All aspects of the Religious Education Program are implemented through the contributions of time and energy of many, many interested adults from the congregation. The quality of the program depends upon our generous volunteers. Each family with a registered child is expected to contribute some time to our program every year. There are many ways to help. Your time and skills will enrich our program. Please let us know what you would enjoy. 

The teachers for our classes are volunteers who generally sign up to teach one or more of the sessions. These valued leaders are recruited from the congregation by the Religious Education Committee and the Director of Religious Education. Orientation and training and support sessions are coordinated by the Director of Religious Education. 

Parents are the primary religious educators for their children. We are looking for ways to support families in that venture. Parents are encouraged to visit the Religious Education Office to introduce themselves to the teachers and Director of Religious Education and to ask questions about the program. It is important for parents to be prompt on Sunday mornings and to attend regularly. It is assumed that parents can be located on church grounds unless written notification is left in the Religious Education Office. The cooperative Church School depends on all families to help in some way. Please sign up at registration. There are diverse opportunities for participation.

Our Minister, Jeffrey Symynkywicz, provides spiritual leadership and is called upon by the Religious Education Committee and the Director of Religious Education for counsel and advice.

Our half-time Director of Religious Education is Susan O'Connor. She works in collaboration with the minister. The Director of Religious Education is responsible for administering the Religious Education program as well as for providing leadership and acting as a spiritual resource for the children and those teaching in the Religious Education program. 

The first Sunday in September is Registration Sunday. Registration is necessary for participation in our church school program. Children can be registered during the month of September at social hour after the Sunday morning worship services. If you prefer, you can register your child using our on-line registration form. 

Children in families new to Stoughton or new to Unitarian Universalism can start at any time during the year.  New families interested in having their children participate in the program can register them by contacting our Director of Religious Education, Susan O'Connor, or by using our on-line registration form.

At First Parish Universalist Church, our children attend the first fifteen minutes of the regular worship service every other week. On the other Sundays the children attend their own 15-minute chapel service in Fellowship Hall led by the Director of Religious Education. Both of these services begin at 10:30 AM.

Classes begin after the children have participated in a worship service, usually at 10:45 AM. The classes run approximately one hour until 11:45 AM.  This gives parents approximately 15 minutes after the end of the adult worship service to enjoy Coffee Hour before their children rejoin them.

We strongly urge regular attendance in our program. This helps build our youth's community, provides continuity within the group and within the child, and fosters a true sense of belonging. We have some long term projects planned and need week-to-week participation. Older children and youth are expected to be in classes or with their parents in church.

Come as you like! Since we are busy and sometimes creatively messy, play clothes are acceptable. If you enjoy wearing "dressy finery," we encourage you to bring along a smock and play shoes for outdoor activities.

There is no fee for our Religious Education Program. However, parents expected to make a financial pledge each year for the support of the church and its programming.

As our program has grown, it is a challenge to maintain good communication. One place where information about Religious Education can be found is in our bi-monthly church newsletter, The Packet. A column entitled RE News appears in each issue. At times, announcements will also be published in the weekly Sunday morning bulletin. Teachers are encouraged to write to parents and young people. Families are also urged to share feedback and ideas with the Religious Education team. Religious Education bulletin boards will also contain additional information about our program.

The Church has a library located in the RE Office.  To sign out a book, please see the DRE, Susan O’Connor.

Babies and toddlers are welcome in our Nursery Room during the Sunday morning worship service. The Nursery is staffed by caring church members from 10:30 AM to 11:45 AM. If the Nursery is a new experience for your children, you may want to stay until your children feels comfortable staying by themselves.

Parents are responsible for the supervision of their children whenever they are in the building except for the time that they are in class or in the Nursery. Classes meet from 10:45 AM to 11:45 AM. Nursery care is provided from 10:30 AM to 11:45 AM. Please be prompt in calling for your children at 11:45.