All classes, from nursery through high school take place in the education complex across the parking lot from the sanctuary. We offer all classes every Sunday except when we are having a multi-age worship service or all age game days. Parents are welcome to stay with their children if either or both parties need! There is no fee for our Sunday morning faith formation classes or nursery care.
Preschoolers through 5th graders begin in the sanctuary with their families. Registered children are signed in on tablets, located at the Faith Formation welcome table, with just a click of the icon! Following a short “Time For All Ages” the children meet their teachers outside the sanctuary, and the classes walk to their classrooms in the education complex. Classes end at 11:45 am. Adults need to sign out their children at the classrooms before they are released from the education complex.
Middle School and High School classes start in their classrooms (room 2 and 5 respectively) and sign themselves in on tablets in their classroom, at 10:30 am.
Visitors are always welcome! Children visiting our campus will need a One Day Registration form, available at the Faith Formation Welcome table in the back of the sanctuary. If you wish to register your children, use this link.
2024-25 School Year Curricula
Introducing Soul Matters
Imagine this car ride home from VUU on Sunday afternoon.
Mom turns to the back seat and says, “What did you think about the story this morning? After you left, Rev. Sarah used the story in her sermon to talk about trust.”
“Yeah, we talked about trust too”, said seven year old Evan. “We played a trust game that was kinda cool.”
“Hey! We played that game too”, said ten year old Alicia. “It made me think maybe I wasn’t as trusting as I thought.”
“What IS trust anyway?” asks fourteen year old Ian. “I used to trust Beth until she started talking to Oscar…”
“We talked about how trust is a part of love in our small group last week”, said Dad. “We may have even played the same game. How did it work?”
The kids explain.
“Do you think we can learn to trust again after trust is broken?” asks mom.
This is the sort of scenario that themed ministry hopes to create. With a month long exploration of a single theme in worship, faith formation and small group ministry, the concept easily flows into family time conversation.
Parents are our children’s primary religious educators. While we open the door to faith formation concepts, themes and the Big Questions, it’s the home discussion that really makes the difference to our kids.
Classes
Classes are divided by school grades in order to offer age appropriate content to all participants. Our Preschool through 1st grade classes focus on Unitarian Universalist values, while the older classes have curricula that rotate through three different pillars: Unitarian Universalism, Service/Justice, and World Religions.
Nursery
The nursery, room 6 in the education complex, opens at 8:30 am on Sunday mornings. Children play while their adults attend the Dalai Lama and Friends workshop, meetings, or choir rehearsal. We offer a loving and stimulating environment for the very youngest in our church family. Our nursery is staffed by two paid caregivers and allows our little ones to move around and play with people their own size while learning cooperation skills and having fun.
All age childcare is offered after the faith formation classes in room 6, until 12:30 pm every Sunday, allowing adults to join the Visitors circle in the sanctuary and/or get a cup of coffee and get to know some of our congregants.
Preschool
This class is for 3-5 year olds who are able to follow simple instructions and are toilet confident.
- Chalice Children – Chalice Children delves deep into our Unitarian Universalist faith. It strives not just to teach about our faith, but also to provide experiences around the strength of community, the wonder and awe that transcend everyday understanding, and life issues we all share. Early childhood (the years between ages 2 and 5) is filled with curiosity and wonder. In a group setting, with loving adult guides, young children can engage in spiritual seeking, develop their openness to sharing, and experience the benefit of a supportive community. Their time in Chalice Children can set a pattern for the rest of their lives and bring lasting benefits.
Kindergarten Through High School
All of our children and youth classes use Soul Matter theme. These are the same themes explored in worship as well as in the small groups. The Soul Matters themes for 2024-2025 are:
This year’s overarching frame is The Practices of Our Faith. We’re using this frame to focus on how Unitarian Universalism is a lived faith that inspires us to act out our values in the world. Or to put it another way, we’re diving into our long-loved UU commitment to “deeds not creeds.” Our overarching frame is also a way for us to connect to our new UU core value of Liberating Love, with each of our monthly themes framed as a practice that helps us embody liberating love in our daily lives.
September: Invitation
October: Deep Listening
November: Repair
December: Presence
January: Story
February: Inclusion
March: Trust
April: Joy
May: Imagination
June: Freedom
All children and youth must be registered in order to attend classes or childcare on Sunday mornings during the regular church year.
Please make regular attendance a family priority. Children and youth who attend every Sunday build deeper connections and derive the greatest benefits from their lessons and church community. When the same group gathers each week they get to know one another, explore together, grow together, and look forward to being together again. Your family’s presence enriches the experience for everyone.