Our Director of Religious Education (DRE) is Wendy (Angel) Chapman, who brings with her over 15 years of teaching experience in public school gifted education programs, a Masters degree in Educational Psychology, specializing in Gifted Education, and high enthusiasm for educating children and the KUUC community. Angel is a member of KUUC and has a young son in the RE program.
Angel is available on Sundays from 9:15-2pm. Her weekday office hours are on TH mornings 9:30am-12:30pm, as well as by appointment.
Angel's contact information: Email re@kuuc.org and phone at the RE office (603) 352-1719 ext. 2 or her home office (603) 357-1033.
Message from Director of Religious Education
Welcome to our lifespan religious education program which embodies our Unitarian Universalist principles and the goals of our religious education program. Both are printed in this Prospectus. Our classes, group activities, multigenerational services, and special events intentionally create and nurture an atmosphere of community. Within this setting young and old are free to develop their beliefs and share in sacred moments.Welcome to our lifespan religious education program which embodies our Unitarian Universalist principles and the goals of our religious education program. Our classes, group activities, Children's Chapel, inter-generational services, and special events intentionally create and nurture an atmosphere of community. Within this setting young and old are free to develop their beliefs and share in sacred moments.
Unitarian Universalists teach our seven principles. Here is the children's version of the UU Principles:
* Each person is important
* Be kind in all you do
* We're free to learn together
* We search for what is true
* All people need a voice
* Build a fair and peaceful world
* We care for Earth's lifeboat
In order to engage in a free and responsible search for truth and meaning, we use UU curricula that teaches about our own Judeo-Christian roots as well as other religions and different cultures. We hope that students of all ages will consider what it means to live out Unitarian Universalist values in the context of our wider world. We create an atmosphere in our classes that encourages thoughtful discussion of all ideas.
We believe that religious education is a lifelong process. Whatever your age, wherever you are on your religious journey, we welcome you.
Unitarian Universalists do not have one creed or set of beliefs which we bring to our religious education program. In order to engage in a free and responsible search for truth and meaning, we use UU curricula that teaches about our own Judeo-Christian roots as well as other religions and different cultures. We hope that students of all ages will grapple with what it means to live out Unitarian Universalist values in the context of our wider world. We create an atmosphere in our classes that encourages thoughtful discussion of all ideas.
We believe that religious education is a lifelong process. Whatever your age, wherever you are on your religious journey, we welcome you.
Religious Education Committee
Larry Butcher & Frank Dobisky, Co-Chairs
Becky Streeter, Carole Mills, Lindsay Bartlett, Perry and Andrea Lowe, Anne Branzell-Spiegler
Board Liaison: John Bordenet
RE Program Goals...To Create an Environment Which Encourages:
* A Unitarian Universalist identity
* A sense of belonging to our church community
* A religious experience
* A tolerance for others' beliefs and values
* A belief that it is all right not to know the answer to every question
- A religious literacy
- A social conscience
Children's Worship
The worship experience is an integral part of our program. Most weeks, children begin by worshipping together with their families in the Sanctuary and then depart together to go to their classrooms. Once a month on second Sundays, the children start in Children's Chapel in the Alliance room upstairs. In the Sanctuary, children become familiar with the setting, and feel part of the larger community. In Children's Chapel, children experience worship in a peer community where we create our own rituals and traditions and introduce spiritual practices in developmentally appropriate ways, as well as having sharing time and storytime, doing group craft projects and focusing on our social action project. KUUC also has a few Intergenerational Services over the course of the year where our whole community engages in worship together. In the Sanctuary we have a Story for All Ages at least once a month and Joys and Sorrows with children once a month.
The Parental Role
Religious Education is a collaborative effort between parents, teachers, mentors, and students, and our professional staff. Parents can help foster their children?s spiritual growth in a variety of ways. Joining a teaching team, volunteering as a teacher's aide, leading one of several Sunday multi-age group activities are some ways to help.
Parents can also help by staying informed. Please read the Religious Education newsletter sent by email monthly, the RE News in the Messenger and Mini-Messenger, and any letters or notices sent home with your child(ren) from the classroom or DRE. Feel free to talk with the DRE or any of the teachers, as well.
Any child regularly attending RE classes at KUUC needs to have a completed registration form as early in the church year as possible. If you have visited a couple times and think you'll be back, please do this form as it gives us any information that will help ensure your child's comfort and safety in the church school environment. Lastly, by bringing your children regularly, they more easily develop connections with teachers and friendships with peers and the confidence to share their spiritual ideas in the class setting. As classes develop a sense of community, the children will look forward to coming.
Nursery Care
The Church provides childcare for infants and toddlers under the age of three downstairs from 9:45-11:30 a.m. Sunday mornings.
Sunday Schedule
Each Sunday we ask all parents to retrieve their young children from their classrooms or playground at 11:30 so that teachers may clean up in a timely way.
When the weather permits, our youngest children always take advantage of the playground adjacent to their class to build community through play. Please send your children to their classes with clothing appropriate for the weather and for outdoor play.