Sermon Archives

GENERAL INFORMATION

Church School- (RE)- For children and youth ages 3-18. Starts at 9:30 during the regular school year. Offered at the same time as Religious Education for Adults (Adult Forums). No RE is taught on most MISD school holidays to allow for continuity of lessons and for families to have time together.

Group Fellowship/ Family Worship- 10:45-11:00 Children are dismissed from their Sunday School classes so that they may socialize with the adults prior to the family worship at 11:00. Family Worship includes singing, prayers, readings and a story for children of all ages. Children will be dismissed from the service following the Candles of Joy and Concern. They will return to the RE wing for Second Hour activities. Parents of youth are encouraged to review the sermon topic ahead of time, and consider requesting their youth to remain for topics of interest.

Second Hour- Sara Bush is the Childcare provider during Second Hour. She does various art projects, music, free play and outdoors activities with the children. Most UU children say Second Hour is their favorite part of church! The importance of having other UU kids to play with can help our children not feel so isolated by their faith. Raised a Unitarian Universalist, Sara adds a youthful enthusiasm along with UU values to Second Hour Childcare. During this time, the children are also supervised by several adult volunteers. Sign-up sheets for volunteering for second hour are circulated in church, and posted on the bulletin board just outside the sanctuary. It is our expectation the every parent will contribute a few Sundays during the year to this volunteer need.

Nursery-Infants and children up to 3 years of age will be cared for from 9:30-noon in our cheerful and stimulating nursery. As appropriate, the little ones will be allowed to interact with the older children too Please bring diapers, bottles, cups or snacks as needed for your little one.

Intergenerational– We offer opportunities for children, youth and adults to interact together during intergenerational forums and services. This is a time for us to join together in the spirit of worship and fellowship.

All adults and teens who are working with our children have been safety screened and agreed to a background check. We follow the Unitarian Universalist Association’s recommendations for creating safe congregations.

Programs/Curriculum

3 years to 6 years

Chalice Children

Chalice Children curriculum focuses on helping children make their class a peaceful, friendly and caring place; affirming the uniqueness of themselves and others; being a part of an environment in which all aspects of life can be discussed; gaining an awareness and appreciation for our interconnectedness with nature; and affirming the child’s individuality and self-esteem.

The goals of the curriculum include:
To nurture affection and affirmation for their individuality and sense of belonging to a Unitarian Universalist community.

To foster acceptance, trust, and appreciation of themselves and others in their world as well as a sense of connection to nature and the universe.

To develop self-expression, cooperative skills, and creative achievements as they learn and grow.

2nd Through 6th Grade

We Believe: Learning and Living Our
Unitarian Universalist Principles

This curriculum is designed to be used with a wide range of ages. It builds on the seven principles of Unitarian Universalism. The stated goals of the curriculum are:

To explore what the participants know about the seven principles

To reflect on this knowledge

To engage in activities inspired by the principles

To incorporate the principles into their everyday lives

7th Grade & Up

Sacred Threads
&
The Gospel According to the Simpsons

Sacred Threads is a comprehensive study of all Asian beliefs and spiritual practices. Students will look at the themes of these faiths and draw their own conclusions about their experiences.
The Gospel According to the Simpsons is a look at American culture through a microcosm. Through viewings of the popular t.v. show “The Simpsons”, youth are called to question tough issues such as life, death, sex, job, education and other sociological concerns as they pursue their own spiritual journeys.

Youth Group

For ages 12-18, the youth group arranges social functions, activism, camping, and other church activities for fellowship and fun. Supervised by an adult male and female, youth can make trips to visit other churches, do social outreach, get together for retreats, camping or lock-ins. The youth themselves are empowered to make choices about “their” youth group.