We offer cross age programming for children ages 5-11 at our 9:00 service. Childcare is available for ages 1-4.

A full program of religious education for young people aged one year through high school is offered during the 11:00 AM service throughout the regular school year.

Children are encouraged to join us on Sunday mornings for exploration of religious ideas through exciting thematic activities, seasonal festivities and social service projects. We have about 130 young people per year enrolled in the program. Children of similar ages are placed in classes with a leadership team who provide age appropriate activities from UU curriculum that emphasize our Unitarian Universalist Heritage, World Religions, Peace and Social Justice.

Our Religious Exploration teaching teams are volunteer and are supported by the congregation through the work of a 3/4-time Director of Religious Exploration, as well as the efforts of all our membership.

We believe that our children are valued members of our congregation and we wish for them to feel the importance of their presence and contribution to the life of our religious community. For this reason, on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of every month, we begin our Sunday morning RE activities by joining the congregation upstairs to be a part of the adult 11:00 AM service. On the 2nd and 4th Sundays, we begin our morning together in the downstairs Social Room with a “Singing Circle” at 10:45 AM, followed by a "Chalice Circle" at 11:00 and classes at 11:15. Children are encouraged to join the adults upstairs during the Social Hour which follows the 11:00 AM service.

In defining the content of our program of religious education, we take our cue from the words and lives of many persons, but one in particular we find ourselves citing often is William Ellery Channing:

"The great end in religious instruction is not to stamp our minds upon the young, but to stir up their own;
Not to make them see with our eyes, but to look inquiringly and steadily with their own;
Not to give them a definite amount of knowledge, but to inspire a fervent love of truth;
Not to form an outward regularity, but to touch inward springs... "

Our Theme for the ‘10-‘11 year is, “Threads in the World Tapestry”. We will be exploring Unitarian Universalist principles, and Heritage this Fall. After Christmas we will be exploring the wisdom, ideas and celebrations of the World’s Religions.

Parent Involvement

We believe parents are the child’s primary religious educator. As such, we expect parents to play an active role in supporting their child's involvement with our Religious Education program by volunteering in some way. We hope that parents will share their special areas of expertise and wisdom through teaching or assisting in classes, by participating in our cross-age – special Sunday activities, helping with special projects, seasonal celebrations and festivities, or one-time program offerings.

Parents can promote the importance of religious exploration and values, and help build and strengthen bonds of community which link us together as a liberal religious family by encouraging regular attendance on Sunday mornings and by participation in Intergenerational activities and Social Action projects outside of Sunday morning.
We welcome program suggestions and ideas and encourage adults who are able to do so to serve on the Children and Youth Religious Exploration Committee (CYRE) or to or become part of a teaching team for one of our classes during the RE year. The rewards and satisfactions are enormous!

Religious Education Special Programming

Youth

We have 2 Youth groups, both of which meet on Sunday mornings.
Our Junior Youth consists of two classes. The 6th grade class will be exploring the World Religions and the 7th-8th grade class will be exploring the local community around us with “Neighboring Faiths”. They also have monthly service projects or social activities.
Our Senior Youth have a variety of programs and activities organized and led by youth and their adult advisors.

Our Whole Lives

Our Whole Lives, the Unitarian Universalist Sexuality curriculum is offered again this year at a new time, 12:30 on Sundays for our Elementary students. Grade 4th-5th OWL happens in the Fall and K-1st grade OWL in the Winter. Junior and Senior Youth classes take place in alternating years on Sunday afternoons beginning in September. 2010-11 will be the Junior Youth program, 2011-12 will be Senior High. Registration is occurring now.

Coming of Age

Youth in grades 8 and 9 are invited to participate in our year long program exploring personal faith and values, Unitarian Universalist thought and Spiritual practice. They meet monthly for group meetings, work with an adult mentor, and participate in 4 retreats. Offered next in 2011-12.

Resources for UU Parents

UU Religious Education Family Pageswww.uua.org/religiouseducation/families/index.shtml

Family Ministry
www.uua.org/members/families/index.shtml

Family Resources
http://clf.uua.org/betweensundays/

For our Junior and Senior youth, the YRUU (Young Religious UU’s) publication, Synapse is an "on-line publication." It is one of many publications of the UUA. You can find it as well as other HS Youth resources at www.uua.org/publications/outprint/synapse/index.shtml. Check out Young Adult Resources and groups at Connect UU - connectuu.com/info.php.

We encourage you to fill out a Guest registration form for your child even if this is your first visit - it is important that we have pertinent information on each child for whom we are responsible during the RE class time. These forms are available from teachers, the “RE Info Spot” at the bottom of the stairs, or here on our web site. They should be completed and placed in the RE basket, the first time your child joins us on a Sunday morning.

Our RE spaces include a lending library, of books which were chosen to illustrate and support our UU principles and their application. Our library is located in the RE Office, downstairs at the fellowship. You and your children are welcome to browse and borrow these books. Check out procedures are posted on the bookshelves and we have adopted an honor system for our library. All of our curricula are also available for your examination. Please note titles of any books that you take home and the date they are borrowed.

Rosene Beachy, Director of Lifespan Religious Exploration (DLRE), is usually in her Fellowship office Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 - 3 PM and Wednesdays and Fridays 9AM - 12:00 PM. She can be reached at the Fellowship (248- 3737) during these hours. Please feel free to call with any questions, concerns, or suggestions that you may have.

We welcome your interest in the Religious Exploration program of the Anchorage UU Fellowship, and we hope that you and your child will enjoy your time with us.
Our Chalice Lighting Words

"WE ARE THE ANCHORAGE
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST
FELLOWSHIP.
WE ARE A CHURCH OF
OPEN MINDS, LOVING HEARTS,
AND HANDS THAT ARE READY TO SERVE.
TOGETHER
WE CARE FOR OUR EARTH,
AND WORK FOR FRIENDSHIP
AND PEACE IN OUR WORLD."

Religious Exploration

Our Sunday Morning Program