Childhood and Middle Years Ministry
Welcome to Theodore Parker Church’s Religious Education (RE) program for children! The mission of our program is to provide our young ones with the tools, knowledge and experiences that help them develop a personal theology, a sense of social responsibility, and a joy and wonder for the sacredness and interconnectedness of all life.
Religious Education for the 2025-26 Church Year
Sunday Morning RE
Most weeks at Theodore Parker Church, people of all ages join together for the beginning of our worship service in the TPC sanctuary. Then, after a part of our service called the Message for All Ages (about 15-20 minutes into the service), our religious educator, Rose, and adult volunteer teachers will lead the children to a classroom space in our parish hall.
This year at Theodore Parker Church, we will have a few different types of religious education programming, explained in more detail below. About once a month, we will have an All-Ages Children’s Chapel, where all children in our community above nursery age will gather for a kid-centered worship service. On other Sundays with religious education programming, there will be two age-specific RE classrooms: Chalice Circle (for kindergarten through grade 3), and Justice Seekers (for grades 4-7).
Those signed up for religious education programming have access to a calendar for the church year that includes details on what type of activities are available for children each week.
All-Ages Children’s Chapel
Our All-Ages Children’s Chapel is an opportunity for the children of our congregation to build community with one another, and explore and connect with our shared Unitarian Universalist values through stories, art, and games. These are ‘worship services’ in that they center what we believe is most worthy, and include ritual, story, and song — all shared in kid-centered ways and including plenty of fun! All-Ages Children’s Chapel Sundays are generally scheduled around holidays and other significant points in the year.
Chalice Circle (K-grade 3)
Chalice Circle is our religious education class for younger kids who are in kindergarten through 3rd grades. In Chalice Circle, we learn about Unitarian Universalist values and explore big ideas and questions through stories, arts, and games. Our Chalice Circle lessons take inspiration from Spirit Play, a Montessori-based religious education curriculum.
Justice Seekers (grades 4-7)
Justice Seekers is our new religious education class for older kids who are in 4th through 7th grades. This class will be focused on how peace-building and justice-making are core to our Unitarian Universalist values. The curriculum they will be using has a focus on understanding racial and immigration justice, offering a space for deeper exploration of spirituality and values, and empowering young people to be agents of change in their communities.
Multigenerational Services
One Sunday per month our worship services are intentionally multigenerational, with no separate children’s programming. This means that children are asked to stay in the sanctuary for the entire service, and are invited to participate and engage in our worship service. As with every Sunday, we have coloring sheets and other quiet activities available for children during these services.
Childcare
Childcare for nursery-aged children (4 and under) is available every week with our childcare provider in the church nursery. Our nursery is open from 10:15am–11:45am on Sundays, and includes a sign-in sheet, so that our childcare provider can be in contact with parents if needed.
Monthly Family Game Nights & Social Activities
From 6–8pm the 4th Friday evening of each month, the RE program hosts games nights for all ages in our church parish hall. These are open events, where all members and friends are welcome to join for an evening of board games, pizza, and conversation. We also have periodic social activites for familes involved in our community, such as the end-of-year campfire party pictured above.
Youth Group (grades 8-12)
The youth (8th through 12th graders) of our congregation gather about once a month for activities, outings, and connection. Our youth group also joins regional UU youth conventions, goes on an annual white water rafting trip over the summer, and seeks out other adventures and community-building opportunities throughout the year.
Our Whole Lives (OWL)
Our Whole Lives is a comprehensive and affirming lifespan sexuality education curriculum developed by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ. There are seven age-specific OWL curricula designed for the following age ranges: grades K-1, grades 4-6, grades 7-9, grades 10-12, young adults, adults, older adults.
Theodore Parker Church periodically offers OWL classes for different age groups, run by trained volunteer members of our congregation, depending on the needs and interests of our current members. We also connect our members with OWL classes that are happening at nearby Unitarian Universalist congregations.
We are not currently planning on running any OWL classes in the 2025-26 church year. If you are interesting in learning more about OWL, and/or want to explore setting up an OWL class for a particular age group at TPC, please email our religious educator Rose Gallogly.
If you’re new to Theodore Parker Church and would like to learn more about any of these offerings, please email Rose Gallogly, our Lifespan Religious Educator.
Read our Safe Congregation Policy.