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Youth Education Programs



Programs
 Activities
 Parent/Guardian Info
 Nursery
 Youth of Unity (YOU)
 Staff
 Volunteering


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 "Our Mission is not to entertain the children,
but to call them out....
to follow the harmonious law of the soul's unfoldment..."
Myrtle Fillmore
Mother of Unity

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Welcome to Unity Christ Church's Youth Education Program

We understand that our Sunday School and Youth Groups may be one of the few opportunities each week for children and teens to reflect on and nurture the spiritual aspects of their lives. Classes are designed to develop a practice of meditation and prayer, learn about the many paths to Spirit, and create a loving and fun environment for our youth to feel their connectedness to God.

Our Youth Education program includes three customized programs:

Children's Sunday School: age 3 through 5th grade - held during 11:00 Sunday Service

Uniteens: 6th, 7th and 8th grades - held during 11:00 Sunday Service

Click here to read about current activities in the Children's Ministry.

Youth Of Unity (YOU) is the youth organization for kids aged 9th - 12th grades. The YOU meet Sundays at 11:00 am.  Click here to read about current YOU highlights and activities. 

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Letter to Parents and Guardians

The vision of our curriculum at Unity Christ Church is to empower children to reach their soul's full potential, embody their purpose, and live joyfully in love and peace. The lessons are structured to include storytelling, bible selections, affirmations, prayer, music, movement, and activities that affirm the different learning styles of the children. The practice of meditation and prayer will be included in each class as a discipline that develops the experience of Spirit in our lives. Sunday school is held every Sunday through mid-May, when we begin our summer sessions.

Our goal is to have four rotating teachers at each grade level. They work in teams of two. Please feel free to ask teachers any questions you may have about your child's class or the curriculum. Volunteers to assist in the classroom are always welcome. It is a great way to help your child stay interested in Sunday school if you participate! Let your child's teacher know the dates you are available and they can sign you up.

Of course, we always appreciate having volunteers for our Youth Education program. If teaching is not a good fit for you, there are other opportunities to help such as administrative and organizational jobs. Please consider volunteering your time. We would love to have you!

There are a few important requests Unity youth education has for parents and guardians and your children:

  1. Please drop off children on time (10:45-11:00am) and immediately pick them up after service. Please no earlier than 15 min. before class.

  2. Sign them in and out each time.

  3. Please remain on premises during school hours.

  4. Please pick up children in their classroom. Do not allow children to join you in the Sanctuary during the final "Peace" song.

  5. Please have children near you after you pick them up. Do not allow children to run around the church unsupervised.

  6. We are requesting a $35 donation per child per year with a $60 maximum per family per year. These donations directly support the Youth Education Program's supplies needs.

We are very excited to get to know your child and welcome back familiar faces with enthusiasm. We thank you for your participation and support and look forward to a great year in Unity Youth Education!
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 A Look at Youth Education Activities

Children's Ministries

Our school-year Sunday School program, as you likely know, consists of Unity-based lessons taught by grade level in an age-appropriate way by adult volunteer team-teachers. In July, which begins our volunteer-teacher recruiting period, our Sunday School volunteers sign up to participate. As part of that sign up process, they meet with the Youth Ed Director and choose the age group they feel the most affinity for – young children, elementary children, Uniteens, etc. In August we do background checks, training, and match candidates up with a teaching partner who will (ideally) teach together for the nine-month school year. Our teaching year runs from the Sunday after Labor Day until the end of May.

Teaching Sunday school is structured, productive, rewarding, and a big commitment, for which we properly adore and consistently thank our dedicated teachers! Judging from the number of teachers who return year after year to play a role in making Unity’s Sunday School program the high-quality and growing endeavor that it is, we appear to have developed a system of year-round Sunday School that works well.

Our success rests on the shoulders of all whose hard work and vision came before, and we appreciate the legacy of love and effort that is entrusted to us now. We have built a great program which will be even better in the coming year, with full-time youth leadership to move us forward.

As a well-rounded program, while we don’t stop for the summer, we do shift gears. We move away from a structured lesson-based curriculum to something more casual, but equally important. Why do we change? And what do we do instead of classroom-based lessons separated by age group and taught by the same people each week?

We change rhythms so we can play. That may sound odd, but the “work” of children is play. Children learn in lots of ways, and learning how to play with and get along with others is a critically important part of learning. In the summer we deliberately design our format to include a lot more social time, by choosing games and activities that mix ages, genders and abilities that may not be familiar to a child. This helps children build the friendships upon which a strong community is based, and introduces another place for them to practice building the deep level of tolerance and consideration for diversity that Unity embraces.

What's new this season:

Pre-K through first graders will be working their way through the “What a Wonderful World” curriculum developed by the Association of Unity Churches. This was the precursor to the “Celebrating My God-Self” curriculum, which the first through fifth graders are using. The topics for the balance of the year are caring, diversity and sacredness. This series of lessons will run through the May 18th, the last day of regular Sunday school.

This year we’re also test-driving a community-building activity for all kids from preschool through Uniteens.  We gather at 11:05 AM in the Fillmore room for a song, a story and a short visualization. The Uniteens take a leadership role, calling everyone to the gathering, holding it in prayer, lighting a candle and incense, and taking the offering. Sharing these experiences fosters spiritual community among the children, who then adjourn to their classrooms to spend 45 minutes with their own grade for the rest of their lesson.
 

Would you like to help with the program or refreshments? 
Contact Robin Nelson for details (763-521-4793 ext 25).
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 Have Fun with Unity's Youth!

The youth of Unity Christ Church are waiting for you to make this the year you give your time and talent to our Youth Ministry Program! Your commitment is certain to return to you tenfold what you give to our children, youth, and community.

Unity Sunday School Teacher: Isn’t it time you added this prestigious title to your resume?  If you’re wondering what the requirements and benefits are, read on!

Requirements

· Desire to learn the principles of Unity more deeply. Training and all curriculum are provided.

· Willingness to have fun: Unity is about celebrating, and that’s what we do each Sunday in our Youth Ministry Program!  Previous experience teaching children is not required, nor do you have to be a member of UCC.

· Commitment to the Youth Ministry Team: Full-time teachers teach September through May, twice monthly in teams (about 18 Sundays).  Periodic team meetings also occur during the season.

Benefits

· The joy and privilege of getting to know our Unity youth community

· A deeper connection to Unity principles, your own spiritual life, and our church community

· An opportunity to be creative and inspired by teaching about Spirit

· A Unity bookstore discount

· A great job reference!

If full-time teaching doesn’t fit for you, there are a host of other volunteer opportunities (guest artist, class helper, special programs, etc.) To apply or learn more, contact youth education interim directors Robin Nelson at robin@unitychristchurch.org.

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Youth of Unity (YOU)

Uniteens & YOU to “Rally” and Raise Money
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Nursery

Is your child too young for a formal youth education program?  Then we invite you to bring your infant or toddler (through age two) to our nursery located on the west side of the upper level of our building.  The nursery is available during both the 9:15 AM and 11:00 AM Sunday services.

UCC's nursery is staffed with loving and experienced childcare providers who offer a nurturing and safe environment for your children while you attend service.  We ask that you provide any diapers, wipes, juice cups and/or bottles necessary for your child during his or her nursery visit.

 For more information about UCC's nursery, please contact Robin Nelson at robin@unitychristchurch.org  or at 763-521-4793, ext. 25.
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