Children’s Religious Exploration Programs

Nursery (Infant to Age 4): Engaging childcare with a paid team of dedicated UU-raised young adults available during church service, and for expanded age ranges at other select church-wide events.

Weekly Sunday Religious Exploration Program (K – 6th grade): Run by the director and volunteer support team including parents/caregivers. Opening weekly check-in rituals and subsequent activities using the monthly Soul Matters church theme and “Exploration Stations” which appeal to children’s specific abilities and neurodiverse learning styles (readers/writers/artists/actors/poets/creators).

Sunday Service (7 – 12th grade): Yo(UU)th are welcome to participate in weekly Sunday morning services. If they would like to learn more about leadership opportunities &/or volunteer hours such as: being on the Care Team, a Greeter or Usher, Fellowship, Bakers dUUzen. There are also “pop-up” activities as decided and planned by the teens and facilitated by the DRE.

For the safety of our children & youth, all RE staff and adult volunteers are annually background checked as part of our Safe Congregation Policies. It is the responsibility of each family to pick up their child(ren) after service from the RE room(s).

For more information, please contact our Director of Lifespan Religious Exploration (DRE), Adena Dannouf, at RE@uuccglenallen.org.

Religious Exploration has a Weekly Parent/Caregiver email list available to help stay up to date. It is a snapshot of what the kiddos did the past Sunday, what will happen the upcoming Sunday, and other goings-on outside of Sunday morning services. Go here to sign up!

A sampling of Annual Children’s Religious Exploration Events:

SEP: Water Day, Pride

OCT: Pumpkin Patch Trip

NOV: Indigenous People, Thankfulness, Auction Art Creations

DEC: Gifts Our Hands Made, The Intergenerational Holiday Program

JAN: Glow Party

FEB: SoUUperbowl of Caring, Love is the Message, Black History

MAR: Stewardship Support

APR: Egg Hunt, Earth Day

MAY: Student Bridging Ceremony

JUN-JUL-AUG: Summer Fun Program