Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Whidbey Island

Religious Educational Program for Children (RE)

Children's Religious Education - director of religious education is Vanessa

RE takes place every Sunday during church service from 10:00 - 11:15am on Sundays from September through June. RE programs include Wonder Play for infants through kindergarten age children; Spirit Play for 1^st through 5^th graders; and Youth program for 6^th graders through high school students.

UUCWI RE programs promote:

• respect for all people and all spiritual paths,

• working for a better world,
• growing in spirit and mind
• learning more about oneself, and
• making new friends & enjoying new activities

New students may join at any time and visitors are welcome to attend. Child sign-in forms need to be filled out the first Sunday you attend. Children ages 3 years old and older attend the first part of the adult service each Sunday with their parent(s)/ guardian(s), and following the "story for all ages", join their teachers and classmates in the adjacent classrooms. (Child care for infants and toddlers is available throughout the service in the Wonder Play classroom.)

We strive to have a familiar and predictable structure to our classes so the children know what to expect. This can be very comforting, particularly for younger children. We have excellent teachers who are committed to creating a community of support for our students. Our stories, lessons, and message to the RE students are consistent with our UU principles and are shared with our preschool and grade school children as the “Rainbow Principles.”

R Respect all people

O Offer fair and kind treatment

Y Yearn to learn

G Grow by exploring ideas

B Believe in our ideas and act on them

I Insist on peace, freedom and justice

V Value nature’s web of life

Wonder Play:
Wonder Play is for infants through kindergarten age children. Children 3 years old and older join the younger children in the classroom after the “story for all ages.” The morning consists of circle time which includes a song, chalice lighting, joy and concerns, and a story. The children are then invited to choose a work activity such as reenacting the story, art, books, decorating the chalice table, or a special project. The morning ends with a tea time and closing.

Spirit Play:
Spirit Play is for 1^st through 5^th grade students. Through song and story, children are introduced to the UU principles: Respect all people; Offer fair and kind treatment; Yearn to learn; Grow by exploring ideas; Believe in our ideas and act on them; Insist on peace, freedom and justice; Value nature’s web of life. Children are given opportunities to explore these ideas through independent and group work activities.

Youth:
Youth is for 6^th grade through high school students. The Youth program is structured using Sharing the Journey: Small Group Ministries with Youth. Small group ministry enables our youth to build community, making sure that each person is included, heard, and valued. Youth are given the opportunity to create strong relationships, engage with meaningful issues, take up leadership roles, and join in inspired action.

In addition, the children and youth will have opportunities to participate in intergenerational activities, social action projects, and community building activities. We look forward to working with you and your child!