The great end in religious education is

not to stamp our minds upon the

young, but to stir up their own.
- W.F. Channing

R e g i s t r at i o n

Registration forms can be found on the

AUUC website (accotinkuu.org), the
church office, or from your RE teacher.
We request that all families, returning
or new, register annually to participate
in our programs. Newcomers will be
asked to complete a Visitor Pass, and
by the fourth week of attendance, new
families are invited to formally register
their children.

Fa m i ly Pa r t i c i pat i o n

Children benefit the most when they

attend religious education classes
regularly.
Their church experience
deepens when they feel part of a
special group and build strong
relationships. Parents can support their
childrens participation by encouraging
regular attendance and talking about
their church experiences at home.
Volunteering in the program is another
way parents convey the importance of
our faith in their familys life.

H o w C a n I G e t I n v o lv e d ?

If you would like to join a teaching

team, assist in a classroom, or help in
any other way, contact the CSDC Chair
at csdc@accotinkuu.org. In support of
our cooperative program, we ask that
each family regularly support the
program by sharing your time and
talents.

Our AUUC Covenant

The promises we make about how we will
treat each other and what we do to create a
safe and sacred space is called a covenant.
This is our covenant:
We respect everyone with
our words and actions.
We are kind and work
together to be fair to
everyone.

We encourage one another to

grow in spiritual ways.
We support each person's
search for what is right and
true in life.
We listen to our inner voice
and to the hopes and
concerns of others.
We work together to make
our world peaceful, free, and
fair.
We care for the Earth, its
creatures, and our
surroundings.

Children & Youth

Religious Education

2016-2017

W E B E LI E V E
Childrens Version of our 7 Principles:

E ach person is important.

B e kind in all you do.
W ere free to learn together,

ACCOTINK UNITARIAN
UNIVERSALIST CHURCH
A Spiritual Home Beyond Belief
Minister: Rev. Scott Sammler-Michael

Director of Spiritual Development: Lara Profitt

Childrens SD Committee Chair: Michele Andersen

and search for what is true.

A ll people need a voice.

B uild a fair and peaceful world.
W e care for the Earth and all its
creatures.

For More Information

Accotink Unitarian Universalist Church

10125 Lakehaven Court

Burke, VA 22015-3907

See our website: www.accotinkuu.org

Contact our Director of Spiritual

Development, Lara Profitt at
dsd@accotinkuu.org
Contact the Childrens Spiritual
Development Committee Chair, Michele
Andersen at csdc@accotinkuu.org
Phone: 703-503-4579 Fax: 703-503-8943

AUUC is an open and nurturing community of

faith. We foster each individuals spiritual
journey and we share common values while
honoring a diversity of beliefs. Together we
cherish our connection to nature and we act
to transform our world into a more
embracing and just community.

Welcom e to Accot in k!
Were excited that you and your family have
decided to share your faith journey with us.
In this brochure you will find details about
our programs for young people. More
information is available on our church
website at www.accotinkuu.org.

Sunday Mornings at a Glance

9:45

Guests, friends, & members arrive.

Visitors sign in and are welcomed at
the entrance. New families are
encouraged to stop downstairs and
meet the teachers and Director of
Spiritual Development.

10:00 Worship begins with families in the

sanctuary. Children participate
through the Time for All Ages.
10:15 Children leave the sanctuary with
teachers for class. Parents are
welcome to accompany their
children.
11:15 Worship and classes end. Children in
6th grade and above will be
dismissed; parents must pick up
Our cooperative religious education (RE)
program is one of the key ways we minister
to the children, youth and adults in our
community. Our program includes nursery
care, religious education classes for children
through 8th grade, UUth group for high
school students, adult religious education
opportunities, plus extra special events. The
Spiritual Development program nurtures
religious seekers at all stages of their faith
journeys. We use high quality curriculum
developed by the Unitarian Universalist
Association (UUA) and other sources.
We are a welcoming congregation that
strives to include children of all abilities to
the best of our volunteers ability. If you
would like to speak to someone about your
child with special needs and gifts, please
contact Lara Profitt at: dsd@accotinkuu.org.

Our Goals
f o r C h i l d r e n s E d u c at i o n
In our community of religious growth and
learning, we aim to create safe and inclusive
environments, through which we seek to help
people of all ages and stages:
1. Know that each person is important,
worthy of love and care.
2. Affirm that they are part of a Unitarian
Universalist religious heritage and
intergenerational community of faith.
3. Participate in our evolving search for
truth.
4. Develop skills for mutually caring
relationships.
5. Encourage a sense of responsibility
toward others and the environment.
6. Develop a personal spiritual practice that
celebrates their faith and helps to live out
their values in everyday life.
7. Experience reverence for and connection
to that which is larger than the self.

Class Offerings

Due to the number of students and space

availability at AUUC, we offer multi-age
classrooms. This year, the childrens religious
education classes will be as follows:
Preschool (approximate age 3 to 5).
The preschooler learns through doing. In this
classroom, we nurture spiritual growth,
creativity, and a sense of community through
imaginative activities, stories, sharing,
games, and rituals.
Younger Elementary (K indergarten to
2nd grade). Ready for more logical thinking,
at this age children become interested in a
literal picture of spiritual things. In this class
we show children how they are part of a
family, community, and world through active
games, consistent rituals, and stories that
inspire wonder.
Older Elementary (3rd grade to 5th
grade) Children at this age are capable of
more concrete thinking and are open to
differing points of view. In this class we
support a variety of learning styles (auditory,
visual, kinesthetic, etc.) as students begin to
explore moral issues of fairness and justice
and start to form their faith identity.
Junior Youth (6th grade to 8th grade)
Students in this class are focused on
relationships with their community and peers,
as they develop their social and gender
identities. In this class we foster students
deepening faith by pondering increasingly
complex moral and spiritual questions.
UUth (9th grade to 12th grade) A sense
of belonging is critical to the adolescent. This
class encourages active participation in the
church community through service activities
and attending worship. Advisors help youth
respectfully explore spiritual topics relevant
to their own lives.

Food

Snacks may be served during class. Please let

the teachers know of any allergies or dietary
restrictions.

Nursery

We also offer a comfortable space for the

churchs youngest children, newborn to
about three years old. Each Sunday, the
nursery is staffed with a volunteer host who
welcomes families and provides child care.
Parents are welcome to remain with their
children.

Special Events
Faith In Action Sundays. Faith in Action
projects
are
scheduled
periodically
throughout the year in the Elementary and
Junior Youth classes. These lessons offer
children experiences that are grounded in
AUUCs social justice initiatives. All projects
are based on the class curricula and are
done during regular class time.
All-ages Services. On certain Sundays
(holidays and other special occasions), AUUC
holds family-friendly worship services where
everyone is invited to attend a music- and
movement-filled worship together. Regular
participation in these services encourages a
sense of community and deepens childrens
understanding of our UU traditions. Dates for
all-ages services will be announced on the
website and in the churchs weekly email
messages. No RE classes are held; the
nursery will be open for restless little ones.