Registration for Religious Exploration is OPEN!
- mdneuman2
- Sep 3
- 4 min read
Below is some information on our program offerings this year. The RE year will launch with the full slate of RE Classes on Sunday, September 21, 2025.
As with last year, our RE program month will be structured like this. Each Month:
We will have one Sunday where the faith formation program is Multigenerational Worship. This means children are invited to stay in the Sanctuary and take part in worship. A coloring station and games will be available in the Sanctuary. The nursery will be open for children 0-6. Additional programming will not be offered to encourage participation in worship. This is important to be together as one whole community and integrate our children into worship, helping build relationships across the generations of our church community.
One Sunday a month the faith formation program is All Ages Children's Chapel. This means all children will depart together after the Story For All Ages and join in one class together to reflect on the worship themes and do a lesson or game together. This program will happen during both the 9am and 11am services.
Two Sundays a month, we will have Curriculum Sundays in which children will be invited to take part in Age-based Religious Education classes. These classes will primarily happen during the 11am service but a one-room schoolhouse style RE class will also happen during the 9am service. Information below.
Information on Age-Based Religious Education Programs:
Spirit Play Class (Pre-k, Kindergarten, 1st Grade): This class is open to preschoolers, kindergartners, and first graders (geared to children ages 0-6). This is a Montessori-based class centering a story and wondering questions. Children will be invited to engage the story, explore curiosity, and have open play.
Elementary School Class (Grades 2 - 4): This class will be doing a curriculum this Fall on UU values called JETPIG Adventure, following the adventures of a plush pig navigating the galaxy while learning about justice, equity, transformation, pluralism, interdependence, and generosity. We will use games, crafts, art projects, stories, and other activities to help our young learners explore these values together.
Middle School Class (Grades 5 - 8): This Fall, this class will be exploring our values through a curriculum called UU Values Challenge. This is an active, experiential-based program designed for all types of learners. They will be answering the question: “How do our Unitarian Universalist Values challenge us — and what tools do they call and guide us to create, as we take on life’s challenges?”
Information on Special Programs:
Our Whole Lives (5th/6th Grades): During the Spring, as part of our Religious Education program, we offer Our Whole Lives (OWL), a progressive, comprehensive sexuality education program for children in the 5th and 6th Grades. Information on the program can be found here. OWL for 5th and 6th Grades will launch in January 2025, Sunday mornings during the 11:00 AM worship, running through May. Full schedule and OWL registration to come closer to Spring. In your RE registration, select this program to have a spot held for your youth for Spring.
Our Whole Lives (8th/9th Grades): During the Spring, as part of our Religious Education program, we offer Our Whole Lives (OWL), a progressive, comprehensive sexuality education program for youth in the 8th and 9th Grades. Information on the program can be found here. OWL for 8th and 9th Grades will launch in January 2025, Sunday evenings, 4:00pm - 6:00pm through May. Full schedule and OWL registration to come closer to Spring. In your RE registration, select this program to have a spot held for your youth for Spring.
Coming Of Age (9th Grade): This year we will offer the Coming Of Age program for our 9th Graders. This is a wonderful UU program that invites our young people to explore their values, with the support of a mentor and cohort of peers. They will spend the year reflecting on what is important to them, what they wonder about, and who they are. At the end of the year, they will be invited to present a faith statement to the congregation in worship. More information about this program can be found here. This class will run as a Sunday morning class 11:15AM - 12:15PM on Curriculum Sundays. You can register your youth for Coming Of Age by using the RE registration form and selecting "Coming Of Age" from the special programs list.
Youth Group (9th - 12th Grades): Youth Group at FCB is a wonderful place for our high schoolers to connect, rest, play, learn, grow, and support each other, accompanied by adults from the community who care for them. Youth Group happens Sunday evenings from 6:30 PM to 8:30PM most Sundays (about 3x/month). Youth will have opportunities to participate in service, explore social justice, complete workshops, discuss spiritual topics, and build community. More information about youth group can be found here. You can register your youth for Youth Group by using the RE registration form and selecting "Youth Group" from the special programs list. There is no fee to participate this year.
Wow, what a year it will be! If you have any questions about any of this information or about any of our offerings, contact Rev Martha.
