Religious Education at First Unitarian is cutting edge, interactive and

Religious Education at First Unitarian
is cutting edge, interactive and encourages
your child to think outside of the box.
Why Workshop Adventure Works!
The Faith Footsteps Room
This model’s strength is its commitment to
experiential learning, using a multiple intelligence
model. The premise is that if we want our children
to be effective moral agents in the world, the best
way to teach them enduring values is to help them
to embody those values in their living and loving.
At First Unitarian, we know this model works,
because our children are talking about the day’s
topic unsolicited! They explain enthusiastically
what they’ve learned and can articulate the
“value lesson” taught that day. Values such as:
The premise of this room is this. If you can walk in
someone else’s shoes, engage yourself in what their
life entails then you likely will be more compassionate,
more connected, more thoughtful in your approach
to the world’s people and yourself in the process.
Even for little tikes, Kindergarteners, the room
emphasizes the collective, community aspect of
living well in the world, the value of sharing with
others, and compassion and justice in action.
• The inherent worth and dignity of all people
• Truth, justice and equity in human relations
• Respect for the interdependent
web of which we are a part
• Kindness and compassion in action
• What it means to live with empathy toward others
The Workshop Adventure Theme Rooms:
The Theater Room
This room enlarges a child’s perspective on the
world. Through theater, often run by actors and
directors in our church community, children get to
act out various roles in the day’s story, turn it into an
opera, a song, a rap, a show tune. Through drama
children figure out how best to embody the lesson of
the story through play and whimsical engagement.
The Nature Room:
Imagine a willow tree moved indoors, sweeping over
you, and the comfort and loving embrace it provides.
Well, that’s what the nature room feels like. Kids gather
in this room for a check in, a lighting of the chalice,
and begin with an opportunity to ask and hear how
each child has connected to the natural world this
week. Then more times than not, they won’t just talk
about nature, they’ll venture out into our beautiful
grounds and gardens, to explore, discover, learn
and build on their curiosity to the awe and wonder
of the universe. A very hands-on experience!
The Movement Room
Get ready to rumble. This room connects the story
of the day to one’s body. A condition most adults shy
away from but kids are kinetically geared to explore.
Yoga, hip-hop, movement and mime are all engaged
to spark a child’s curiosity, imagination and ability to
embody more clearly the nature of the value uplifted,
and their place and connection to it physically.
The Art Room
Give a child a paintbrush and some color, and
the world is their oyster, especially when they are
exploring basic values that will ground and center
them for a lifetime! And how best to get at a sacred
story then by engaging your own creative spirit,
imagination and fervor for the possibilities of their own
life in service and action for others, than through art!
The Music/Voice/Writing Room
In this room, children explore their own approach to
the story, sometimes rewriting or defining characters,
and often they engage their musical capacity to be
in song with each other. Most children’s experience
with music is based on a skill set, or acumen of
an instrument either in school or through private
lessons. But this workshop allows children to
explore and express themselves musically, allowing
them the comfort of not having to get it right, but
getting to learn and grow together instead.
Workshop Adventure
isn’t Sunday School–
it’s way better!
Workshop Adventure is a
model of religious education
that encourages children to
engage sacred stories from
a world religious tradition or
ethical tale in a unique way.
Children rotate through various multi-media
rooms so they can better experience the story,
embody the values and well, have fun!
Each Sunday, children start off with a short
interactive worship for kids that engages one
of these sacred stories based on our monthly
worship themes. Then children depart for the real
adventure. The workshop! There they will discover
more about how best to connect with their own
inner voice, be open to the gifts of the world, and
how to serve needs greater than their own.
Once your children are
hooked, there is no turning
back. They’ll be begging
you to bring them to
church. Really! We’re not
joking!
RELIGIOUS
EDUCATION
To Connect
Our services are at 9:30 and 11:15 with the Religious
Education programming offered at both times.
at
First
Unitarian
Church of
Rochester
Want to find out more about First Unitarian?
Check out our website at www.rochesterunitarian.org
First Unitarian Church of Rochester
220 Winton Road S.
Rochester, New York 14610
To Learn
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