Religious Exploration for Children & Youth

Our Religious Exploration Program brings together adults, children and youth to actively build a supportive community that embraces diversity, inspires confidence, encourages growth, and develops values that we take with us on our life journey.

Sunday Morning at UUCSW

All ages begin Sunday morning together in the sanctuary. Each worship includes a time for all ages which brings a message, activity or story for all ages to engage. Children are always welcome in the sanctuary during service, where small toys and activities are available to help with the wiggles.

Religious Exploration Programming

Childcare and Religious Exploration are also available for children of all ages during worship, if they choose to go downstairs with our childcare staff and volunteers. All childcare providers are CORI-checked and follow Safe Congregation guidelines. Sundays alternate between unstructured childcare and themed Religious Exploration play stations.

During the 2024-2025 church year, we will be exploring our newly-adapted UU Shared Values: Justice, Equity, Transformation, Pluralism, Interdependence, and Generosity; all centered around an ethic of Love.

We strive to keep our Religious Exploration classes active and engaging for our kids, with lots of opportunities for moving, building, and exploring!

Dates for RE classes in Winter/Spring 2025: Jan 5 & 19, Feb 2 & 16, Mar 2 & 16, Apr 6 & 20, May 4 & 18, Jun 1.

For questions or registration information, please contact our Director of Faith Development, Colleen Munson, at colleen.munson@UUCSW.org

Coming of Age for Grades 7-9

Coming of Age is a time when our youth reflect on their core values and beliefs. This time represents the transition from childhood into adolescence, when they take responsibility for their own spiritual lives. Coming of Age is the stepping stone between the religious exploration classes of their childhoods and the increased agency and ownership that comes with high school youth group. This class is led by the minister and will culminate in the group leading a worship service together to recognize their transition into adolescence. Open to grades 7-9. If you are interested in participating, please email office@uucsw.org

OWL (Our Whole Lives) – Lifespan Sexuality Education

We offer OWL for different age groups on a rotating basis.

From the UUA website: “Honest, accurate information about sexuality changes lives. It dismantles stereotypes and assumptions, builds self-acceptance and self-esteem, fosters healthy relationships, improves decision making, and has the potential to save lives. For these reasons and more, we are proud to offer Our Whole Lives (OWL), a comprehensive, lifespan sexuality education curricula for use in both secular settings and faith communities.”

Here is more information about the “Our Whole Lives” Curriculum: uua.org/re/owl

High School Youth Group

Youth group is a place for teens to explore how they want to live out their Unitarian Universalism in the world. They choose the activities and service projects they want to engage in and have the support of advisors in making those plans a reality. The youth group works as a team to set their own goals, support each other, and practice what it means to live in covenant. Youth group meets on the 1st and 3rd Sunday afternoons of the month from 2:30 – 4:00 pm.