Grow in Faith: Faith Formation for Children & Youth
Faith Formation Hour: Sundays, 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Faith Formation is the lifetime process of growing into our fullness as spiritual and ethical human beings. Faith Formation occurs as we face life’s Big Questions...”What happens when we die? What is my purpose in life? How should I live? Who is my neighbor? How do I know what to believe?” As Unitarian Universalists, we do not provide the answers; we provide tools for seeking personal answers. We also provide companions for the journey. Faith Formation happens through meaningful relationships. ORUUC intentionally nurtures this formation in age-appropriate ways, through small groups that learn, serve, and care together. We also provide guidance and support for parents, who are always their children’s foremost teachers of faith formation.
All groups, Kindergarten and older, meet during Faith Formation hour. The Nursery and Preschool are open during both worship & faith formation hour.
Check out our new monthly newsletter for families here!
Youth Faith Formation Registration
Faith Formation for Children and Youth is a cooperative venture. Please complete a Youth Faith Formation Registration Form by your third visit. For more information on Faith Formation Volunteer Opportunities please email our Director of Faith Formation, Christine Rehder, here.
Faith Formation Leaders
All adult leaders have been active at ORUUC for at least a year and have been recommended by the Youth Faith Formation Staff. All leaders must complete an application, provide references, and agree to adhere to all Safety Policies of the church. Per new church guidelines approved in October 2021, all adult Faith Formation volunteers working with children are required to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
Nursery - Birth to 3 years
9:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Room 127
Susan Rosenbaum, Nursery Coordinator, and long-time church member, capably and lovingly cares for our tiniest ones, with the help of a weekly nursery assistant.
We honor each family’s readiness to separate. Parents are welcome to remain in the nursery with their children. Our aim is to help the children get comfortable enough for the parents to leave when they are ready.
On a typical Sunday, we play with toys, read books, sing songs, and have a snack—usually Goldfish and Veggie Straws.
When leaving children, please take time to help them feel secure. Bring special items that may ease the separation. Also, bring diapers, extra clothing, and bottles as needed (label everything, please.) Let the caregivers know where you will be in the church building and when you will return.
Preschool - 3 to 5 years
11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Room 123
Preschoolers will spend the Worship Hour in the Nursery with Ms. Susan. During the Faith Formation Hour, children move into the Preschool room where a Class Leader and an assistant will introduce children to UU rituals and symbols. Children will also begin to learn UU values and build a faith community. Group goals are to be safe, have fun, make friends, and learn.
Spirit Play - Ages 5 to 10
11:15 a.m. - 12:15 a.m. Room 129
Spirit Play develops each child’s innate spirituality within the nurturing and broad-minded community that is the Unitarian Universalist faith.
Children learn narratives of the history, religion, and shared human experiences that shape our world. A trained Storyteller tells these stories, using props and vivid language.
The weekly Story is followed by Wondering—open-ended questions about the story’s meaning & how it pertains to the children’s lives.
During Work, children may choose to play with the story props or choose from a variety of art and other open-ended materials to derive their own meaning from the stories.
The hour concludes with Feast and Blessing, a time to share a small snack, each other’s company, and best wishes for the week ahead.
Middle School - Ages 11-14
11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Room 124
The Middle School class follows the Soul Matters themes and curriculum for half the time and devotes the other half to service projects. Attending the Worship service is central to our class as we will be continuing the discussion and themes from service during our Soul Matters conversations.
During the Soul Matters class time, we will utilize games, stories, exploratory questions, open conversations, meditation, and art to thoroughly engage with our monthly theme while focusing on community building and fun.
Our first service project will be to create a banned books section within our church library. The class will discuss why books are banned, the importance of all books, and what free speech entails. The class will choose future projects they are passionate about.
We are committed to engaging the whole person; body, mind, heart, soul and imagination. Everyone learns in a different way, and focusing on various ways to interact with our theme will help to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to both learn and thrive.
Connections are vital at every age; our classes are designed to help facilitate trust and bonding among members. Our goal is to start connections that will turn into lifelong friendships.
Senior High - Grades 9-12
11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Room 128
The curriculum for 2024-2025 has a focus on personal growth, using the Soul Matters for the Coming of Age milestone. Topics include activities, discussions, and explorations of personal identity and intentionality in becoming our future selves. The aim is to help the youth develop a better understanding of themselves, and to be thoughtful, intentional, and creative in who they would like to become as they grow toward adulthood. Through reflection, our youth are empowered to make choices in their lives that are aligned with their values and their understanding of who they are and intend to be. The group also spends time talking about things happening in their lives and the broader world/community through a UU lens.
Fundraising is an important and ongoing process in this group; the youth bond and raise money for biannual trips through congregational lunches, one-off fundraisers, and our Annual Holiday Tamale Sales. This will be an important fundraising year as we plan our next trip and Coming of Age retreat.