What’s going on over there?
Questions and Answers about the Religious Education Program at the Unitarian Church in Charleston
· Religious Education classes are offered for children three years old through high school.
· A nursery is offered from 10-12:15 for babies and toddlers under the age of three.
· Religious education classes run from 11am till 12:15, September through June at our church.
· Parents must register their child(ren). Both visitor and registration forms are in every classroom.
· In addition to Sunday classes, our program offers many opportunities for socializing, personal development and worship. These include youth conferences, sleep overs, holiday parties, family activities, intergenerational worship services, social outreach projects, and a children’s choir—The Canaries.
· Visitors are welcome to our classes, but we ask that parents register their child(ren) after three visits.
· Our Religious Education program is a cooperative. We thrive through the donated time and resources of our volunteers. Parents are expected to share their talents with the larger community. We utilize our volunteers as teachers, assistants, snack coordinators, guest speakers, musicians, special event planners, trip chaperones and all around helping hands.
Some Commonly Asked Questions About Our Program:
What will my child(ren) learn about…
· God? Many people think their lives are part of a larger force, and they call that larger force “god”. People the world over have different ideas of what God is like. We share many of those ideas with our children and encourage them to develop their own. Our children also learn that belief in God is not necessary to the living of a good and meaningful life.
· Jesus? Our children learn about the historic Jesus, his life and times, and the impact of his ministry. They learn that Jesus was a loving human teacher who helped people understand each other and be kind to one another. In following the guidance of the ideals of love, peace and forgiveness taught by Jesus, we make the world a better place in which to live.
· The Bible? The Bible is a collection of books telling about the early days of the Jewish people, their ideas about God, the teachings of Jesus, and what some of his followers said about him. The Bible is not taught as the “singular work of God”—rather Bible stories are used to teach a lesson, and acquaint our children with their Judeo-Christian heritage.
· World religions? The children and youth learn about the scriptures, deities, holy days and customs of a variety of world religions including Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Taoism, Judaism, Baha’i, Sikhism, Paganism, Humanism and Native American spirituality. Through these studies we hope to show our children that there are many spiritual paths people take to find meaning and there is no one path that works for everyone.
What will my child’s religious identity be?
In our Religious Education program we identify ourselves as Unitarian Universalist. All of our curricula are based on the purposes and principles of the Unitarian Universalist Association, which are:
We believe
· that every person is important.
· that all people should be treated fairly and kindly.
· that we should accept one another and learn together.
· that each person must be free to search for what is true and right in life.
· that all people should have a vote on things that concern them.
· in working for a peaceful and free world.
· in caring for our planet earth, the home we share with all living things. (Children’s version)
The children learn about UU history and the women and men who have exemplified these principles in their lives. It is our feeling that religious values are acquired through “deeds not creeds”. Our children and youth are given the chance to live their faith by participating in individual classes and church wide service projects in the community. Please look at our RE Calendar of Events 05-06 for programs outside of our traditional classes.
Thank you for your interest in our Religious Education Program.
If you have additional questions or would like more information please contact Janet Watts, our director of Religious Education at 723-4617 or dreuuc@bellsouth.net