Welcome to Sunday morning Religious Education for children and youth! We are looking forward to welcoming you all back to in-person programming this month; here are a few important details for you:
What to expect on Sundays:
We are so aware that families are all in so many different places around COVID safety, and many of you may also be trying to find the balance between prioritizing rest on Sundays and how much to push getting (back) into new routines for your families. 2 years is a long time to be away from church, and we know that your kids may not even remember what church is like. Be gentle with yourselves as you ease back into church together!
Though we have divided the classes to meet the current registration numbers, we fully anticipate a few things: that families who have registered may not plan to attend every Sunday; that RE volunteers and families are more likely to stay home last-minute if they have any cold symptoms (we endorse this!); and, as COVID numbers continue to drop (fingers crossed), that more families may register for programming. This means that some Sundays we may make the decision to combine classes if attendance is low, or we may even need to add classes or shift classes if more families register.
Our curriculum is designed to make these shifts as smooth as possible as each class will be exploring the same rituals, practices, and stories; just adapted for that particular age range. Our goal this spring is to provide gentle space for children and youth to come as they are and re-build community. We also will keep circles smaller than we did pre-pandemic to allow for distancing in our classrooms.
SCHEDULE: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Fa5onNlHILpgid4OAF1AmmouC4KrTlhzerJEKwAQXNc/edit?usp=sharing
ON CIRCLE SUNDAYS:
10:35 AM: Youth leaders (ages 14+) who have signed up to be classroom assistants are invited to a short, 15-minute gathering in the RE office to check in and connect before heading to worship. (if your youth is interested in helping in the classrooms, please let me know!)
11:00 AM: Worship Begins in the sanctuary. Please be sure to check-in when you arrive.
Children and youth who have registered for Religious Education circles attend the first 15-20 minutes of the service and then leave for their circles following the story. Circle Facilitators will greet children and youth in the Atrium and travel to the RE classrooms together.
12:00 PM: Classes end. Children in Kindergarten-4th grades should be picked up by caretakers in their classrooms. Children and youth in grades 5-12 will be released.
12:05 PM: Social Hour with circles for all ages. No registration is required.
What to expect from the RE Staff:
Religious Education staff will be available on Sunday mornings to answer questions, to support those who are serving as circle facilitators for our children and youth, and to step into classrooms as needed.
Please keep an eye on your email each Friday for important updates and announcements and feel free to reach out with questions!
What we need from you:
Sign up to be a classroom visitor:
We are asking parents/guardians to sign up to visit a classroom 1-2 times this spring. As a classroom visitor, all you need to do is show up and be a part of the circle! This not only helps to support the facilitator for each circle, but also gives caretakers a chance to see UU religious education in action, and, most importantly, helps to build community between families here at WBUUC. You may sign up to be a visitor in your own child’s classroom, or you can choose to visit a different classroom altogether. Sign up here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1GDdTIYQ5IUe69FDcYg7r2X244eJg5GkRsTONEzT-ehk/edit?usp=sharing
(Please note that we DO require all Religious Education volunteers to be fully vaccinated for COVID 19. As you sign up, I will be sending out a quick form with our vaccination policy. If you have questions or concerns about this, please feel free to reach out.)
Please read our COVID guidelines: https://wbuuc.org/questions/#q1
We know that many schools, cities, businesses are beginning to relax masking policies; at WBUUC we are guided by our Unitarian Universalist values–particularly courage, reverence, and compassion–and our deep commitment to inclusion and prioritizing the most marginalized among us. Please remind your child that It is important to us to make sure that we are helping to protect the health and safety of families with children too young to be vaccinated and those who are immocompromized, and that they can help by staying masked while participating in indoor programming at WBUUC.
Circle Sundays: Most Sundays, children are divided by peer groups where they will explore the monthly worship theme through stories, crafts, and games. These classes help our children not only learn about our faith, but helps them establish friendships with peers and connect with fabulous volunteer teachers who help to guide these circles throughout the year. On these Sundays, children and youth begin the morning in the sanctuary and then leave for classes during the first hymn. Our Whole Lives participants begin class on the hour. Families should Check-in at the welcome center before the service.
Kindergarten: Wonderers
1st & 2nd Grades: Seekers
3rd & 4th Grades: Explorers
5th & 6th Grades: Connecters
7th-12th Grades: Youth Group & Youth Assistants
Multigenerational Worship: All-ages worship in the sanctuary allows families to worship with one another and helps children learn hymns and rituals that are important to this community. On these Sundays children will remain in the sanctuary for the entire service.
Religious Education at WBUUC 