Childcare

Are children welcome in Sunday worship?

Children are a vital part of our community and are fully welcome in our worship services. The sounds of children enliven our shared space. Children typically begin the morning in the sanctuary with the gathered community and leave for their religious education lesson following the “Story for All Ages.” They are welcome to sit on the rug up front and play with toys from the basket, or they may remain in the worship service with their families. Middle and high school youth are invited to either stay in the service or take on leadership roles by assisting with religious education.

Do you have a Sunday school program?

We offer youth religious education (RE) and childcare opportunities during worship services for children ages 0–12. Our youth program coordinator and RE assistant provide lessons that support Unitarian Universalist values, such as kindness, generosity, gratitude, environmental care, and the celebration of various holidays. A typical lesson includes a reflection, a story, a mindfulness exercise, and a craft or activity. For toddlers, we also provide playtime in our nursery.

What special activities do you offer for children and families?

Throughout the year, we offer several multigenerational worship services where children remain with the community for the entire service. Three to four times a year, we also provide special social and service opportunities for our youth. Recent activities have included painting a UUFCM banner that hangs downtown, growing vegetables for the soup kitchen, painting and carving pumpkins, decorating holiday cookies, and a parents’ night out.

What are your safety policies for children?

The physical and emotional safety of children is our highest priority. Our religious education staff and volunteers have all been through a background check. When new families arrive, we ask you to register your child and let us know if they have any special concerns or needs, and we provide you with our complete set of safety policies and guidelines.