OUUF children’s program to resume

Olympic Unitarian Universalist Fellowship’s Religious Education program will resume in-person Sunday school starting Sept. 11.

For the first semester, the program will offer the Windows and Mirrors Tapestry of Faith curriculum for grades 4-5 and coordinated lessons from a variety of sources for grades K-3.

Additionally, organizers will be weave in non-violent communication as well as a study of holidays from global faith traditions.

Learning goals include: presenting Unitarian Universalism as a faith that is lived out through identifying and acting on responsibility toward one another; introducing the reality and the impact of multiple perspectives and multiple experiences as we live in this world; use the metaphor of a window and a mirror to help children better understand themselves in relation to others; present the windows and mirrors metaphor as an effective tool for understanding and living our Unitarian Universalist Principles; guide children to identify and respect their own values, views and needs as well as those of others in a variety of contexts, and teach that to do so is a faith practice; provide children with practice in observation, interpretation, and critical thinking, and develop children’s empathy, open-mindedness, and respect for differences, seen and unseen.

Children older than 10 years of age through middle school can benefit from participating in the 4-5 grade level program, organizers say. High school-aged students will be offered a chance to reflect on their spiritual journey so far and facilitate their discernment/inquiry but will be attending Sunday service, they said.

Because of time and resourcing constraints, OUUF is not currently able to offer a hybrid online experience.

“We will revisit this after the winter holidays,” organizers said.