The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport offers programming for children and youth, referred to as Faith Formation (formerly known as “Sunday School” or “Religious Education” or “RE”). In the Fall/Winter of 2026 (September-January), the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport offers the following:
- Nursery
- Makers’ Space and Children’s Chapel Choir (Kindergarten-3rd grade)
- Woven Faith and Children’s Chapel Choir (4th-6th grades)
- OWL – Our Whole Lives (7th-9th* grades)
- Youth Group (9th*-12th Grade)
* Note on 9th Graders: 9th graders are welcome to participate in both OWL and Youth Group activities and are asked to prioritize OWL when the group schedules conflict.
Nursery (ages 0 to pre-k): Families with infants and toddlers have several choices on Sunday mornings:
- You and your young ones together are welcome in the sanctuary during the worship service;
- You may choose to observe and listen with your young ones from our foyer; or
- You can bring your child to the Nursery (down stairs) for supervised play time, and you would pick the child after service.
Makers’ Space (Kindergarten-3rd grade): Bring your creative minds and building hands! Children begin each session with a sharing circle and chalice lighting, then move into child-led creations at hands-on work stations. UUWestport’s mission — Inspire, Connect, Act — comes alive here: children are inspired by their own ideas, connected through community ritual and shared making, and act by bringing their creations into being.
At 11:00 the K-3 graders attend K-6th grade Children’s Chapel rehearsal, where they practice Unitarian Universalist music traditions by singing hymns.
Woven Faith (4th-6th grades): The UUA created a new curriculum, called Woven Faith, to both honor our past and incorporate our present and future expressions of faith. Woven Faith integrates our most current associational learning around anti-oppression practices, supporting the cultivation of both internal and interpersonal social-emotional skills essential for sustainable justice work.
At 11:00 the 4th-6th graders attend K – 6th grade Children’s Chapel rehearsal, where they practice Unitarian Universalist music traditions by singing hymns.
OWL – Our Whole Lives (7th-9th grades): Our Whole Lives is a lifespan sexuality education program. The goal is to create a positive and comprehensive program that helps participants of all ages gain the knowledge, values and skills to lead sexually healthy, responsible lives. More specifically, Our Whole LIves for Grades 7 – 9 is designed to help young adolescents with the following:
- Affirm and respect themselves as sexual persons and respect the sexuality of others
- Increase comfort and skills for discussing and negotiating sexuality issues with peers, romantic partner, and people of other generations
- Explore, develop and articulate values, attitudes, and feelings about their own sexuality and the sexuality of others
- Assess the impact of messages from family, culture, religion, media and society on sexual thoughts, feelings, values and behaviors.
- Click HERE to view the session topics.
Youth Group (9th – 12th Grade): Youth Group has a three-part plan for 2026-2027:
- Social Outreach: The Youth Group will explore an area of social outreach, including supporting people who are experiencing food insecurity or lack of suitable housing. The UUA’s Lifespan Faith Engagement team has awarded the UU Westport Youth Group a $2,000 grant through the Youth & Young Adult Ministry Grant Program. The funds will support the group’s ongoing mission work with the John Street Program and Helping Hands Outreach, Inc.
- Youth Group Trip and Preparations: The Youth Group will prepare for a group trip that encourages bonding, builds leadership skills, and gives youth a chance to explore Unitarian Universalist values together.
- Room to Improvise: We’ll also plan activities that are simply about spending time together and adjust plans based on interests, needs and availability.
