What We Offer Through the Lifespan

We provide children, youth,  and adults an opportunity to explore, reflect, and learn in a nurturing spiritual community. Unitarian Universalist religious education programs offer:

  • Ethical growth – internalizing enduring values like justice, equity, and compassion, and gaining tools to act on them in everyday life.
  • Social growth – connecting with peers and people of all ages on a deeper level. Finding acceptance among people who see beyond the superficial.
  • Spiritual growth – feeling a connection with the sacred within, among, and beyond us.

Religious education (RE) for children and youth includes more than classes. Our programs incorporate social justice activities, worship opportunities, fellowship, and fun. Our younger children, teens and adults all help pack weekend food for children who would otherwise go hungry (in our Micah’s Backpack program). Teens volunteer with adults to prepare and serve meals at the local homeless shelter and staff our church display at Hagerstown Hopes, the local LGBTQ-pride festival. All ages work on environmental programs like planting trees and cleaning the small stream which borders our church property.

Sunday morning RE classes begin with worship—lighting the chalice and sharing joys and sorrows— in the classroom or at the first Sunday family services for the first part of the adult service in the sanctuary. Special Intergenerational services bring all ages together.

Adult religious education happens in our Sunday worship, in our many small groups, and in more formal classes on spiritual and social justice topics. And because teaching can be another very fulfilling way to deepen one’s own understanding, members and friends of the congregation lead all the children, youth and adult programs at our church.

To learn more about RE at our church, visit the RE for Kids and Adult Programs pages.