The Youth Education Program at Unity of Charlottesville lovingly offers a supportive environment for children to experience, explore, and express themselves as spiritual beings.
Youth classes are temporarily paused. We also hold occassional special events throughout the year.
Meet Our Youth Education Teachers!
From left to right, Patsy Ascension, Meredith Dykstra, Genevieve Silverman, Peggy Rooth and Stephen Tavares. Join us Sundays @ 10:30am to meet and get to know us in person!
Myrtle Fillmore, co-founder of Unity, believed our mission was not to “entertain the children, but instead, to draw them out."
The Living Curriculum is an approach or philosophy which affirms that the curriculum–that which is to be learned or known–lives within the adult, child or teen, themselves. It moves us past the belief that teachers have all the answers and need to impart them to the students. Instead, there is a realization that all of us are uniquely unfolding on our spiritual path, having access to the Spirit within.
The Living Curriculum is a process of spiritual support used to assist children, teens, families, and the church community in co-creating successful living. It honors the inherent wholeness and wisdom within each one of us, and utilizes storytelling and experiential creative expression. The process helps us to explore spiritual principles and to become aware of how the principles operate in our lives.
Five Basic Unity Principles
1. God is all good and active in everything, everywhere.
2. I am naturally good because God’s Divinity is in me and in everyone.
3. I create my experiences by what I choose to think and what I feel and believe.
4. Through affirmative prayer and meditation, I connect with God and bring out the good in my life.
5. I do and give my best by living the Truth that I know. I make a difference!
Books and Texts We Utilize
During the elementary years, we utilize storytelling, games and art to impart basic spirtual lessons. We draw from sacred texts including the Bible, the Vedas and The Tao Te Ching. We also read from classic storybooks as well as lesser known, yet inspiring, storybooks.
As the children grow into teens, we provide a safe space for spiritual discussion based around books such as Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul, I Of The Storm, and others. We are currently working through The I of the Storm for Teens: Finding Peace in the Midst of Conflict in our Y.O.U. classes. We are using the Teens on the Quest and Children on the Quest series for our UniTeens and UniKids classes.
Sunday Classes
Connect with Us
We've created a private Unity of Charlottesville (UOC) Youth Ed community hub on Facebook where families and teachers can share life updates, resources, support and be supported. Feel free to join and connect with other UOC families!
Here's the link: JOIN GROUP
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Unity of Charlottesville