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.
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
- Monthly pre-school nature program
- Weekly classes for our elementary and older children
- 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
Youth Religious Education May 2012
Do you remember what it was like when you were in middle school or high school? You were going through so many changes. There were physical changes and emotional and intellectual changes, too. You were growing and maturing and learning at the speed of light. Now imagine that process only accelerated to the max, and that's what our kids today are facing. They are growing and changing, in an environment that is changing everyday. It is really amazing when you stop to think of what they are accomplishing.
Youth Religious Education March 2012
My column this month is a combination of two tasks I have been doing this week: One is writing up the YRE annual report, and the other is typing up my notes from Rev. Dr. Randy Becker's recent workshop at UUCOV: Doing Our Part (Creating the Complex, Intergenerational Congregation). Although both tasks seemed separate in the beginning, it is clear that they blend beautifully.
The workshop, which was customized for us, had a good of attendance of about 24 adult and children UUCOVers. One of the most interesting pieces of information that Randy shared for me was the result of a research project. They studied what it was that kept children active in faith communities as they became adults. (This is especially interesting because at RE workshops I have heard a lot of concern that children raised UU often leave the church as adults).
On The Brink
Have you ever been on the brink of a change in your life? You can feel it coming, you can feel the momentum building? You can feel things starting to shift into place for something new. Have you ever felt the excitement of knowing something was about to change? That's how I feel in the RE program.
