Growing Our Kids’ Connection Community

We are gearing up for a new year of Kids’ Connection. Last year, the Family Ministry Team focused on issues related to program development and implementation. We re-conceptualized our Kids’ Connection program, experimenting with alternative versions of it, making changes based upon how our children responded to our offerings, and exploring new ways of using the available space upstairs.

Today, we are very proud of what we have to offer the children of UUCM. Now our priorities are shifting from last year’s focus on program development to a new focus on increasing the number of children who attend our Kids’ Connection Sunday morning program, as well as the frequency of attendance for those who are already a part of our Kids’ Connection family.

For those of you who would like to know more about our Kids’ Connection program— including the philosophy inherent in it, as well as the specific rituals, routines, and developmental opportunities for the children that are the heart the program on any given Sunday—I encourage you to watch the video of the adults’ “downstairs” service from August 11, 2024. (You can find it by looking through our past services. It is entitled “Upstairs/Downstairs: Living and Learning Together.”) In my presentation during that service, I shared with the congregation a rather extended description of the Kids’ Connection program that we spent the last year conceptualizing and implementing. Our process over the last year was very exploratory and experimental. We are proud of this program in its current iteration, AND we are committed to continuing to let it evolve in order to better meet the needs of our UUCM children and the UUCM community as a whole.

This month, September of 2024, we are showcasing this new version of Kids’ Connection with two special Sunday events.

Bring Your Grandkids to Church Day (on Grandparents’ Day)!!

Sunday, September 8, 10:30 am—Kids will convene upstairs in Kids’ Connection rooms to hear stories about grandparents and create some special pieces of “art” for their grandparents.

Kids’ Connection Open House

Sunday, September 15, noon – 1pm—After the downstairs service, grown ups will reconnect with their children upstairs for the Open House. Grown-ups and their children will learn about our Kids’ Connection program, participate in some UU-inspired rituals and routines, and most importantly, meet other families who participate in the Kids’ Connection program. Lunch will be served.

Please, bring your children to these two special services. We are looking forward to building this little community of amazing children and their grownups.