Children & Youth
Contact the Church Office for more information about Programs for Children & Youth
- To provide a community where children and youth feel love, acceptance, and belonging
- To provide a religious and moral foundation for honoring life's joys and tragedies
- To provide a knowledge of Unitarian Universalism and world religions
- To provide a recognition of our social responsibility to the greater world community and our planet Earth
- To provide opportunities and resources for personal growth
Church school is held both services from the Sunday after Labor Day through the first Sunday in June. Summer church school, which meets during our single summer service includes activities for children in preschool to fifth grade. (The nursery for babies and toddlers is open every Sunday service during the year.)
Our church school offers a wide range of Unitarian Universalist curricula which provide our children and youth grounding in:
- The beliefs and practices of religions throughout the world and history
- How our Unitarian and Universalist pioneers faced the challenges of their times, and how their responses led to the evolution of our religion's two strands
- How our life experiences shape our personal religious beliefs and how our religious beliefs alter our life choices.
Our curricula are designed to also help our children and youth struggle with society's profoundest problems, especially the eradication of bigotry. For more information see:
BUC has developed a unique program for our eighth graders called Rites of Passage. Popularly referred to a "ROPE", our eigth grade year offers our students a UU coming of age experience.
Included in this year of study is Our Whole Lives (OWL), a comprehensive sexuality education program which is about much more than just anatomy and health. It's about values, respect, emotions, and justice, too. It's about the sacred aspects of sexuality, which is part of the miracle of creation. This is why we teach OWL in church - because sexuality is sacred, and sexuality education is ministry.
Following OWL, they study our UU heritage, the history of BUC and the inner workings of a congregationalist church.
In addition to the time spent in church school, ROPE youth meet for recreation, retreats, service projects, and fund raising. Their year of study includes a trip to Boston, where they explore our Unitarian and Universalist roots. Following the Boston sojourn, each youth prepares a credo statement, which she or he presents to the entire congregation on the first Sunday in June---always a major highlight of our entire church year!
The Youth Music Director leads the children weekly in music. Using hymns and other selected songs, the goal is to give our children a shared musical tradition and spiritual culture. Even the youngest participate with rhythm instruments and learning to sing for joy of it. Several times a year the children perform for each other in their own worship service and for the entire congregation. The Youth Music Director also works with youth in grades 6 to 12 for a once-a-year, 4-week, Teen Choir experience and assists youth preparing for ROPE Sunday and Youth Sunday.
Programing for children and youth does not end with Sunday services. There are a variety of other opportunities for participation.
Youth Chorus
Children in grades 2 - 7 are welcomed into the chorus, which meets between services on Sundays throughout the year to prepare to sing for holidays and special Sunday services. The choir provides an opportunity for children to learn musical skills as well as UU concepts and values. Newcomers are welcome--no auditions needed.
GUUSH
GUUSH (Great Unitarian Universalist Senior Highers) is a youth group for grades 9-12 that offers opportunities for social activities, community service, and social action projects. There is also youth worship and interaction with UU youth through district and continental conferences. GUUSH meets two times a month in the evening. This is in addition to morning classes that are available to all youth. Annual GUUSH activities include Rummage, SOS set-up, a holiday dinner, Bake-off, Youth Sunday, a car wash, and a canoe trip
UFO
UFO (Unitarian Universalist Friendship Organization) is a youth group for 6th and 7th graders. The youth participate in activities that promote community building (fun and games), social action and leadership skills. UFO meets approximately once per month and includes activities such as night games, sledding, and preparing food for South Oakland Shelter. There are also three district-wide campouts sponsored by the Heartland District at Mystic Lake in which the youth may participate.
We are delighted to see newcomers of all ages at our church. As a Welcoming Congregation, we embrace all responsible and loving families, regardless of their members' affectional orientation.
There is no registration fee for Church School, but we ask adults to register children who participate regularly in our church school and youth groups. Parents or other caregivers need not be BUC members to register their children. Children and adults are welcome to bring guests to our church school
As a congregational church, BUC relies on its members to set policy and oversee church programs. Because of the high value we place on our youth within our congregation, BUC has assembled a professional staff to create and coordinate youth programing. To meet them please visit our Staff, Trustees and Council page.
Our RE program thrives on the generous donations of our congregations's time and resources. The most visible volunteers are our teachers and youth advisors, but many others help with special events and class projects. We ask all adults enrolling children to list which volunteer opportunities best meet their interests.
Need more information click here or contact us directly. See listings under Staff, Trustees and Council in directory at left.