Our Religious Explorations (RE) program is currently on hiatus, as we regrow after the pandemic.  Until we rebuild, we welcome children in the sanctuary during services. We have children’s books and pages to draw on, and a space with a comfy sofa where parents can still watch and listen to the service while their child has room to move about.

Below is a description of how we will approach youth religious exploration as soon as we can:

Our program actively engages children and youth in a range of experiences to help form their own beliefs from many sacred traditions and their own life experiences. This aligns with our 4th UU principle, affirming a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. Child care is available for toddlers and preschoolers during Sunday worship services.

Sunday classes for K-6th graders are offered after they have joined the Fellowship for the first part of worship. Kids in the RE program have a lot of fun while they learn, sharing joys and concerns, reading stories for discussion, participating in activities, developing projects… and, as one student says, “having healthy snacks, my favorite!” The church grounds invite children to explore the outdoors, and we are within walking distance to Bidwell Park, where we occasionally conduct walking field trips, with permission from parents.

Our youth RE experience for grades 7-12 includes an emphasis on social service to our Fellowship and the community at large. Our youth design and carry out social service projects throughout the year. In recent years, we have offered the Our Whole Lives curriculum for youth in our Fellowship and the larger Chico community.

In addition, our congregation and youth maintain a Giving Garden to provide fresh fruits and vegetables for UUFC’s monthly Torres Shelter meals and our UU community. The garden is also a tool to learn more about nature, inherent in our 7th UU principle: respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

Kids and adults of all ages enjoy our annual Halloween party, Christmas caroling at local care facilities, and other special events.