Children & Youth
All about our Religious Exploration (RE) programs!
Street & Mailing Address:
General Contact:
Contact our Religious Exploration Staff
Seth Gillespie, Program & Volunteer Coordinator – seth@fvuuf.org
Jill Williams, Religious Exploration Administrative Assistant – jill@fvuuf.org
R.E. Registration
Every child is unique, and their safety and inclusion are our top priorities. In order to meet those goals, we need parents or guardians to REGISTER them by their third visit.
Every child, ages 6 months to 18 years, should be registered if they are participating in any of our programs. Registration ensures we:
- Know how many participants are in our programs, for budget and planning purposes,
- Have the best contact info to communicate with each child’s grownups,
- Are aware of important health & allergy information,
- Know the best ways to positively support and engage your child.
Registration is completed through our Fellowship’s “Church Center” portal. If you don’t have a profile, you will be prompted to create one and then add your child(ren).
STEP 1: If needed, first complete the Child Engagement Form, which provides specific safety, behavior, and support information for your child. This form only needs to be completed once, or updated as needed.
STEP 2: Register your child(ren) for the RE programs they will participate in this year. Registration is required annually. The registration fee is $30/ child (max $75 per family); if that cost is prohibitive for your family, use the discount codes in the form.
Our Philosophy & Values
Welcome to our Religious Exploration Program!
At the Fellowship, we are passionate about offering meaningful programs that support every part of a young person’s growth—heart, mind, body, and spirit. We nurture curiosity, wonder, and a sense of connection to something greater, while also encouraging social responsibility and care for others. Our Religious Exploration program invites kids and teens to think deeply, ask big questions, and discover how they can make a difference in the world.
We are a welcoming community where people of all ages can feel at home, connected, and valued. Through our programs, we create opportunities for people of all ages to share their unique gifts and feel a true sense of belonging.
It is a joy to journey alongside the young people of our Fellowship, and we look forward to sharing this experience with you and your family.
– Christina, Seth, and Jill
Goals of the Fellowship’s Religious Exploration program:
- Safety of mind, body and spirit for everyone involved.
- A focus on inclusive and authentic community, a culture of belonging, and connection across difference.
- We teach Unitarian Universalism, including our liberal religious heritage, a wide range of secular and spiritual inspirations, and anti-oppressive values.
- We encourage big questions, deep reflection, and the development of social responsibility.
Lifelong Learning, Growth & Connection:
The Unitarian Universalist Association is encouraging congregations to create ways for people of all ages to connect authentically with others, grow our hearts and spirits, and create meaningful community.
These opportunities for learning and connection can happen in classes or groups, but that’s not the only place we learn. R.E. might look like:
- Sunday services
- Committee meetings
- Serving as a volunteer
- Justice efforts, community service and public witness
- Fun Events
- Informal conversations with something warm to drink
- …and more!
Unitarian Universalism is All We Teach
As a Fellowship, every aspect of our community life is centered on living our Unitarian Universalism out loud, within and beyond our walls. We:
- Ground ourselves in our tradition’s heritage of freedom, reason, and hope.
- Engage in an open-minded search for truth and meaning.
- Affirm every person’s inherent worthiness.
- Strive to discern what the spirit of Love is requiring of us, guided by our Shared Values of Justice, Equity, Transformation, Pluralism, Interdependence, and Generosity.
Information About Our R.E. Programs
Religious Exploration Schedule
During the program year (September 20, 2026 through May 23, 2027) – See below for more details.
- Sunday 9:00 AM – Sunday Coffeehouse Service
- Nursery care
- Children over age 4 are welcome in the service with their families
- Sunday 10:00 AM – Middle Hour “All-Fellowship R.E.”
- Nursery care (6 months to 4 years)
- Chalice Kids (4K-1st grade)
- Spirit Explorers (2nd-5th grade)
- Pluralism Practice (6th-8th grade)
- Adult Options
- Sunday 11:00 AM – Traditional Service
- Nursery care
- After Time for All Ages: UU in Action (4K-5th grade)
- 2nd & 4th Wednesdays 6:30-8:30 PM – Being A Teen (BATs) 8th-12th grade youth group
- Sunday Afternoons (TBD) – Credo – A “Coming of Age” program for 7th-10th grade (typically 8th-9th grade but expanded this year as we transition to alternating Credo & OWLs)
- On Hiatus – Our Whole Lives: OWLs (8th-9th)
Religious Exploration – Middle Hour: Sunday mornings 10 AM
During the program year (roughly September through May), we have Middle Hour between our two Sunday services, held from 10:00-10:50 am. There are options for adults to learn and connect, and Religious Exploration (RE) for our kids. This will allow for all ages to learn, connect, and grow all together as a Fellowship community.
UU in Action (4k – 5th Grade) – Sundays at 11 AM
During the program year, we welcome our kids to join their families in the sanctuary for the 11 AM service. After about 15 minutes, we will have the Time for All Ages, and then they will carry a flame, lit from our sanctuary chalice, to their special UU in Action program.
During that program, they carry on the lessons learned during the first part of the service, meet a Fellowship “Action Hero,” and learn, play, and practice our UU history, traditions, Shared Values and inspirations.
Any adult with a passion to share during a one-time UU in Action session can be an Action Hero! Reach out to Jill Williams (jill@fvuuf.org) if you want to offer something to our kids.
Weekend Camps
Twice each program year we hold a “camp” over the course of the weekend, during the day and held at the Fellowship, for everyone’s convenience! There are two camp tracks for adults to choose from, and Kids Camp for children ages 4-10. This year we’re also piloting a Middle School leadership track at Kids Camp. It’s a wonderful chance to be together, learn, have fun, and connect to our Fellowship, our UU values, and to one another. One weekend at a camp is equivalent in hours to 2+ months of RE!
Nursery – Sunday mornings, 9 AM, 10 AM, 11 AM
6 months to 4 years
Our nursery is available every Sunday for each hour of service or program, for our youngest friends between 6 months and 4 years of age. Our paid and volunteer staff ensure that our little ones have fun and stay safe while their grownups participate in service or other opportunities on Sunday mornings. Grownups must sign them in when they drop off, and will receive a “pager” which will buzz in case they are needed by their little one.
Chalice Kids – Sundays 10 AM – Middle Hour
4K to 1st grade
This group will have stories, songs, and a few activity stations to engage multiple learning styles each week, along with some “field trips” to different parts of our Fellowship building to learn more about our community and our UU tradition. To join Chalice Kids, children must be enrolled in 4K or above.
Spirit Explorers – Sundays at 10 AM – Middle Hour
2nd to 5th grade
This group will explore different themes connected to our UU values, and learn how to be a part of our Fellowship community.
Each session will include two options for kids to choose from– UU Make: A craft or other creative project, and UU Play: A game or interactive/ physical play choice.
Pluralism Practice – Sundays 10 AM – Middle Hour
6th-8th grade & Adults
Our always-popular world religions class now includes adults! This program focuses on the exploration of the world’s faiths, and how we can practice our UU value of pluralism by being good neighbors. Sometimes the middle schoolers and adults will learn from and with each other, and sometimes they will have separate sessions.
As we embark on this experiment in multigenerational learning, our expectation is that the adults will support the youth by encouraging their participation and not overtaking their RE experience.
Credo: A Coming of Age Program – Sundays (TBD)
7th-10th grade
Credo is our “Coming of Age” program, or our UU version of “Confirmation” or “Bar/ Bat Mitzvah.” This program is geared toward 8th-9th grade, but is open to 7th-10th grade this year as we undergo a transition to alternating Credo and OWL.
Credo Youth spend the year exploring their own beliefs and values through conversation, reading, writing, art, games, and outings. The goal is the creation of their own Credo, or statement of belief, which is shared with the congregation in a special Sunday service. “Credo” comes from the same root as the word “heart,” meaning what they hold deeply in their hearts. They also work 1:1 with an adult mentor to support their exploration and provide caring connection.
OWL: Our Whole Lives – ON HIATUS
8th-9th grade
Our comprehensive, values-based, and inclusive lifespan sexuality education. OWLs alternates years with Credo, so it will be offered again next year, in 2027-28.
BATs: Being A Teen – Wednesday Evenings (TBD)
8th-12th grade
BATs is our youth group! They meet at the Fellowship for deep conversation, games, informal hangout, as well as fun and meaningful social outings. They are supported by adult facilitators. The BATs do an annual fundraiser, and plan an annual service project for the Fellowship community or wider community. If possible, the BATs group takes a trip together, for learning and fun.