Children’s and Youth Religious Education
Wildflower strives to support parents by providing a meaningful religious education program
that makes a positive difference in children’s and youth’s lives.
Ages of Children We Serve
Our children and youth religious education (CYRE) program serves babies and children through 18 years. The second Sunday of each month is a Zoom-only church service with no in-person CYRE program. The CYRE program meets on the first, third, and fourth Sundays of the month.
Children 6 weeks to 5 years of age are welcome in the Childcare room. Children in Pre-K through 1st grade attend the Roots class. Children can transition from the Childcare room to the Roots class at age 5. Children in grades 2 through 5 attend the Seedlings class. Youth in grades 6 through 12 attend the Youth Group. Infants under 6 weeks remain with their parents.
What Happens on Sunday?
Children and youth stay with their parents for the first 15 minutes of the worship service, which begins at 11:45 am. After the congregation “sings the children and youth out,” teachers lead them to their classes. The children’s program ends at about 1:00 pm, usually 15 minutes after the Worship Service ends. Children attending childcare (age 6 weeks to 5 years) do not have to begin in the service. To promote child and youth safety, two adults are present in childcare and all classes. In accordance with our Safe Church policy, all RE teachers and care providers undergo background checks.
What do we teach in Religious Education?
1st Principle: Each and every person is important.
2nd Principle: All people should be treated fairly and kindly.
3rd Principle: We accept one another and keep on learning together.
4th Principle: We are free to search for what is true and right in life.
5th Principle: All people need a voice.
6th Principle: We work for a peaceful, fair, and free world.
7th Principle: We care for the Earth and all living things.
8th Principle: We work together for diversity and against racism and oppression.
Volunteering
Our wonderful volunteers make this program possible by allowing us to adhere to our Safe Church policy of having two adults in every class. Volunteers offer their unique perspectives and experiences and are equally enriched by hearing our children and youth express their points of view. For more information related to volunteering, please click here.
The Unitarian Universalist faith doesn’t pretend to give children all the answers to the big questions. Unitarian Universalism puts its faith in people’s ability to explore the unknown together.
-Terry Stafford (UU Religous Educator)
Getting Started in Religious Education
Before your child’s first Sunday in the religious education program, please register them by filling out a Registration Form. Parents are always welcome to visit the RE and childcare classes.
Religious Education News/Blog
CYRE May 2
Roots Class (k-2nd) w/Marie: Well, today’s class was based around my rose for the week- we are picking up some ducklings this afternoon to raise for a bit! I got to share the story with the children about what’s become a neighborhood hatch project. With some of my...
Apr 25 CYRE
Roots Class (k-2nd w/Marie) Hello everyone! Some news from our class: we are planning the end of our Zoom times and looking forward to in person gatherings this summer. The first will be cupcakes and play and the second will be celebrating our class graduation and my...
Apr 11 CYRE
Roots Class (K-2nd grade) w/Marie: Following the CYRE team meeting, the children were very (very, very) excited to hear that the grownups are thinking about a way for us to have an in person gathering that could be safe for everyone. I explained that this is still...
March 7 RE
Roots Class (K - 2nd grade): Marie was out today so I filled in. It is always so fun to connect with our youngest group! We began with our check-ins and then talked about our 7 UU Principles. Could we think of times that our church family has followed these? We...
Feb 28 CYRE
Roots Class (k - 2nd) w/Marie:Hello, I hope everyone is doing okay after the storm. Today we shared our experiences and heard about creative ways we stayed warm, got some snow play in, and heard about helping and being helped by others. Seeing a Roots student...
CYRE Feb 7
Roots Class (K - 2nd grade) w/Marie: Hello all, rose and thorn check-ins centered around where we’re all at with quarantine. So glad to hear about some of the people we love starting to get vaccines! I’ve been having some sad-about-things days and cheering myself up...
CYRE Jan 31
This week was our children and youth Listening Circles. I am so grateful to be part of a community that values our young people so much and includes them in important community matters in an age-appropriate way!Roots Class (k-2nd) w/Marie:Today we heard each other’s...
Jan 17 CYRE
Roots Class (kinder - 2nd grade) w/Marie:Today we talked about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s role as a leader and activist in the ongoing civil rights movement in our country that continues today through the work of groups like...
Jan 10 CYRE
Happy snow day! Roots Class (kinder - 2nd grade) w/Marie: Today was both magical because of snow falling outside our windows, meeting a classmate's new puppy, thinking about sledding, and me holding space for the children to talk about the violence at the Capitol this...
Jan 3 CYRE
Roots Class (K-2nd) w/Marie: After greeting each other in this new year, Rose and Thorn time became a time for us to talk about Reverend Sarah not being our minister anymore. The children remember making a sign for Rev Brian’s going away party. I explained that...