Our Ministries: Our Children
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The Religious Explorations program at the First Universalist Church in Rockland is where we, as a multi-generational community, create and sustain our living faith tradition. It is where children, youth and adults explore what it means to be spiritual beings and part of a faith community. It is a place to develop and express our shared commitment to justice, tolerance and action, and our belief in the never-ending search for truth. Most of all it is a place for all of us - of all ages - to reflect and grow as we deepen our individual and collective understanding of our identities as Unitarian Universalists.
The Religious Explorations experience is designed to help children and youth:
- Learn about themselves and develop a sense of self-worth that can lead to meaningful relationships with others;
- Appreciate the wonder, beauty, order and mystery of life;
- Understand that the global community includes all people;
- Develop a sense of belonging to our religious community;
- Learn about the history and practices of Unitarian Universalism;
- Discover the interrelationships between their intellectual and spiritual dimensions;
- Build a basis for living a religious philosophy;
- Learn to apply this Philosophy to themselves and other, while understanding that it involves responsibility as well as freedom and creativity;
- Have fun in respectful caring and sharing ways.
Carney M. Doucette
Director of Religious Education
Sunday Morning Programs
Schedule
Both services: Nursery & Toddler care available, Collins Room
Both services: Spirit Play (4-8 yrs. old), Griffith Room
Both services: Way Cool Sunday (9-11 yrs. old) and Coming of Age (12-13 yrs. old) combined program for February and March 2008.
As scheduled: Youth Group (high school age), Robbins Room. This group usually meets on Sundays at 10:30 a.m., but sometimes other events are scheduled. See the newsletter or weekly announcements for details.
During the months of February and March, children will be doing programming based on the Pillar (theme) of Diversity. April, May and June will feature a Pillar about Our Earth.
Youth in grades 7 & 8 are currently involved in OWL - Our Whole Lives Sexuality Education. From January-April, 2008, youth from Midcoast Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Unitarian Universalist Church of Belfast and the First Universalist Church in Rockland are participating in 40 hours of activities and discussion relating to sexual health, sexual identity, and relationships.
Nursery and Toddler Care (Infants through 3 years old)
Childcare for infants and toddlers is provided during Sunday morning worship services. Childcare providers provide loving care for your children. Parents are welcome to stay with their children until the children feel safe and trusting. Parents who stay with their children can listen to the worship service in the childcare area. All infants and toddlers must be registered the first time that they visit.
Spirit Play (ages 4-8)
Using the Montessori and Berryman's morning as worship approach, children experience the Unitarian Universalist religion through wondering and questioning. The Storyteller leads the circle in the story of the day, followed by the wondering. Children choose an art response or to work with a story previously heard. Stories focus on our principles, sources of the UU faith, heroes and heroines, beginnings and endings, sacred places, and much more. More information is available on the Spirit Play Web Site (http://spiritplay.net/).
Way Cool Sunday (ages 9-11)
What's so Way Cool? It's Sunday mornings that put these children in the center of important aspects of church life, such as worship, social justice work and community building. Once a month there is worship, followed by fellowship time with games and other activities that help build friendships. On another Sunday each month, the group learns about or works on a social justice project. Twice a month Way Cool focuses on a particular theme with appropriate age group discussions and activities. More information on this method can be found at: http://www.uuvareations.com/waycool.html.
Coming of Age (ages 12-13)
Coming of Age enables youth to grow in maturity, responsibility and spiritual depth. Activities will include examining Unitarian Universalist values, beliefs, and history, learning about different spiritual practices, creating credos and covenants, working with a mentor, and doing social justice projects.
Youth Group (9th - 12th grade)
The Senior Youth Group is a unique experience for youth in 9th-12th grade who are looking for a place to foster their individual and spiritual growth, to learn about and discuss a variety of issues, to help others through service projects, and to find support, fun and fellowship. The group is organized and directed by its members with the guidance of adult advisors. It meets mostly Sunday mornings.
Library
Thanks to many generous donations, our church has a growing library for all ages. This lending library can help provide learning, pleasure, and personal and spiritual growth. The library is located in the Robbins Room. We ask that you follow the directions posted in the library for borrowing a book. Please return it in a timely manner. Please print your name clearly, so we may contact you if needed.
We also post a wish list for books we would like to add to the library. Consider making a donation to keep our children's literature current.
Registration
Parents of children attending RE groups, Nursery or Youth programs are asked to register their children annually.
The full team - UU Rockland and Midcoast
UU Society Service team in New Orleans
Rebuilding New Orleans
Visit this website to learn more about the Youth Group's service trip to New Orleans and how you can help with the Gulf Coast's ongoing post-Katrina recovery effort.