

• The Dreamers
  for 1st – 3rd Graders

  Come back for Curriculum information or email Dawn Star Borchelt, Credentialed Religious Educator.

   

   

   

• The Seekers
  for 4th & 5th Graders

  

  Come back for Curriculum information or email Dawn Star Borchelt, Credentialed Religious Educator.

   

   

   

• The Bridgers
  for 6th - 8th Graders

  

  Come back for Curriculum information or email Dawn Star Borchelt, Credentialed Religious Educator.

   

   

   

   

• Youth
  for 9th - 12th Graders

  

  Come back for Curriculum information or email Dawn Star Borchelt, Credentialed Religious Educator.

   

   

   

   

   

  
  Graduation Recognition

Introduction, Our Mission,  Classes, Your Child's Church Experience,  Young Religious Unitarian Universalists

YOUR CHILD'S CHURCH EXPERIENCE

Getting Settled: To help your child feel comfortable in a new class, feel free to spend all or part of the first few sessions in the classroom. This will also help you get to know your child's teacher and other parents.

Attendance: All our teachers have made a commitment to support your children through the religious education program by studying a curriculum and preparing lessons each week. Often, each session builds on past sessions, and each new unit relates to units previously presented. Since no homework is assigned, regular attendance is the only way for your child to experience his or her class fully.

Just as important, with regular attendance children learn to feel part of an ongoing group within the church community. We hope and expect that friendships developed through RE will help sustain the children in their daily lives outside the church.

Registration: Please register your child for RE as soon as possible. We do not charge a fee but ask instead that you participate actively in the RE program. Please complete the volunteer form to tell us what you would enjoy sharing with the children. Also, let us know about your child's talents so we may give him or her the opportunity to participate in worship services and other functions.

Evaluation: Once a year you will be given the opportunity to evaluate the Religious Education program. We need your comments in order to plan next year's curricula and to correct problems or build on strengths you identify.

Social Activities: Social activities enhance the religious education program by encouraging a sense of community. Children and youth are welcome at most church programs, such as Pot Lucks, Circle Suppers, Game Night, parties, and Coffee House.

Serving soup made by youth as fundraiser for Oxon Hill Food Pantry

Sunday Morning Worship: Our congregation worships together as a community during the first part of the worship service in the sanctuary. After about fifteen minutes, children and youth go to their classes. Babies and preschoolers who have difficulty sitting still may prefer to go directly to their supervised classrooms before the worship service.

Children help in service

Worship is a time to celebrate, to reflect on the mysteries within each of us and beyond, and to acknowledge and honor our being together as a community. We invite you to help us develop worship services for our children that are meaningful and enjoyable for children of all ages. If you have an idea for a service, please speak to a member of the Worship PAG or the Religious Education PAG. Children and youth are also invited to help in the planning, and to use their talents in the worshipservices. Social Responsibility: In order to maintain an environment where adults and children can share the worship and learning experience successfully, we ask that your family discuss the following guidelines for acceptable behavior:

* During worship and RE classes, walk quietly and whisper when you are outside the classrooms.
* Please enter and leave all worship services quietly.
* Please be quiet and respectful during worship services.
* Remember that others share the world, and this church, with us.
* After class, children should go to the lounge, find their parents, then enjoy a snack and conversation with other members of the church community. Preschoolers may have a snack in their classroom.

Class Time: Classes are approximately one hour long; they begin at 10:45 and end 15 minutes after the worship service in order to give parents a little time to enjoy the coffee hour. If the service is longer, children will be kept in their classrooms until the end of the service.

Snacks: Preschool parents are asked to take turns bringing supplies for the in-class snack. Older children join the adults for coffee hour; coffee hosts are asked to include the children in their plans and bring juice or milk and a kid-friendly snack.

Introduction, Our Mission,  Classes, Your Child's Church Experience,  Young Religious Unitarian Universalists

YOUNG RELIGIOUS UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS (YRUU)

Introduction, Our Mission,  Classes, Your Child's Church Experience,  Young Religious Unitarian Universalists

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION LINKS

Credentialed Religious Educator

Introduction

Our Mission

Classes

Your Child's Church Experience

Young Religious Unitarian Universalists

Young Adult Group

Adult Religious Education