PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN CHILDREN'S CHANNEL
FAITH DEVELOPMENT AT UUCGL
We believe that the spiritual journey is a lifelong process. Support and participation in community is essential. The challenges of our contemporary society are ever new and changing. Boundaries of knowledge and of inspiration continue to expand. We grow by drawing on the wisdom of the ages, the inner spark of our own spirit, and thoughtful conversation with others.
All our events and programs for children and adults are open to the larger community.
ENROLLMENT IS OPEN NOW FOR PRESCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL
FAITH DEVELOPMENTfor CHILDREN & YOUTH
We have worship and learning every Sunday, 10-11am.
Afternoon & evening programming for 5th grade & up on select Sundays, September – June.
Your family is invited to join in the exploration and celebration. We’re delighted to have you with us!
You don’t need to go it alone. Parents and caregivers come to Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations because our communities help raise children to be kind, respectful, fair-minded, caring, and strong enough to side with love, fight for justice, and be good environmental stewards. We nurture truth-seeking, spirituality, and a commitment to healing divisiveness in our world that will continue to shape and support our children as they grow.
Here are some things we’ve been doing at UUCGL lately...
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Learning about native plants & stewardship of the Earth
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Acting, designing sets, & making our own video productions
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Visiting neighboring churches & learning about the world’s faith traditions
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Making meals for families facing food insecurity
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Exploring the world through art
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Embarking on field trips & active learning projects
Questions? Read more about our programs below and then come visit! Reach out to our Minister of Community Life and Learning, Rev. Chris Scheller with any questions and to coordinate your visit. After a few visits, if you’d like to attend more, please register all PreK-12th graders through this link.
Sunday Morning Programs
Pre-K through 6th Grade
On Sunday mornings from 10-11am, our pre-K–6th graders learn through doing, and this year we have some wonderful activities and service projects, as well as our popular pageant productions in the Sunday morning lineup.
Through these projects, children are encouraged to embody and critically engage with our values-based curriculum in playful ways that support their own independent thinking.​​
CLICK HERE to see some pictures!
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Multi-age Programs and Worship
Our 7th-12th graders are encouraged to join in our Sunday morning multi-age pageant productions during the fall (check out a recent video here) and our service projects, such as putting together meals for My Brother’s Table guests. On select Sunday afternoons, our 5th-8th graders will meet as part of our Neighboring Faiths program, while our 9th-12th graders are invited to our Youth Group (see below).
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Throughout the year, children and youth are always invited to worship with adults, especially on special occasions. ​
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Nursery
For children younger than pre-K, we provide childcare in our nursery during the Sunday Service. We have a dedicated Childcare Provider and always abide by our Safe Church Policies and Guidelines.
Sunday Afternoon Programs
• Neighboring Faiths
• Youth Group
• Dungeons & Dragons
• Our Whole Lives (OWL)
Neighboring Faiths (5th-8th Grade)
This year, we are offering our “Neighboring Faiths” curriculum, and visitors are welcome to join us, as well! This popular curriculum is a wonderful way to teach respect for all the world’s religions and follows in a long line of visit-based UU curriculum going back 70 years. Our version honors these previous curricula and adds its own unique components, including an emphasis on learning about what is unique to our own Unitarian Universalist tradition. The program is based around alternating field trips to visit other Houses of Worship and meetings at our own church, as we learn what is the same and what is different in each religious tradition.
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Core to our Youth Group model is youth leadership development. Each year, the Youth Group is invited into the process of choosing service projects that reflect their values and priorities, as well as fun social outings they’d like to do together. All youth in grades 9-12 are welcome to join our Youth Group, which meets roughly twice a month, either on Sunday evenings or at another time, depending on the activities they choose to do.​
CLICK HERE to see pictures!
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Dungeons & Dragons Role-playing Group
This is a fairly new group and we're welcoming all interested 6th graders and up! Whether you're a seasoned adventurer or a beginner, come join us for a fun, collaborative, and creative experience. We meet once or twice a month on Sundays from 12:30-2:30pm. All adults connected to the congregation are welcome to join too (parents and non-parents)! If you're interested or want more info, reach out to Chris Scheller at cscheller@uucgl.org.
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Our Whole Lives (OWL)
Our congregation offers a comprehensive sexuality education curriculum called Our Whole Lives (O.W.L.) every few years. We will offer OWL together with the First Church in Salem to our 8-9th grade youth in the fall of '26. We also offer age-appropriate programs designed for K-1st graders, 4-6th graders, parents and caregivers, and older adults. There are no OWL programs being planned for this year. You can read more about all those programs here.
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