The summer lessons are from Hands on Nature: Information and Activities for Exploring the Environment with Children. In July, the class learned about insects, spiders, and ecosystems. They also made nature journals with teachers Susan Hartman, Tara and Darren Petite, Karen Poston, and Rebecca Shaw. Fanny Crawford, David Peatling, Karen Poston, Michael and Rebecca Shaw helped out in the nursery. There are still dates available to teach RE in August. Sign up in the Martin house and share your love of nature with us!
Please give your support to our youth program this year by volunteering to teach or help out in our nursery. See Rebecca Shaw for more information or to sign up. Please give your support to our youth program by volunteering to teach or help out in our nursery. See Rebecca Shaw, Karen Poston, or Susan Hartman to sign up for August.
Primary Class (ages 5 - 9)
This year, the primary class will learn about what it means be a Unitarian Universalist: our beliefs, our history, and our practices.
Through monthly participation in family services, they will also experience what goes on in "grown up" church, and bring that into the classroom.
Intermediate Class (ages 10 and up)
The intermediate class generally starts each Sunday morning with the primary group and then breaks off to discuss the lesson with their own teacher.
Nursery Care
Free childcare for infants and toddlers is provided in the nursery from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each Sunday.
Calendar & Location
Our regular religious education classes begin September 9, 2007 and continue every Sunday morning, 10:45 a.m. to noon, from September through May. R.E. classes are also offered during the summer months.
Both religious education classes for children and our adult worship services are held at 13245 Cearfoss Pike, Hagerstown, Maryland. Our church property is approximately one mile west of Interstate 81, exit 7B.
Our Unitarian Universalist Principles
Although Unitarian Universalists profess no creed, we have over the years voted to affirm principles which guide us. The version of our principles below was written by religious educators for UU children; it is also the underlying theme of all our religious education (R.E.) classes.
We believe...
That each & every person is important
That all people should be treated fairly & kindly
That we should accept one another & keep on learning together
That each person must be free to search for what is true & right in life
That all persons should have a vote about the things that concern them
In working for a peaceful, fair & free world
In caring for our planet earth, the home we share with all living things.
How Can You Help Make Religious Education Meaningful?
Bring your child regularly.
Our religion does not use fear or guilt to compel members to church each Sunday. However, your child will benefit greatly if you can strive for regular attendance (at least several times a month.) Many of our lessons are sequential; the child who attends sporadically will miss key activities or stories. Even more importantly, irregular attendance means your child may find it harder to develop the friendships with other UU children that enrich the R.E. experience.
Dress your child for action.
As a parent, you know that children learn by doing-and many times, doing is a messy process. Our R.E. lessons always include an activity, from planting bulbs and painting murals to building a Tower of Babel.
Learn about our program.
You can reinforce what your child learns on Sunday by discussing the projects and handouts she or he brings home. Please visit the classroom during coffee hour and look at our curriculum materials.
Volunteer.
Additional religious education teachers are always needed. Our materials are fun and easy to use, even if you've never taught before. Each teacher agrees to work with a class for at least two weeks (although many people teach more!) If you can't devote that much time, volunteer a Sunday in the nursery with the little ones or as a classroom assistant. We can also always use help keeping the rooms tidy and well-supplied.
Tell others about our program.
Many of our R.E. activities would be more enjoyable for the children if the classes were larger. (It's hard to teach cooperation through a noncompetitive game with only one child!) If you have friends with a similar liberal religious philosophy, invite them and their children to church. If you need additional copies of this brochure to share, check the pamphlet rack at church or call the R.E. chair.
Please check the Calendar of Events for Adult Spiritual Enrichment opportunities.
