Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno

Youth Religious Education
Nurturing Open Minds, Loving Hearts, and Helping Hands since 1953.

Our Mission back to Top

To teach our children to live with compassion, respect & mindfulness.
To promote free and responsible thinking.
To promote global awareness.
To work for justice.
To empower children, youth and their families to love themselves, others and the world around them.
To inspire our children and youth will live out the principles of Unitarian Universalism.

The Seven UU Principles for Children back to Top

Each person is important.

Be kind in all you do.

We’re free to learn together,

And search for what is true.

All people need a voice.

Build a fair and peaceful world.

We care for Earth’s lifeboat.

Sunday Morning back to Top

Each Sunday morning, nursery care is provided for children birth to three and a half years old in the nursery. Older children and youth are invited to participate in our ongoing age-specific church school classes which run concurrently with Sunday morning services. Throughout the fall, winter, and spring months, children and youth learn together about living as unique individuals within a caring community. The church school program is led by a team of attentive and dedicated volunteer adults. Study themes include the Unitarian Universalist Principles, religious holidays, love and relationships, peace and social justice, and environmental justice.

Youth Group back to Top
Our mission is:

To promote the freedom to share our thoughts and opinions.
To be a productive part of the community.
To be unique.
To have as much fun as is legally possible.
To be a place free of prejudice, bias, and cliques.
To help the religiously oppressed.
To respect ourselves and each other.
To reach out to all people.
To be a place free of violence.
To be a comfortable place for exploring/finding yourself.
To be a loving and accepting community.
To promote health & safety.
To be a place to provide religious quest for truth and meaning.
To have fun in a protective environment.
To encourage positive attitudes, and applause.
To encourage personal creativity.
To encourage personal growth outside of church (e.g. school, clubs).
Take issues seriously (individuals & groups).
To promote social justice and to prevent social injustice.
To build a community of friends and future leaders of the church.
To foster youth-adult relationships in the congregation.
To encourage interfaith relations & activities.

At the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno there are two youth groups who collaborated to form this mission. The Jr. Youth Group is for middle school youth ages 12 though 14. The Sr. Youth Group is for high school youth ages 14 through 18. Youth are invited to attend the regular Sunday meetings and join in the many ongoing activities. For more information about the youth group contact the Director of Religious Education at (559) 322-6146 or dre@uufresno.org

Social Justice back to Top

The children and youth engage in many social justice projects throughout the year.
Here is a list of recent and ongoing social justice projects.

Trick or Treat for UNICEF
Blankets donation to the Craycroft Center & M’Ella House
Heifer International Donation
River clean up with the San Joaquin River Parkway Staff
Donations to the Red Cross
Serving dinner at the Hotel California
Monthly work at the Poverello House

Our Whole Lives (OWL) back to Top

Our Whole Lives is a series of sexuality education curricula for five age groups: grades K-1, grades 4-6, grades 7-9, grades 10-12, and adults. Our Whole Lives helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual health and behavior. It equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas: human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture. Grounded in a holistic view of sexuality, Our Whole Lives provides not only facts about anatomy and human development, but helps participants to clarify their values, build interpersonal skills, and understand the spiritual, emotional, and social aspects of sexuality.

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno offers each of these five courses beginning in the autumn of every other year. To find out more about the Our Whole Lives program visit www.uua.org/owl. To find out when the next series will be offered at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno contact the Director of Religious Education at (559) 322-6146 or dre@uufresno.org

Summer Camp back to Top

Each summer, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno offers a weeklong summer camp for elementary age children. This program gives children the opportunity to form friendships, and have fun while learning and living Unitarian Universalist principles.

Past Summer Camp Curriculum:
2004 - “Chalice Camp” by Laila Ibrahim and Sheri Prud’homme.
2005 - “Healthy Kids, Healthy World” by Aubree Smith and Virginia Cabrera.
2006 – “Out of the Stars” by Aubree Smith and Jennifer Kranzke.
2007 - "Chalice Camp" by Laila Ibrahim and Sheri Prud'homme.

For further information about this year’s summer camp, please contact the Director of Religious Education at (559) 322-6146 or dre@uufresno.org

Church School Rules back to Top

Children and youth are expected to follow these rules at all Youth Religious Education activities.

Be respectful of yourself, others, and church property.
Participate in activities and clean up.
Be safe and report any unsafe activities to the DRE, teacher, or childcare provider.

Safety

On Sundays, children will be taught and supervised by volunteer church school teachers from the end of the Story for All Ages until the end of each church service. Church school teachers and nursery workers must complete a fingerprint background check and training before beginning to teach.

There is no childcare available (except in the Nursery) before or after each service. Parents may bring their children to the play yard to play between services but must supervise their children themselves. At the end of the church service, parents are expected to meet their children in the play yard or classroom and to provide care for them from that time forward. For safety and health reasons tree climbing and unsupervised play are not allowed. In addition, children under sixteen may not serve themselves coffee during the coffee hour.

NORELMA WALKER YOUTH LIBRARY back to Top
at the UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF FRESNO

Things to Know about the Church Library:

History
- Named for Norelma Walker who was the director of religious education in the 1980s. She died in 1994. Norelma loved children’s literature. Her favorite book was Everybody Needs a Rock, by Byrd Baylor.
- A quilt made by Norelma’s daughter, Margaret (Walker) Jones, hangs in the library.
- The library was dedicated in September 21, 1997.
Mission statement: Approved October 6, 1998
- To promote literacy:
  - By providing a selection of quality literature for children of all ages;
  - By providing an attractive, accessible space for books;
  - By providing expertise and assistance selecting appropriate books;
  - By including books which support U.U. principles
  - By serving as a resource to all church groups/members that involve children and books

To promote the enjoyment of reading:
- By providing reading activities;
- By providing storytelling;
- By providing literature-related celebrations;
- By providing a safe and comfortable space for children to select and read books.

Staffing and hours: The library is open on Sunday between services and after the second service. It is staffed by members of the Norelma Walker Youth Library Committee who are trained to assist members with finding and checking out books.
Library Computer and Database:

The library collection is catalogued using Athena software. Through this program, bar code labels and spine labels are produced for the books and patron labels are produced for use on library cards. A scanner reads all of these labels which allows for electronic check out and check in.
Through the use of zMARC software, cataloguing records can be copied online saving many hours of time.
The database can be searched for books by subject, author, and title.

Circulation: Books can be borrowed for three weeks and are renewable. There are approximately 1500 books from which to choose.
Collection development guidelines:

U.U. principles and beliefs
Church school needs
A broad scope of good literature for pleasure reading.

Financial Support: The library is allotted an annual budget. The library accepts private donations. These donations have made possible the purchase of the computer and cataloguing software. Individual and memorial donations have also allowed such purchases as the set of Beatrix Potter’s 23 little books and the first edition facsimiles of L. Frank Baum’s 14 Oz stories.
Literary Events:

Programs are held throughout the year, sometimes in the library and sometimes as a part of the Story for All Ages during the Sunday service.
Summer Reading and the celebration of the Reverend Bryan Jessup’s birthday at the end of the summer have become popular, all church celebrations.

Strengths of the Collection:

Books selected consistent with U.U. principles.
Cultural diversity within the collection.
Supportive of R.E. curriculum.

Strengths of the Library:

Interaction with diverse groups in the church and community;
Inter-generational participation;
Books for pleasure reading, something that is especially important now that reading choice and reading aloud to the class in public schools have been all but eliminated due to the restrictions imposed by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001;
Ability to access books from the database;
Space is warm and welcoming.

Committee members: Denise Sciandra, chairperson; Lynette Bassman, Barbara Cutright, Jane Fischer, Josephine Fox, Betty True Gruen, Nancy Hatcher, Bette Head, Geraldine Hughes, Linda Knight, Laurie Mitchell-Cole, Judy Parker, Linda Spalding, Sally Stallings