Sunday Morning Overview
Sunday Morning Schedule
Not all Sundays follow the same schedule, but most Sundays follow the schedule below:- 9:45 am — Infants / Toddlers are dropped off downstairs. Jr. and Sr. High youth make their way upstairs.
- 10:00 am — Families gather in the sanctuary for the start of service.
- 10:15 am — Children are dismissed from the sanctuary, and head to their classrooms.
- 11:00 am — Service lets out. Jr. and Sr. High youth are dismissed. Youth and adults gather for coffee hour.
- 11:15 am — Parents pick up their children from their classrooms. Everyone enjoys coffee hour together.
Classroom and Teacher Assignments
Your child's classroom and teacher assignments are listed below:- 0 – 2 yrs: Red and Orange Rooms - Ms. Amber
- PreK – Kindergarten: Yellow Room - Ms. Kymm
- 1st – 3rd Grade: Green Room - Volunteers
- 4th – 5th Grade: Blue Room - Volunteers
- 6th – 7th Grade: Youth Room - Mr. Stephen
- 8th Grade and Up: Youth Room - TBD
Sunday Morning Programming
The following curricula have been chosen because they are grounded in Family Programming’s Core Truths, they utilizes the 4 C’s for faith formation, and they align with our congregation's monthly themes...Infants / Toddlers
Child CareThis class gives our infants and toddlers the opportunity to learn by allowing them to interact with their surroundings in a developmentally appropriate, safe and loving environment.
PreK – Kindergarten
We are Many, We are OneThis curriculum offers young children the opportunity to learn about their religious community and tradition, as well as the freedom to discover and express their uniqueness.
1st – 3rd Grade
Spirit of AdventureChildren will learn about our UU ancestors through active play. Over the course of 30 lessons, children explore unique themes such as sports, medicine, architecture, science and food with circus arts, a “take apart party,” obstacle courses, treasure hunts, and many other active play options.
4th – 5th Grade
Holidays and Holy DaysChildren will learn about the world’s major religions and their holidays. Children will also explore the ways in which Unitarian Universalist values compare and contrast to other religions.
Jr. High
The New You the CreatorYouth will learn about themselves and explore spirituality through different creative outlets.
Sr. High
A Place of Wholeness / Virtue Ethics / SupplementationWith “A Place of Wholeness” youth will examine their faith journeys to better understand themselves in the context of Unitarian Universalism. With “Virtue Ethics” youth will examine their decision making and learn they can become the person they want to be. With supplementation, youth will engage in discussions about this year’s monthly themes, venture out on social outings, attend the service, and engage in social action.
Beyond Sunday Morning
Because we know your family's needs are not fully met by what we offer on Sunday mornings, here is a list of programming we offer outside of Sunday mornings...Our Whole Lives
Our Whole Lives (OWL) is a comprehensive sexuality education program. It covers topics such as anatomy, emotions, relationships, and values. This year, we are offering Jr. High OWL for 7th - 9th Graders. Learn more about OWL by visiting the UUA webpage on OWL.- Jr. High OWL: January - March (specific dates will be sent out in the fall).
Youth Outings
Roughly once a month our youth (Jr. and Sr. High youth) gather outside of Sunday Morning to build community and conscience. These outings range from fun social gatherings (such as laser tag) to serious exercises in justice making (volunteering at Shiloh Food Bank). Our Sr. High are even planning a trip to Cuba in July 2018! Dates and activities to be determined by youth, and communicated via email on a regular basis.
Parents’ Night Out
After several successful years, our Parents’ Night Out program has been redesigned to meet the current needs of our families. Instead of focusing on parent discussions, as it has in the past, this new version of Parents’ Night Out will focus on building community among our children, and giving parents the night off. This means there will be no Parents’ Night Out curriculum this year. Instead, parents are encouraged to drop their children off at church, and then go out on a date, practice self-care, finish their Christmas shopping, etc. However, for parents who still wish to connect with other parents, there will be table top questions and snacks offered in room 207. Registration is required for each gathering so email DFP, Meredith Plummer, to reserve your spot. - Friday Nights: December 14 and May 3
- Overnight: February 16 to 17
Beyond Programming
As we know that not all of our families have the time or energy to engage in special programming, we offer adjunct events and resources throughout the year. Here is an overview of some of those offerings...Intergenerational Services
At least three times throughout the year, all children and youth join their families in the sanctuary for a special service. Infants and Toddler care is always provided for younger children on these days.V.I.P. Lounge for Very Inquisitive People
The V.I.P. Lounge is set up during most intergenerational worship services. This is a worship space for children, young and old, to connect with the day’s worship theme in a hands on manner. It features daily story and activity baskets, meditative toys, art materials, tactile and kinesthetic toys, picture books, a baby play mat, an adults-only rocking chair, and many pillows!Rites of Passage Events / Ceremonies
At the end of the year we spend an entire month celebrating those students who have mastered one core truth, and will be bridging to the next class come fall. Dates and details about these events / ceremonies will be sent out to parents in the spring.Other Special Ceremonies
To honor other significant life events, and the commitment of our volunteers, we hold special ceremonies of recognition and celebration throughout the year. One such offering is our child dedications.Other Special Events
The Family Programming Committee sponsors several special events through-out the year — the F.P. Open House and the Secret Valentine Brunch just to name two. Join us!F.P. Features
This is a weekly email which is sent to the parents of all of our PreK – 5th graders. It addresses the questions, ‘What did my child do this week?’ ‘What will my child do next week?’ and ‘How do I bring the lesson home?’F.P. Library
Located on the second floor, this collection of books has a little something for everyone. From children’s bibles, to books on sex and sexuality, to popular chapter books and parenting resources, you can find most anything in the F.P. library. Looking for a particular resource? Just ask!Videos
Occasionally, F.P. will put out a video to inspire and connect the congregation at large. You can find these videos on First Church’s Facebook page.Event Rating System
Just recently, Family Programming instituted a church wide rating system for all events. These ratings are meant to help you determine when a particular event or program is appropriate for your family.These ratings are listed below...
- E for Everyone, Infant - Adult
- eC for Early Childhood, Kindergarten - Adult
- E10+ for Everyone 10+, Preteen - Adult
- T for Teen, Teen - Adult
- M for Mature, Adult Only
Krista Taylor brought a wide range of experiences to her intervention specialist/co-teaching position at Gamble Montessori in the Cincinnati Public Schools. Her dedication to co-teaching and inclusion have helped Gamble develop an approach that captures the spirit of Montessori education. In 2015 she earned regional acclaim when, after being awarded the Hawkins Educator of the Year award for Cincinnati Public Schools, she gave her entire $10,000 winnings to the Gamble Foundation to assist students in attending field experiences. She has presented at conferences for the Ohio Council of the International Reading Association, the Cincinnati Montessori Society, and the Ohio Montessori Alliance, and she is an assistant in CMSTEP, the Cincinnati Montessori Secondary Teachers Education Program. 2017 is her 13th year of teaching.