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Religious Education

Sadie Kahn-Greene, Director of Religious Education (DRE)
Jill Hayes, Religious Education Administrative Assistant (REAA)
Religious Education Program Office: 978-256-5133, dre@uuchelmsford.org

Sunday Morning Religious Education

Our cooperative church school offers religious education programming children from age four through high school that is held at the same time as the church service. Our program and curriculum is grounded in and guided by the Unitarian Universalist Principles and Sources. A nursery is provided for children less than four years of age.

Goals of our program include:

• Teach Unitarian Universalist History and principles, past and present.
• Encourage the development of a Unitarian Universalist identity.
• Develop an understanding of world religions, including Christian and Jewish traditions.
• Promote good works and community involvement.
• Promote respect for the natural world and the dignity of all life.
• Teach respect for self and others.
• Instill a sense of the importance of continual questioning and the art of listening.
• Provide meaningful worship experiences.
• Make the RE experience more FUN and memorable for the students and teachers
• Cherish the intergenerational activities and build more community between children and adults.
• Implement the practices and procedures of our Safe Child Policy at First Parish

Parental and Church Involvement

The RE Program is a cooperative venture between the church and the home. Parents, members, and friends of the First Parish community are needed to give emotional and physical support by:

• Recognizing that religious education comes primarily from the home.
• Becoming familiar with your child’s curriculum and teachers.
• Showing interest in weekly discoveries and accomplishments.
• Bringing children to class regularly and on time.
• Sharing your time and talent with RE program.

Religious Education Classes and Monthly Schedules

2009-2010 RE Schedule (Adobe PDF Format - Free Reader Available)

NURSERY

The First Parish nursery welcomes infants and toddlers through age three every Sunday during the school year. Our nursery is staffed by experienced paid childcare providers who are at least 15 years of age and have CPR training, and/or by experienced parent- volunteers. Nursery will be open from Sept. 13, 2009 – June 20, 2010. Nursery care is also offered during our evening worship services on Sunday evenings.

Nursery RE Schedule

PRE- K: FRIENDSHIP FINDERS

"Friendship Finders" written by Sadie’s colleague Roberta Altamari helps reinforce the idea that church is a safe and fun place to learn. Children will play and learn through ritual, songs, stories, games and activities. Themes are repeated two weeks in a row and there is a lot of repetition in this class to create a familiar place to learn and be together at church. Some of the themes include the following: I Love Church, Everyone is Special, Families, Learning is Fun, and Working Together.

Since sitting through our monthly intergenerational services can be difficult for our youngsters, this class runs on those Sundays as well. Friendship Finders will be offered every Sunday from 9/13/09-6/20/10 with a few exceptions.

PRE-K Friendship Finders RE Schedule

KINDERGARTEN: RAINBOW SEEKERS

Kindergarteners use "Rainbow Seekers" curriculum also written by Roberta Altamari. This class will gather in the same room each week with lessons that use ritual, songs, stories and activities to explore topics such as: Working Together At Church, Everyone Is Unique, Everyone Needs A Home, Families And Friends Are Special, It’s Fun To Wonder, and Making Choices

Monthly Kindergarten RE Schedule

FIRST through FIFTH GRADES: WORKSHOP ROTATION

Each year we explore one of three themes through workshop rotation: Unitarian Universalist History and Identity, Jewish and Christian Heritage and Wisdom from World Religions. Our five age group experience a variety of workshops through out the year. Workshops explore and engage by including a variety of learning styles and teaching methods. Workshop leaders use drama, crafts, cooking, games, video, service projects, and ritual to engage our children. The year our theme is "Wisdom from World Religions" and we are going to explore this through each line of our congregation’s covenant. Our 2009-2010 Workshop Rotations topics and dates are as follows:

Honoring And Celebrating The Spirit Of Life

September 27th, October 4th, 11th, 18th & 25th

Nurturing All Souls In Our Search For Truth And The Sacred

November 8th, 15th, 29th, December 6th & 13th.

Caring And Being Present To One Another In Our Joys And Sorrows

January 3rd, 10th, 24th, 31st & February 7th.

Bearing Witness Through Service To Justice And Peace

February 21st, March 7th, 14th, 21st & 28th

Being Good Stewards Of Our Congregation, Our Heritage, Our Unitarian Universalist Principles, And Our Earth

April 11th, 25th, May 2nd, May 16th, May 30th.

Monthly 1^st-5^th Grade Workshop Rotation RE Schedule

SIXTH, SEVENTH & EIGHTH GRADE JUNIOR YOUTH GROUP

Jr. Youth Group meets on Sunday mornings with youth advisors. Youth will explore the six components listed about through: games and community building, service projects, stewardship, popcorn theology, and field trips. This class will also hold occasional special events through out the year on Fridays or Saturdays.

Monthly Jr. Youth RE Schedule

HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH GROUP

High School youth participate in a program tailored to their interests and needs as Unitarian Universalist youth. They explore the 6 components of a balanced youth program: community building, worship, leadership, learning and positive youth adult relations. Carlene Merrill, one of our youth advisors, sends email updates to Students about upcoming events and High School sessions please give her your family and youth emails for these communications.

Monthly High School RE Schedule

Religious Education Registration

Updated August 29, 2009

Please print this form, fill it in, and bring or mail it to church anytime before Opening Day, or as soon as possible thereafter. The mailing address is:

First Parish Church, Attn: RE Registrations
2 Westford St,
Chelmsford, MA 01824

Registration Form (Adobe PDF Format - Free Reader Available)

First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, Chelmsford, MA