Youth Religious Education
Welcome all to YRE! Here you will find information on the current year's curriculum, resources for both parents and children, how to become involved in our program as a volunteer, and more.
Guided by our Seven Principles, we of all ages seek a spiritual home where we can share without being judged or ridiculed; where we can feel accepted for who we are and be encouraged to grow and learn and explore our spirituality while helping others do the same. The UUCOV YRE program provides experiences to enable our young people to develop their own religious philosophy and approach to life in the context of our Unitarian Universalist religious community.
Welcome sign created by our children in front of Waters Hall
Our curriculum changes from year to year, but always uses our 7 Principles and 6 Sources as the basis of our teachings. Our lessons incorporate stories, games, and arts and crafts.
A vital, ongoing goal is learning from others in our church community, using "The Congregation as the Curriculum." In this way, our children get to meet and know a number of our adult congregants in a playful, easy way.
Our YRE program consists of:
- Childcare for our youngest children, ages 0-4
- Weekly classes for our early elementary children, with a monthly nature-based program
- Weekly “Coming of Age” program for older elementary and middle school youth
- A Words for All Ages presentation each week, within the first 15-minutes of the service
"YRE is a safe place for children and youth to wonder, ask questions, and discover world religions, the web of life, social justice, and their own spirituality."
--Shawn Phillips
How to Register Your Child in Our YRE Program
Registration for the YRE program is required for all children. This helps us keep your child safe while they are with us. We also ask you to fill out a photo release form so pictures we take throughout the year can be shared with the congregation and the wider community. Forms can be found in the Parent section.
Please give completed forms to Anne Cederberg, YRE Program Assistant.
Volunteer to Help with UUCOV's YRE Program
Your help is greatly needed and appreciated. Please see our volunteer section for opportunities to get involved!
How to Contact Us
Feel free to email us with any questions at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or speak to Anne Cederberg, YRE Program Assistant, or Bev Morrison, YRE Coordinator, on Sunday mornings.
Youth Religious Education News
May 2013 Youth Religious Education News
On Sunday, April 14 I, Rev. Mike, and the YRE Department held a champagne reception to honor our volunteers. This year we have been blessed with many volunteers in many capacities: teachers, the RE Advisory Committee, and childcare workers who donate time and talent on a regular basis; UUCOV individuals who offer one Sunday to tell of their world travels and what America means to them; and folks who have helped with other small projects, or who have donated books, crafts materials, and even a laptop computer to help us in our work. We are grateful to you all!
Youth Religious Education April 2013
Thanks to our Green Sanctuary committee, the YRE Department has a new garden for our children! This garden is located conveniently outside the back door of Water's Hall. In mid-March our children began planting seeds of flowers and vegetables for the garden. They will be learning about gardening, especially organic gardening, and about the ways that we can care for our earth and for nature (our seventh UU principle).
Youth Religious Education March 2013
We have some great news! After a brief hiatus due to lack of teachers, the Coming of Age class is back in full force, blessed to have a team of 5 gifted, experienced teaching professionals - Steve Batchelor, Phil Veach, Ruth Steinbrecher, Nancy Stone and Bobbie Gleason ( an integral part of making this happen.). They bring their skill and passion for tesching to our children and UUCOV as a whole. We are so lucky!
The class will be learning about different religions and visiting other churches and congregations. In March, we will attend Palm Sunday and Easter services at Christian churches and a Passover Seder at the Jewish Community Center, and celebrate the Spring Equinox and paganism. I think this will be really fun as well as educational.
Our current Coming of Age youth include Christopher Bissell, Natalie Taylor and Gabrielle Stanley.
"The great end in religious instruction is not to stamp our minds irresistibly on 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."
-- William Ellery Channing
UU Principles
Youth Version
- Each person is important.
- Be kind in all you do.
- We're free to learn together.
- We search for what is true.
- All people need a voice.
- Build a fair and peaceful world.
- We care for our planet Earth.
UUCOV YRE Calendar
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