Grand Valley UU Children's Religious Education (RE)
We offer children's programming each Sunday in a combined preK-5th grade class at 10:30am. Teachers lead classes drawing from the Soul Matters curriculum while making use of creative activities including music, art, theater, and story. The Soul Matters curriculum presents the same themes the adults engage in during service in an age-appropriate format. Our classes and services are designed to foster community, empathy, and a sense of social responsibility among our children and youth.
From Director of Programming and Community Outreach Maya Kraushaar
We are one month into our new year in RE! Our theme this month, Cultivating Compassion, creates the perfect stepping stone into our RE theme for the year, Better Together.
This month, we’ll direct our dialogue to uncover what our children already know about cultivating compassion. Children are inherently good at this. Can you imagine if children ran the world? We’d likely be eating candy for every meal, but there would be a lot more equity, inclusion, and compassion.
This concept reminds me of the Ubuntu story, “I am because we are.”
An anthropologist proposed a game to children in an African tribe. He put a basket of fruit near a tree and told the children that whoever got there first would win the sweet fruits. When he told them to run, they all took each other's hands and ran together, then sat together enjoying their treats.
When he asked them why they had run together like that, as one could have had all the fruits for himself, they said: 'Ubuntu, how can one of us be happy if all the other ones are sad?'
Our children and youth are the happiest and most themselves when they are engaging with and giving back to our community at large. Because of this, we will incorporate collaboration and community engagement into this year's curriculum. We’ll also embrace the idea that we are better together through our new Mentor Program launching mid-October.
The UUCGV Mentor Program is designed to foster powerful connections across generations. Whether you’re seeking guidance or hoping to offer it, this program creates space for life-affirming relationships to grow. We hope to establish connections and friendships that have the potential to be lasting and fulfilling for each person.
Participants will be paired with a mentor or mentee based on their personal journeys and individual needs. In the program, you'll develop a framework and timeline to guide your relationship, emphasizing regular opportunities to meaningfully connect. Seasonal gatherings will also bring everyone together for shared reflection, support, and community building.
This is an all-ages program. Even adults can be mentees. We hope you’ll join us in this journey of connection and care. We’re encouraging everyone interested to register by October 10th. Please let me know if you have any questions. I’d love to hear from you.
We still have an ever-growing need for volunteers to help keep our children’s program vibrant, safe, and enriching. If you are interested in volunteering, please reach out to me and I’ll provide you with more info.
As always, if you have an idea that you would like to suggest for our children’s program, please let me know. I am always happy to build a lesson around your idea and, better yet, feature your knowledge within our program, inviting you in as a special guest. Our children benefit from the wealth of knowledge held in our community and from interactive time with our adults. This makes our program more dynamic and diverse.
Thank you for supporting our children’s program. I look forward to seeing you all this year!
With gratitude,
Maya
Children’s Religious Education
October 2025
October 2025 - Cultivating Compassion
October 5th 10:30 a.m.
Beautifying the Blessing Box
Today we’ll roll up our sleeves and give our popular Blessing Box a good cleaning and fresh, colorful coat of paint. The last time we did this was in 2023 and our children took a lot of pride in making the Blessing Box shine.
October 12th 10:30 a.m.
Animal Blessing/All Ages
Join us for this annual tradition honoring our furry, feathered, or scaled babies. Bring your pet or a keepsake of your pet to share in our loving outdoor animal blessing.
October 19th 10:30 a.m.
Ice Dyeing: Tie Dye
In all honesty, this was an activity we would have liked to do in the summer, but we ran out of time, so we’re squeezing it in before the weather gets cold. Bring anything made out of white cotton to tie-dye using the effective and fun technique, ice dying. We will be outdoors, so please dress appropriately.
October 26th 10:30 a.m.
All Ages Halloween
Calling all witches, ghouls, and ghosts for Cultivating Compassion in COSTUME! This all-ages service is always one of our favorite ways to connect and build community in a fun, whimsical way.
October 5th 10:30 a.m.
Beautifying the Blessing Box
Today we’ll roll up our sleeves and give our popular Blessing Box a good cleaning and fresh, colorful coat of paint. The last time we did this was in 2023 and our children took a lot of pride in making the Blessing Box shine.
October 12th 10:30 a.m.
Animal Blessing/All Ages
Join us for this annual tradition honoring our furry, feathered, or scaled babies. Bring your pet or a keepsake of your pet to share in our loving outdoor animal blessing.
October 19th 10:30 a.m.
Ice Dyeing: Tie Dye
In all honesty, this was an activity we would have liked to do in the summer, but we ran out of time, so we’re squeezing it in before the weather gets cold. Bring anything made out of white cotton to tie-dye using the effective and fun technique, ice dying. We will be outdoors, so please dress appropriately.
October 26th 10:30 a.m.
All Ages Halloween
Calling all witches, ghouls, and ghosts for Cultivating Compassion in COSTUME! This all-ages service is always one of our favorite ways to connect and build community in a fun, whimsical way.
​Childcare provided every Sunday from 10:15am-11:45am during Sunday Worship.
Thank you volunteers!
A big thank you to our incredible teachers! Volunteers make our RE program fantastic!