Religious Education

Religious Education Registration 2011-2012 Online Form

Denton Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Children's RE

Our Unitarian Universalist Rainbow Principles
RainbowPrinciples
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Sources of Our Beliefs
Our beliefs come from:

The sense of wonder we all share.

The women and men of long ago and today whose lives remind us to be kind and fair.

The ethical and spiritual wisdom of the world’s religions.

Jewish and Christian teachings which tell us to love all others as we love ourselves.

The use of reason and the discoveries of science.

The harmony of nature and the sacred circle of life.

The Sunday Morning Experience
The nursery opens at 9:30 am and remains open until 11:45 am for children 2 years and younger. It is helpful when the children come with a change of clothes, diapers and bottle. Religious Education classes are offered Sunday mornings. Classes are divided according to age/grade level and are taught by teaching teams that rotate on a weekly basis. There will always be at least 2 teachers in the classroom. Pre-school through Teen Class meet at 9:30 am end at 11:45.

Intergenerational Worship & Activities
In addition to Sunday morning religious education classes the church offers a number of intergenerational events and activities throughout the year. These allow our entire congregation to come together – so that we might learn from and enjoy one another’s company. For our young people, these may enhance the feelings of belonging to the religious community. For everyone, we seek a supportive spiritual environment which spans the generations, extending our families to include others who might not live with us, and building a faith community as we demonstrate our concern for one another and the world we live in. Such events and activities include: Intergenerational Worship Services such as the Ingathering Water Service, holiday services. We also offer pot-lucks, Game Nights, Halloween Party, Twice Annual Camping Trips, a winter holiday event The Hanging of the Greens, and much more.

Watch the church newsletter, DUUF Youth Yahoo Group e-mails, the church web-site, and bulletin boards for upcoming events.

Attendance
Children will benefit most from our program if they come regularly. Only then will they find continuity in the program and a circle of friends so they look forward to coming each Sunday. If you are new, we ask that you sign our guest book and list the names of your children so we can prepare a name tag for them.

The Nursery (Infants to age 2)
The nursery is located through Fellowship Hall and at the back of the fellowship. Our youngest children receive friendly, safe and loving care here. Our nursery is warmly staffed by our Nursery Caregivers, with additional help from experienced volunteers. Visitors are always welcome. Parents must sign their children in before the service begins and include any special instructions. Parents are requested to bring bottles and diapers.

Preschool (ages 3-4)
The Preschool classroom is the middle classroom off of Fellowship Hall. Through the curriculum, Celebrating Me and My World, our Pre-Schoolers will be looking in and looking out, with a focus on understanding themselves better. We will explore the things our bodies do and ways we choose to act. When the weather permits, we’ll look at the animal and plant life around us. Then we will take a look at things the people who love and care about us do in their lives.

Kid's Clubhouse - K through Second Grade
The Kid's Clubhouse classroom is the next class room off Fellowship Hall past the Nursery. The curriculum, UU Superhero’s introduces children to values-based UU identity with stories of UUs who have acted with courage and wisdom in their attempts to live their lives full and make the world a better place for others.

The Tweens - Third through Fifth Grade
The Tweens classroom is located through Fellowship Hall next to the kitchen. This year the class will use The Spirit of Adventure curriculum; A UU identity curriculum where the difference is the learning that takes place from physical movement, challenge, and adventure. Spirit of Adventure is a curriculum that teaches UU identity without the usual arts and crafts projects, but includes activities like dissecting a computer, building cantilevered architecture using graham crackers, interviewing a sports coach, eating smoked oysters, and singing Jingle Bells in “dog” language! There are also circus arts, an Animal Blessing, and a Popcorn Sale. Bring those active busy children in and watch them be amazed!

Junior and Senior High
Compass Points will lead its adolescent participants on a year long spiritual journey during which they will have opportunities to sort out their feelings about themselves and their world as they do the difficult work of starting to create their adult selves; To discover what they believe about life’s big questions – the nature of humanity and God, beliefs about death and faith; To think independently, assume responsibility, make decisions, explore values and adopt the practice of radical hospitality; To acquire enough background in Unitarian Universalist history, polity and theology that they can know and express what Unitarian Universalism stands for; To understand that religious liberty is a hard-won legacy that continues to need protection.

Service Projects
It is the tradition of our Religious Education program to invite our children and youth to participate in service projects throughout the year. Popular projects have included fund raising to adopt endangered species at the Dallas Zoo, Trick or Treat for UNICEF, Guest at Your Table, collections and fundraisers for the local Food Bank and Homeless Shelters. Projects can change yearly as ideas are presented.

A special message to parents...
We sincerely hope that you and your children will want to participate in this exciting and rewarding religious education program. We encourage you to involve yourself in some of the ways indicated below. We need everyone’s cooperation if our program is to be truly rewarding. The program is carried out almost entirely by volunteers. We welcome and encourage your involvement and assistance in the following ways:

Consider ways you can help by volunteering. Volunteer to teach. We use teaching teams (so you only teach an average of twice each month) and we supply all needed materials. We also need RE greeters, committee and special events volunteers.

Take an interest in your child’s religious education. Become familiar with your child’s teachers, class, and the lessons being learned.

Ask teachers questions. Remember, much of your child’s religious education takes place in the home!

Put down roots in your religious community. Participate with your children in intergenerational activities. Get to know other families. Share with us your interests and concerns, as well as your talents. Let us know special things that are going on in your family. Become involved in the whole life of the congregation.

The religious education program has meant a great deal to Denton Unitarian Universalist Fellowship over the years. We welcome your caring and support as we offer ours.

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Linda Tucker
Director of Religious Education
Denton Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
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Adult Religious Education - Adult RE class is offered at the Fellowship on Sunday mornings at 9:30. Discussions include living a spiritual life. Every third Sunday is a discussion about the life of the congregation.

Starting Sunday, November 6, 2011, ARE will begin a discussion of what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist with a review of the book entitled 100 QUESTIONS THAT NON-MEMBERS ASK ABOUT UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM, by John Sias. An easy read, the book is very informative.

It is downloadable from http://www.uunashua.org/100q/100questions.pdf, free of charge.

ARE is held 9:30am – 10:20am in the large RE room. All are invited.