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From Our Minister of Religious Education

You are on the verge of something wonderful for you and your family. re-image002

There come times in may of our lives when we feel a need for something more. Maybe your child just looked up at you and asked, "Daddy, is there a God?" or "Mommy, am I going to hell?"

Or maybe you yourself have felt something missing, some hunger for connection or community. In our ever more fractured world we are living at breakneck pace. Many of us are working more than ever, with our kids more scheduled than ever, feeling like we have less and less time for what really matters. Feeling like we are less and less connected.

Then you are in luck, because the community of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley is just what you need. We are a liberal religious community in which all are welcome. We have a thriving community of children, youth and families who support one another, play with one another and help one another grow into more authenticity and wholeness.

How We Do Religious Education

Grounded in the rich tradition of Unitarian Universalist Religious Education, we seek not to imprint our beliefs on the minds of our children. Rather we affirm that each and every one of us is wise, that each and every one of us knows something about truth and beauty.

Our classes are empowering and honoring of each member. We seek to create a covenanted space in which facilitators and participants alike can become more loving, more whole and more connected.

Our classes are infused with exploration and wonder, that they are sometimes messy and always engaging, that they can hold complexity and flexibility, and that they are created as a singular reflection of those present on any given day.

It is our hope that this program helps our children, youth and families love one another into purpose and action.

OWL - Our Whole Lives

Our Whole Lives (OWL) helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual health and behavior. It equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas: human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture. Grounded in a holistic view of sexuality, Our Whole Lives provides not only facts about anatomy and human development, but helps participants to clarify their values, build interpersonal skills, and understand the spiritual, emotional, and social aspects of sexuality.

High School Youth Group

Every Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. our High School Youth Group meets for fellowship, discussion and ministry. A few times a year they plan and lead the whole community in worship. These services have reflected some of the topics they have been exploring in their group, and have been loved by the congregation. They also are involved in service projects they have raised money for various groups as well as participated in direct service opportunities. We have an amazing team of five adult facilitators who rotate facilitation of the group as well as some great youth leadership.

2009-2010 Classes

Pre-K, K – 1 st Grade:

In the Fall…“Creating Home”, a new curriculum from the UUA that takes the concept of home that young children understand as a place where families gather, share love, and take care of one another and expands on it to help children understand their “faith home” in Unitarian Universalism.

In the Spring…“Hide and Seek With God” seeks to explore different understandings of God at a time when kids have especially rich and curious questions. Some of the interpretations of God explored are nested in the six sources of Unitarian Universalism. Through their conversations, children will start to acquire a language to talk about their own feelings and beliefs.

2nd – 4th Grade:
In the Fall…“Faithful Journeys” invites children to interact with stories from our history and stories of contemporary UUs in order to see ways that our faith can call us to action.

In the Spring…“Moral Tales” engages children in identifying and articulating their own sense of right and wrong. As they explore stories from folk and faith traditions they apply their own spiritual compass to determine moral direction.

5th – 6th Grade:
In the Fall…“Toolbox of Faith” brings children into a conversation around the qualities of Unitarian Universalism such as integrity, courage and love, and speaks for them as tools they can use in building their own lives and working for the good of the world. The metaphor of a toolbox is used with the tools being a hammer for justice, duct tape for flexibility, and a mirror for reflection, for example

In the Spring…“Amazing Grace” explores right and wrong by looking at the many sources for discernment available to them. They explore religion, law, culture, their peers, and discuss how UUs take responsibility for their decisions and lives.