Religious Education Calendar

 

Fall and Winter: School supplies collections for inner-city children, Welcome Back Breakfast, Everyone's Birthday party, RE group photo, Halloween party, Junior and Senior CONs in N.C., individual class sleepovers, RE Pageant and holiday decorating, Cantata, Guest At Your Table collections for the UU Service Committee, mitten tree collections for homeless shelter, food drives for the homeless.

Spring and Summer: Secret Valentines partnering, Empty Bowls crafts and fundraiser, sewing projects (hats, quilts, knitting), Bowen's Island oyster roast, Junior and Senior CONs in N.C., Easter celebrations, Earth Day events, flower communion, graduating seniors' recognition.

 

These events are in addition to our regular Sunday morning classes; the above events are predictable annual occurrences. We often have spontaneous events that are not on the calendars at the beginning of the year. These may include a Super Bowl party, May Pole dance, Habitat build, Seder, or yoga class. Check the church website/newsletter for details and dates. Our members have many talents and interests. We encourage you to jump right in and become a part of this amazing community!

NURSERY
Ages 0-2
Tender loving care is the program in our Nursery. Children younger than three years of age may be left with our nursery staff beginning at 9am on Sunday mornings and should be picked up before 12:30. All infants, wobblers and toddlers must be signed in and out on the appropriate clipboard, and we ask that you also comply with the Kiddie Keepers security tag system. Nursery staff will assist you with mastering our procedures to ensure the safety and comfort of all our little ones. Parents or guardians with the correct security band may pick Nursery children up at any time, but we encourage you to pick up older children no earlier than 12:15, as the teachers need to complete their scheduled classes. We understand the importance of routine in your baby’s life. Your child will see the same two faces in our nursery every Sunday. Our two nursery workers will get to know your child well. We have created a comfortable, attractive and safe environment for our babies and toddlers. They are free to explore the toys and books and will receive a simple snack. A small refrigerator is located in the nursery for formula or other perishables.

PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN
On Sunday mornings children participate in classes, which are experiential, offering a variety of activities (drama, craft, discussion, stories, music) for our young ones. A typical Sunday for our preschoolers would include a friendship circle, lighting the chalice, a story (or two), music, crafts and a snack. The rituals and theme-based activities help to create an atmosphere that invites religious growth and learning. We encourage our preschool children to explore and participate on a free choice basis. We want our youngest children to experience what we all seek in a spiritual home: a welcoming holistic environment that encourages our wonder. Our Preschool and Kindergarten class meets in a brightly painted and well-equipped classroom on the ground floor of our Annex. In this inviting setting the children will also learn about doing things together, taking turns, sharing, and making friends. Our children also learn about being part of the “Big Church” by attending the opening of the service in the sanctuary every Sunday and by participating in Religious Education programs for all ages. Our youngest RE children also participate in the annual Holiday Service and the RE Service.

GRADES 1-8
Our Elementary and Middle school students have classes upstairs in Gage Hall. Curricula are rotated so the children receive age-appropriate ways of learning about themselves, their community, and the larger world. Themes such as UU identity, World religions, or environmentalism are taught in a cycle ensuring that the students have the opportunity to revisit subject matter as they mature.

YOUNG RELIGIOUS UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST (YRUU)
GRADES 9-12
Our teens meet on Sundays from 11am-noon (during the service) upstairs in Gage Hall and occasionally during the week for special events. We foster community building, social action, leadership development, learning and worship through a variety of activities. We attend Youth Cons within the district, have bake sales, attend services, have sleepovers, go for coffee, and chat about school, politics, religion and whatever we are interested in. Our YRUU is a youth-empowered group. With adult supervision, the teens set the calendar for the year and actively create their own environment of trust and accountability. The YRUU are active in RE sponsored social action projects and church services, including RE Sunday and the Christmas Eve service.

To participate, you do not have to be a member but we do request that you register for the YRUU classes. This allows us to better communicate with students and parents about events and activities. For more information, visit the YRUU website and join our Facebook group!

As our children and youth grow within our UU community we strive to teach them:
Looking In – Our UU Identity
Looking Out – World Religions
Looking Back – Our Jewish and Christian Heritage
Looking Around – Living Out Our UU Values: Diversity, Social Responsibility, and Moral Development

Adult RE: LINGKA PATH Eastern Philosophy & Religion, Meditation

Would you like to learn more about the philosophical & religious traditions of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Daoism?

Are you interested in learning how to practice different forms of meditation?

 

Come find out more & get involved!

Lingka Path is an introductory class about three major Eastern traditions: Buddhism, Hinduism, and Daoism. We’ll watch films, read, have discussions, and go on short trips to learn more about the philosophical and religious beliefs and practices of these traditions.

 

We are offering two great classes this fall for adults:

A light reading and meditation practice class every Sunday morning from 9 - 10 am. We’ll have a short reading or talk, then sit together practicing different forms of meditation.

A teaching and group discussion class the last Sunday of every month from 10 - 11 am. We’ll go in-depth about the context, history, rituals, beliefs, and practices of these traditions.

 

All events are located upstairs in the white annex behind Gage Hall (4 Archdale Street) at the Unitarian Church in downtown Charleston.   Lingka Path events & activities promote critical thinking, group discussion, and involved learning about Buddhist, Hindu, and Daoist traditions as well as time for meditation practice. Everyone is welcome to attend whether you are a member of the UU or not!