Get ready for an adventure of faith-filled learning fun at First Church! Welcome to a renewed religious education format for the 2023-24 church year. Our new RE format moves us away from curriculum and toward centering choice, offering children and families options that that will allow them to choose what will best suit their faith formation needs on Sunday.
We have been hard at work this summer, renovating our lower-level rooms to create space for these new opportunities. Our goal is to provide a welcoming and inspiring environment where children can thrive and grow. I am thrilled to announce the launch of UU Maker Space and UU Play as the primary choices for elementary aged children every Sunday.
UU Maker Space is all about unleashing creativity and exploration. With a wide range of materials, artmaking, and activities, children will have the opportunity to learn through hands-on creation. It’s a place where imaginations can soar, and new ideas come to life!
We also understand the importance of play in a child’s development. That’s why we’re introducing UU Play, where children can learn through interactive games that reflect our values and build strong relationships with their peers and the environment.
Each month, the RE program will feature the church’s monthly theme through exciting projects, games, spiritual practice and ideas that connect to our Unitarian Universalist values and history. This means that children and youth will have a truly engaging and educational experience every time they join us.
Throughout the year we will continue to offer All-Ages RE, a time for a larger gathering when all our children and youth will all be together for social justice projects, worship preparation, celebration, featured guests and more!
Mark your calendars for September 10, when our Ingathering event will feature an All-Ages Religious Education. Our children and youth will enjoy a variety of activities designed to introduce them to our renewed spaces and choices, all centered around the theme of welcome.
As we grow into this new RE format, we plan to also offer UU Chalice Choice. This option is designed to feature the many ways our church groups, teams and individuals live into our UU faith in religious education.
Next time you are at church, I invite you to journey downstairs and to check out the transformation, or better yet join us in by being a part of our RE volunteer team!
Blessings,
Rev. Kimberlee
Rev. Kimberlee Tomczak Carlson, Minister of Religious Education
Learn more about the Religious Education Program on our website.