Religious Education at First Universalist Church

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Religious Education

Lifespan Faith Development
Religious Education Program for Children and Youth

First Universalist offers a full program of religious education from pre-school through high school. With over 400 children and youth registered each year, we have one of the largest and strongest religious education (RE) programs in the denomination. From September through mid-May, religious education classes are held at 9:00, 10:00, and 11:00 a.m. Sunday morning.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM GOALS

The following are our broad program goals.

Foster a religious experience for children and youth that supports a growing sense of belonging, connection, and involvement.
Expand our congregational capacity for listening, connecting, and advocating for children and youth.
Name and celebrate ways in which children and youth express their religious experiences and sense of belonging/community.
Deepen the spiritual sense of identity as Unitarian Universalists.

UU IDENTITY PROJECT

Download the materials about the father of American Universalism, John Murray (large pdf file).

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION LEADERSHIP: STAFF AND LAY LEADERS

Heading the program is our Director of Lifespan Faith Development, Heidi Mastrud. She is assisted by over 100 members and friends of the congregation who serve as teachers as well as the following RE staff:

Heidi Mastrud
Coordinator of Youth and Young Adult Ministries - Katie Heaton
Children's Program Coordinator/Children's Music Coordinator - Mary Bohman
Program Assistant/Sunday Morning Childcare Provider - Katie Campbell

Phone and Voice Mail for all staff: 612-825-1701

The Lifespan Faith Development Council's Children and Youth Committees are teams of lay leaders who collaborate with the staff in providing leadership in meeting the spiritual and religious needs of our congregation's babies, children and youth. If you would like to be involved with the Lifespan program in some way, contact Heidi Mastrud, or any committee chair.

Children's Committee 2007-2008	Youth and Adult Committee 2007-2008
Emily Wallace-Jackson - chair	Karen Wills- adult chair
Jennifer Livingston	Katie Heaton - staff liaison
Lynda Enright	Jody Beresford
Pam Berry	Troy Behnke
Jane Johnson	Elliot Altbaum - Youth Co-Chair
Elizabeth Short	McKensey Lancette - Youth Co-Chair
Karen Johnson	Ruth Fothergill
Mary Bohman - staff liaison	Kristal Leebrick

CURRICULUM AND EXPERIENCES BY AGE GROUPS: SEPT 2007-MAY 2008.

BABIES, TODDLERS AND PRESCHOOLERS

Nursery (infants to age 2) at 9:00 & 11:00

We have a paid childcare worker who provides a safe and nurturing environment for babies up to age two. Parents and other community members take their turn volunteering approximately once a month in order to maintain a healthy caregiver to baby ratio.

Two-Three Year Olds: "Growing Together" at 9:00 & 11:00

Our two and three year olds celebrate Sundays with stories, music, games and creative activities. They begin to experience church as a place of friendship, growth and nurturing.

Four and Five Year Olds: "Chalice Children" at 9:00 & 11:00

This UU curriculum helps nurture the spiritual growth of our 4 and 5 year olds. Our Chalice Children will begin to explore topics such as birth and death, prayer, ritual, God, religious community, and the importance of wonder in our spiritual lives. They will connect with the natural world and each other through varied activities, worship, songs, and children’s literature.

ELEMENTARY AGE CHILDREN (KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE SIX)

Each of the curriculum in K-6th grades (mentioned below) will focus on its subject matter from a UU perspective. By the time a child has finished sixth grade, provided they have been attending since kindergarten, they will be well-versed in what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist, where our roots lie, and how to live out our values in the world.

Kindergarten and First Grade: Rainbow Path Year B - "Making the World" at 9:00 & 11:00

There are two full years of Rainbow Path curriculum. In this year of the Rainbow Path our K-1^st graders learn about the seven principles of Unitarian Universalism, with a special focus on hope and commitment. The children hear a different story every week, play games, and have fun with projects as they explore their beliefs and our common UU values. In addition, they will participate in the Families All Matter anti-bias book project.

Each lesson reflects back on the Rainbow Path as the children explore their beliefs. Each of the seven UU principles is linked to a color of the rainbow:

Red: Respect All Beings
Orange: Offer Fair and Kind Treatment to All
Yellow: Yearn to Learn
Green: Grow in Spirit and Mind
Blue: Believe in Our Ideas and Act On Them
Indigo: Insist on Peace, Freedom, and Justice
Violet: Value the Connections in Creation

Grades Two and Three: We Believe: Learning and Living Our Unitarian Universalist Principles at 9:00 & 11:00

Second and third graders examine what it means to be a UU through worship, crafts, games, plays, songs and stories. In this class we hope to help these children state what Unitarian Universalists believe, in positive statements. The children focus on UU heritage and values and on expressing the meaning of the UU principles in increasingly more sophisticated language.

Grades Four, Five and Six: Stories From Our Sources: Social Justice at 9:00 & 11:00

Unitarian Universalist wisdom draws from words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love. Our 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th graders will spend the year learning about great people who have influenced our religion, engaging in justice work and advocacy, and participating in service projects that help put our beliefs into action.

YOUTH PROGRAMS: GRADES 7-12

Sunday classes for grades 7 - 12 are held September 16 through May 18.

Grade Seven: Neighboring Faiths at 11 a.m.

Seventh graders learn Unitarian Universalism's connection to other religions during their year of “Neighboring Faiths,” a curriculum developed by the Unitarian Universalist Association. Through classroom conversations and multiple field trips youth explore other religions and visit their communities. This year’s visits will include a Buddhist center, the Dar al-Hijrah Islamic Center, a Jewish Temple, Christian Churches, and First Unitarian Society.

Grade Eight: OWL (Our Whole Lives Sexuality)

This class is part of a nationally recognized, comprehensive sexuality education program that was developed by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ. The class is intended to help participants gain knowledge, values, and skills that lead to sexually healthy, responsible lives.

Grade Nine: Coming of Age (COA) at 10 a.m.
During COA, youth learn more about Unitarian Universalism and religion. Youth are guided in exploring and expressing their personal spirituality. The program includes three excellent retreats, a mentor program, youth leadership, and a COA celebration where youth share their reflections as they journey into religious adulthood.

The first of the retreats is at Camp Friendship on October 5-7. Youth will also participate in the Urban Immersion Service Retreat and the Spiritual Toolbox Retreat. The activity fee for COA is $175, and scholarships are readily available upon request. Please contact Katie Heaton with any questions.
Senior High (Grades 10-12) at 10 a.m.

The high schoolers will spend the year learning about the root causes of injustice and oppression, and prepare to advocate for justice in the larger community. The teens will choose a service trip, raise funds, and donate their time to the cause of their choice. This year is meant to complement the Unity Summer education and internship program offered jointly by First Universalist and First Unitarian Society.

If you teach an RE class and would like to make information about it available here, please send the information in text format (or GIF or JPEG images) to Heidi Mastrud

This page last updated on 11/27/07

First Universalist Church of Minneapolis