The YRE committee and staff are excited to share Westminster's rich 2025/26 religious and spiritual exploration offerings for all youth taking place during the 10:30-11:30am worship hour. Please read the nursery and class descriptions below. Additional communications regarding schedules, classroom assignments, and Youth Group team options and times will follow in the coming weeks.
 
The program will begin on Sunday, Sept 14th with an all-ages kickoff celebration at 10:30am. 

Our new renovated Nursery space will be open and available to all children birth through Pre-K (4 years old) every Sunday during the 10:30am service starting at InGathering on September 7th.

Our elementary-aged children (Gr K-4) will be cooking (and learning) from international cultures and religions this year! They’ll also be working with the monthly worship themes at Westminster through the Soul Matters Stations & Cooking curriculum utilizing stories, discussion, play, and creative activities designed to teach and reinforce core UU values.  

Younger Middle Schoolers (Gr 5-7) will be working with an exciting new program based on the popular tabletop role-play game Dungeons & Dragons in the fall.  The D&D campaign is designed to incorporate stories and scenarios that will elicit discussion, cooperation and problem-solving based on the UU core values. In the spring, this class will explore the approach of different World Religions, including Unitarian Universalism, to cultural themes, holidays, and meaning-making.

Grades 8-10 will be participating in our Unitarian Universalist Coming of Age program. This rite-of-passage program will help participants explore their personal beliefs, develop a UU identity, and connect with the wider community. They will work with mentors, engage in service projects, and reflect on their values, culminating in a special worship service in May.

Starting in January, the 11-12^th graders will take part in an Our Whole Lives (OWL) program. OWL is a fact-based, age-appropriate, nationally recognized lifespan sexuality education program designed to help participants make informed decisions about their sexual health, relationships, and behavior. Taught by trained facilitators, the comprehensive, progressive OWL curricula are based on the research findings that well-informed youth and young adults make healthier decisions about sexuality. In an inclusive and developmentally appropriate manner, the curricula address sensitive topics that are typically excluded from school and other more traditional “sex ed” classes. The grade 11-12 OWL program models and teaches respect and responsibility. Mandatory parent orientation - time and date TBD.

Youth Group Teams (Gr 9-12). More information on these special programs will be sent to registered families. *Please note that some of the YG activities will take place outside the 10:30-11:30am RE hour.

High school seniors are invited to participate in a Bridging Program out of youth religious education and into young adulthood in our community. This program will be meeting a few times throughout the year culminating in a special Bridging Ceremony on 6/7/26.

Important Notes:
Class groupings and curricula are tentative until registration is closed. 
Classes are offered in-person only. 

Westminster (WUC) is following guidance established for schools by the CDC and RIDOH to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Families are required to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms prior to attending worship and/or religious education classes. If anyone in your family has any of the following symptoms, please do not have your children attend religious education classes. 

Testing is strongly suggested for anyone with one of the major or two minor COVID-19 symptoms.

* fever

* muscle or body aches

* sore throat

* fatigue

* new congestion or runny nose

* nausea or vomiting

* diarrhea 

WUC has put in place preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19; however, WUC cannot guarantee that you or your child(ren) will not become infected with COVID-19. Further, attending an activity could increase your risk and your child(ren)’s risk of contracting COVID-19.

If a child/youth has COVID-19 symptoms or has tested positive for COVID-19, they may not return to religious education classes at WUC for 5 days. 
 

I understand the importance of the child(ren) for whom I am parent/guardian being healthy when they attend worship, religious education classes and activities at WUC. In the effort to ensure the continued safety and wellness of our Westminster community, I will self-screen and will not permit my child(ren) to participate in the above activities until they have been without signs or symptons for at least 72 hours.

By signing this agreement, I acknowledge the contagious nature of COVID-19 and voluntarily assume the risk that my child(ren) and I may be exposed to or infected by COVID-19 by participating in activities and that such exposure or infection may result in personal injury, illness, permanent disability, and death. I understand that the risk of becoming exposed to or infected by COVID-19 at WUC may result from my own actions and/or omissions, those of my children, the actions, omissions, or negligence of the school district and others, including, but not limited to, WUC employees, volunteers, program participants, their families, or others not listed. By signing this, I do so with full knowledge of the risk involved by allowing my child(ren) to take part in church activities and the potential likelihood that my child(ren) may be exposed to or infected by COVID-19. I acknowledge that the above guidelines may change at any time due to recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Rhode Island Department of Health, or any other regulating entity.