Children & Youth Spiritual Growth & Learning Programs
June 9, 2013
Nursery (birth -3 years)
Our paid staff provide a loving presence and engage children in games, stories and crafts with seasonal and holiday themes.
3-5 Year Olds – Sacred Places
Every Sunday we focus on a world religions picture book. This Sunday it is “Sacred Places” by Philemon Sturges. “People of every religion have built special places – some small and simple, some large and elaborate – where they gather to worship, meditate, celebrate and hope. These are sacred places, powerful, mystical and magical…” from the book jacket. Children will reflect on the variety of sacred places in their own lives and begin to understand the diversity of religions in the world.
1st – 8th – Music Making
A morning of music games and exercises using Orff and other percussion Instruments.
9th-12th – SENIOR HIGH YOUTH GROUP
The senior high youth group meets from 11:30-12:30 after attending the first part of the 11 a.m. service. The group offers its members a safe place to share their lives and find support and friendship among open minded and loving peers. The group engages in discussions about issues relevant to youth’s lives and communities.
--------------------------------------------------------------
July-August 2013
Children and Youth Summer Program
Children and youth in Preschool (3 years) through High School join the community for the first part of worship at 11 am and then go to their respective classes until 12:30.
Nursery: Birth - three years
Location: Nursery, Church’s Lower Level
Childcare Staff: Giovanna Fernandez and Sandra Sotelo
We provide a safe, clean environment in which to support each child in initiating play activities at the developmental level they manifest. Each week our paid staff, Giovanna Fernandez and Sandra Sotelo, provides a loving presence as they engage children in games, stories and crafts with seasonal and holiday themes throughout the year.
Three- to five-year-olds: Picture Book World Religions
The goal of this curriculum is to introduce world religions through stories and allow young children to explore the differences and similarities to their own lives. There are beautiful picture books that introduce young children to Hinduism, Islam and Buddhism in a gentle and respectful way. These books teach about world religions by telling a story. The stories illustrate concepts such as the value of wisdom and loyalty in Hinduism (Savitri), the importance of family in Islam (the Hundredth Name), and the practice of compassion for all living beings in Buddhism (Tenzin’s Deer.)
In the Unitarian Universalist faith, we list “wisdom from the world’s religions…” as one of the sources of our living tradition. It is not appropriate to expect young children to grasp the abstract concepts of comparative religious studies. But we can share stories from different faiths, and help them begin a journey of understanding, tolerance and celebration for the diversity of human expressions of faith.
- June 9 Introduction: Sacred Places
- June 16 Hinduism: Rama & Sita
- June 23 Hinduism: Savitri
- June 30 Hinduism: Lighting a Lamp
- July 7 Hinduism: Lights for Gita
- July 14 Islam: The Hundredth Name
- July 21 Islam: Sitti’s Secret
- July 28 Islam: Fasting and Dates
- Aug 4 Islam: Ahemed’s Secret
- Aug 11 Buddhism: Tenzin’s Deer
- Aug 18 Buddhism: The Brave Little Parrot
- Aug 25 Buddhism: Buddha in the Garden
- Sept 1 Buddhism: The Mountains of Tibet
- Sept. 8 No Class, Homecoming, Communion
- Sept. 15 Fall Classes Begin
1st-8th Grades Summer Schedule: Stories of Courage and Wisdom
The goals of this curriculum are to introduce children and youth to the stories of women and men who have acted with courage and wisdom in their attempts to live their lives fully and make the world a better place for others.
These women and men who have come out of our religious tradition encourage children to live their own lives fully and to use their own positive powers as they interact with the world around them, and as they do so, to grow both spiritually and ethically.
- Jun 9 Music with Sally Cooperrider
- Jun 16 Theodore Parker: Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide
- Jun 23 Lewis Latimer: Inventor with A Bright Idea
- Jun 30 Lydia Maria Child: Writing for Freedom
- Jul 7 Christopher Reeve: Superman becomes a Hero
- Jul 14 Joseph Priestly: Thank You for Oxygen!
- Jul 21 Clara Barton: A Shy Little Girl Becomes A Brave Woman Who Saves Others
- Jul 28 King John Sigismund: The Only Unitarian King (Hungarian) Promises Religious Freedom to All His People (Our Partner church visitors from Romania will be present for this service.)
- Aug 4 Beatrix Potter: The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Beatrix Potter
- Aug 11 Norbert Capek: The Man Who Loved Beauty and Freedom
- Aug 18 P.T. Barnum: Enthusiasm for Life
- Aug 25 P.T. Barnum: The Greatest Show on Earth
(The children will stage a circus celebration and share it with others at church.)
- Sep 1 Celebrating Ourselves and the Many Ways to Be Heroic
- Sep 8 No Class, Homecoming, Water Communion
- Sep 15 Fall Classes Begin
Grades 9-12: Senior High Youth Group, Youth Room
The senior high youth group meets on Sundays from 11:30-12:30. The group offers its members a safe place to share their lives and find support and friendship among open-minded and loving peers. The group engages in discussions about issues relevant to youth’s lives and communities. They plan social and service projects throughout the year.
They also participate in youth conferences in area Unitarian Universalist churches under the auspices of the Pacific Central District of Unitarian Universalist Congregations and Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU). The youth group’s empowering philosophy educates youth to be leaders within the group, church community and denomination. l
Youth Group Advisors: Rick Morris, Rev. Geoff Rimositis, Terra Wood-Taylor
Check out Rev. Geoff’s blog (link is below) on The Spiritual Journey of a Child through Our Faith Community and to see descriptions of our children and youth programs for 2012-13.
Please contact Rev. Geoff, GRimositis@sanjoseuu.org if you would like to learn more.
Church Office Hours
-
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., but closed at noon for an hour break.
-
Tuesday and Thursday: Closed
Seekers of all ages, encouraging questions and growing into the answers
