Children and Youth Religious Exploration (CYRE)
Welcome!
We welcome all Children, Youth and Families to our Sunday Worship Services and CYRE Programs.
For any questions/concerns/comments please contact:
CYRE Team cyre@uuhamiliton.ca
Minister Rev Danie Webber minister@uuhamilton.ca
CYRE Mission Statement
“We seek an outcome of respectful, responsible, life-loving kids who are both curious and questioning and know they are valued for all of who they are and are ready to show others the same deep acceptance.”
-Adapted from Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA).
We use our UU principles and values to explore spirituality and faith. With a deep focus on actions rather than a set creed, our children are encouraged at all ages to explore what is fair, right and true in their search for peace, meaning, and freedom within the interconnected web of which all life is a part.
Our Eight Principles
| Adults | Children |
|---|---|
| 1. The inherent worth and dignity of every person. | We believe that each and every person is important. |
| 2. Justice, equity and compassion in human relations. | We believe that all people should be treated fairly and kindly. |
| 3. Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations. | We believe that we should accept one another and keep on learning together. |
| 4. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning. | We believe that each person must be free to search for what is true and right in life. |
| 5. The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large. | We believe that all persons should have a vote about the things that concern them. |
| 6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all. | We believe in working for a peaceful, fair, and free world. |
| 7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. | We believe in caring for our planet Earth, the home we share with all living things. |
| 8. Individual and communal action that accountably dismantles racism and systemic barriers to full inclusion in ourselves and our institutions. | We believe in working together to build a loving and safe community that treats everyone fairly whatever their skin colour or group. |
Responsibilities of the Congregation
The church has clear policy and guidelines to ensure the safety and well-being of all children and youth in our programs. For example:
- For all programs we require a minimum of two trained volunteers with valid vulnerable sector police checks
- The church is a designated nut and scent free area
- We welcome individuals, families and communities of all sexual orientations and gender identities
Responsibilities of the Parents
“Parent” is defined as the responsible adult who brings a child to the CYRE program.
To ensure the safety and well-being of children and youth while participating in CYRE activities, there is a list of parent accountabilities in the CYRE guidelines. Some examples:
- Signing children, five and under, in and out of the program each Sunday
- Assuming responsibility for children anytime they are not directly involved in CYRE programming
- Remaining on the premises whenever children are present
They also identify parents’ freedoms such as participating in their child’s program and/or removing their child from the program at any time so long as staff and volunteers have been informed.
Registration and Name Tags
Parents are asked to register all children when they begin in September (or on their first visit to the program). The registration form is available from our weekly CYRE Volunteer Greeter or by request through the CYRE email address. Filling out this form ensures that we know about any dietary limitations and other information that can aid in the safety of the children and youth.
Once registered, children will be provided with nametags that include parents’ names and other safety information. Parents are asked to ensure that children obtain and wear their nametags while participating in CYRE, and to return them before leaving.
Sunday Mornings
Sunday morning Worship Service starts at 10:30 a.m.
On some Sundays, adults and children attend multigenerational worship together in the Sanctuary. On other Sundays, children stay with their parents until after the “Story For All Ages” and then depart to Fellowship Hall for an age-specific exploration program that uses art, song, and other activities to explore a spiritual topic.
Children are most often divided according to age or may come together as a larger group:
- Rainbow Kids (ages 3-5) – play and activities
- Primary People (ages 6-8) – exploration program
- Junior Youth (age 9 through 13) – exploration program
Parents are welcome to stay with their children in the exploration program or Rainbow Room.
We begin our program time together by gathering in a circle of chairs, lighting our UU Chalice and saying the following words along with specific actions:
We light this chalice
To celebrate Unitarian Universalism
This is a church of open minds, loving hearts and helping hands
Together we care for our earth and each other.
Then participants are invited to join hands and send a squeeze around the circle. We then proceed with “Glads and Sads” where each participant is invited to light a battery operated candle and share without interruption. Then the program activities are presented – learning, crafts, games, etc – something that represents or explores the worship theme for the month or the Story For All Ages from the Worship Service. UU Principles and Values are used to guide conversations. Early in the church year, children are led in crafting a covenant – an agreement of how they will treat one another.
We end our time together with a Check Out around the circle by sharing our experience with the morning’s exploration program and then extinguishing the UU Chalice and our individual candles.
Snacks are provided based on dietary information provided by parents. Children may bring their own snacks too.
We light this chalice
To celebrate Unitarian Universalism
This is a church of open minds, loving hearts and helping hands
Together we care for our earth and each other.
Other CYRE Programs and Activities
Coming of Age (COA) – Subject to Enrollment Numbers
This program marks the “graduation” of our children from the children’s programming as they enter adolescence. Like Confirmation and Bar/Bat Mitzvahs in other faith traditions, Coming of Age is a time for our young people to explore their Unitarian Universalism beliefs and identities. However, unlike creedal religions, our youth are challenged to develop their own credo for the presentation at a special service.
The COA program is normally offered on alternate years depending on enrollment.
The program is open to those youth beginning Grade 7 and 8 in the fall, or older youth who might not have had the opportunity to participate in the past.
Youth Group (ages 14-18) – Subject to Enrollment Numbers
Our Youth Group meets for fun, learning and fellowship on 2 Sundays each month unless otherwise arranged. The program is largely youth driven according to our Unitarian Universalism principles and values. Each year the youth will develop a covenant with each other, agreeing on group expectations and process. Two screened adult volunteers are present for all meetings.
Mystery Friends
Mystery Friends is a program that builds bridges between generations in our church. Children are given the opportunity to be matched with an adult with whom they exchange letters for six weeks. Each participant (child and adult) is assigned a code name to use when signing their letters to keep their identities a mystery. At the end of the six weeks, participants (and each child’s parents) are invited to meet their Mystery Friend face-to-face at a potluck luncheon.