The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport offers programming for children and youth, referred to as Faith Formation:
- First Friday FUUn Nights
- Nursery
- Stuffie Services (K-3rd Grade)
- OWL- Our Whole Lives (4th-5th grades)
- Crossing Paths (6th-8th grades)
- Youth Group (9th - 12th Grade)
First Friday FUUn Nights (all ages): All ages are welcome to join our First Friday FUUn Nights! We gather for games and "fuun" (with two "u"s because we are Unitarian Universalists). These evenings often include potlucks and other community activities. If your family is new to UU Westport, we recommend attending a First Friday FUUn Night as a welcoming way to ease into our vibrant community.
Nursery (ages 0 to pre-k): Families with infants and toddlers can bring their children to the nursery where the children will have supervised care. As an alternative, you and your young ones together are welcome in the sanctuary during the worship service.
Stuffie Services (Kindergarten-3rd grade): At 10:00 AM, K-3rd grade children begin the service sitting with their families. The service includes a Story for All, where children are invited to the front to listen and participate. After the story, children walk together to their classroom for a wiggle-break activity, share highlights from their week during Gems of Goodness, and plan special worship services for their stuffed animals. Children are encouraged to bring one stuffie to participate.
OWL - Our Whole Lives (5th, 6th, and 7th grades): Our Whole Lives is a comprehensive sexuality education program designed to serve people throughout their entire lifespan. By combining factual information with values-based discussions, Our Whole Lives helps individuals of all ages cultivate the knowledge, self-awareness, and interpersonal skills needed to navigate sexuality with confidence, responsibility, and respect for themselves and others.
Crossing Paths (formerly called Neighboring Faiths) (6th, 7th, and 8th grades): Participants will journey alongside friends from diverse religious communities in this enriching interfaith program. This past spring, Crossing Paths participants explored Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam, and thereby deepened their understanding through meaningful dialogue and shared learning. This fall, participants continue their exploration with Indigenous spiritual traditions, Hinduism, Quakerism, and other faith paths. This program combines thoughtful Sunday discussions with immersive visits to various houses of worship, offering participants firsthand experience of how different communities practice and express their faith.
Youth Group (9th-12th grade): Youth Group meets the first Sunday of each month during service, then takes their energy into the community through fundraising initiatives, service projects, and social gatherings. Want to see what they're planning next? Ask them after service!
