Inclusion Sundays
One Sunday of each month, we intentionally do not hold Sunday school, so that young people can be more fully included in worship. Bringing children into the Sanctuary is something like letting them eat at the dinner table. The sounds of children are welcome and remind us and show them that they are equal members of our church community.
Children giggle, they poke, and they swing their legs simply because they are children. But they also sing, pray, and share with us. We hope for them to learn that:
it is important to come to this place each Sunday
they belong to this special company of people
the sights and sounds and feelings of the sanctuary are good
worship is for everyone!
Sunday School Model & Vacation Bible School
We have Sunday school 3 Sundays a month. We encourage children to wonder and reflect on biblical stories in a personal and active way. We explain the bible as an ongoing conversation between people and God, a story that we are a part of today and have to interpret for ourselves. We teach using a one room classroom model with 3 year olds who are ready through 10 year olds learning alongside each other and 11-18 year olds invited to participate as helper teachers. We offer Vacation Bible School for 4 Fridays during the summer, for fellowship and fun for our children and to encourage parents and caregivers to enjoy an afternoon out.
Youth Meet-Ups
Youth are invited to meet about twice a month with the director of Christian Education and other adult mentors. Depending on the season they might take part in confirmation, the Our Whole Lives program, work on a church project, take part in local missions, or go on adventures in Durham to enjoy fellowship together. We’ve developed a relationship with Umstead Park UCC’s youth group and have gone mini-golfing, to an escape room, and marched in the Pride parade together!
Our Whole Lives
In the midst of pandemic we launched Our Whole Lives for our youth, the comprehensive, highly regarded, well researched sexuality education program originally developed in partnership between the United Church of Christ and Unitarian Universalist denominations. Reach out if you are interested in having your youth participate in a future OWL program (puccdurham@gmail.com)!