Religious Education
Welcome to Religious Education at UUCC.

Our Mission:
Inward spiritual learning and outward social justice, in a multicultural, racially diverse, intergenerational and inclusive congregation.

At UUCC, Religious Education is the whole congregation’s commitment.
At UUCC, we see Religious Education as a lifelong journey. In our religious community, the congregation, the minister, the Religious Education program, and parents are partners in shared ministry to support and guide our youngest members in beginning their journey.   

At UUCC all ages worship together.
Most Sundays, the whole congregation is together for the first part of the worship service, after which children and youth go to RE class with our volunteer teachers.   At present, one Sunday a month is devoted entirely to intergenerational worship.   Children and youth have opportunities to take an active role in enhancing the worship experience through Liturgical Dance, Music, and Readings. 

At UUCC all ages work together to help our community. 
Through “Just Works” projects, all ages in our congregation work together on projects such as collecting and organizing donations to the SMILE Food Pantry in Lusby, Maryland.  After the worship service on Sundays, our Youth Outreach program offers children a range of community service projects to work on, as well as educational opportunities such as the “Green Building” project, a hands-on learning experience.   And on the first Sunday of each month, our Youth Covenant Group, for middle-school youth, meets in the afternoon.

Your Child’s Sunday Morning at UUCC
 
2008-2009 Curriculum
This year we are using a multi-age curriculum titled "Sheltering Spirit: The Shelter Rock Faith Curriculum" as the main resource for our worship-centered Sunday morning program for children and youth.
  
Caring for each other
At the beginning of the church year, the children and youth develop their own Classroom Covenant. They envision the kind of classroom they would like to have – one in which all are respected, heard, and valued – and come up with a list of ways to live those values on Sunday mornings.

Attendance
UUCC’s Religious Education program offers a team of volunteer teachers who are committed to supporting your child’s religious growth by preparing a quality curriculum lesson each Sunday.  Often the lessons are cumulative over several weeks.  Children and youth are encouraged to attend Sunday RE Classes regularly in order to receive the full benefit of the program.  In addition, regular attendance allows friendships to develop that can enrich your child’s life beyond Sunday mornings, and fosters the development of a strong UU religious identity. 

Nursery
Nursery care is available for our youngest friends. 

After the service…

-Youth Outreach Program
Taking place most Sundays after the worship service, the Youth Outreach program offers many opportunities for children of all ages to participate in activities that help our community.

-Youth Covenant Group
designed for young UUs in their pre-teens, this group meets on the first Sunday of the month, in the afternoon.  Locations and activities vary.

Registering Your Child

Please register your child by filling out the registration form and giving it to Laura Stewart Webb, Religious Education Coordinator.  Ms. Webb is at church each Sunday." Ours is an intergenerational, cooperative program in which parents are a part of the action.  There is no fee to enroll your child.  Instead we ask that you participate actively by helping organize activities, sharing your special gifts, or teaching in the program.  When you fill out the registration form, please let us know what gifts you would like to share with the children, and also let us know what special talents your child might like to share in RE.

Teaching in Our Program
Adults who have been members of UUCC for at least six months are eligible to join the RE teaching team, starting off as teacher-assistants. Teacher training is offered, and teachers receive support from the RE Coordinator. There is flexibility in scheduling. To learn more, please contact Eliza Garth, RE Committee Chair at ehgarth@smcm.edu

UUCC’s Religious Education Committee
Eliza Garth, chair;  April Tucker (Youth Outreach); Karin Ryon