Welcome!

Thank you for wanting to know more about the children and youth activities that are part of Spiritual Exploration (SE) at UCM. Our congregation cherishes families and young people. We offer a variety of programs, primarily on Sunday mornings, to nurture the spiritual lives of children and youth, from babies to teenagers. Below, you will find our mission and information about the age groups and program specifics. If this is your first visit, please also see our Visiting Families page.

Registration: Please register each year so we can best meet your family’s most current needs.

2025-2026 Registration Form

Mission of the Spiritual Exploration Program at UCM

The Mission of the UCM Spiritual Exploration program is to help children, youth, and their families cultivate their spirituality, practice love as action, and ensure they know that they matter deeply to our community and the world. 

Our mission is grounded three primary pillars:

• Cultivating Spirituality – We recognize the innate sense of wonder and awe that children are born with, and we purposefully nurture both throughout all the phases of childhood development. We provide a safe space for them to explore the big questions of life, learn about diverse spiritual teachings, reflect on their own inner world, and develop a spiritual compass that will help guide them through life.

• Practicing Love as Action – Love is at the center of our Unitarian Universalist faith and shared values: interdependence, pluralism, justice, transformation, generosity, and equity. We believe that love is expressed through the way we treat others, the choices we make, and how we engage with our community and the greater world. Children and youth at every age learn that love is an action, are supported in practicing it, and are empowered to make a positive impact in the world.

• Ensuring Every Child Knows They Matter – Our goal is to make sure that every child knows they are an important part of our UCM community because of their uniqueness as an individual and the important gifts they contribute to the whole. We are deeply committed to making sure every child is celebrated for exactly who they are. We strive to create an environment where each child feels held and supported by community members of all ages invested in their spiritual development and growth. We hope that both our UCM community and the Unitarian Universalist faith serve as a “spiritual home base” for children as they travel throughout their lives.

Our Spiritual Exploration Programs by Age

Children and youth of any age are always invited to participate in Sunday morning worship. We offer separate children and youth programming three times a month to help our youngest congregants explore their own spirituality in age appropriate and developmentally-supported ways. Sometimes after busy weeks apart, however, being together as a family in worship is what families need. We invite your family to find ways to engage with our spiritual community that feel aligned and nurturing of your specific family’s spiritual needs. 

Nursery – A Nurturing Beginning (ages 0 through PreK)

Our nursery welcomes our youngest children with gentle care, play, and connection. The nursery is organized into cozy play areas with a variety of toys – like blocks, a kitchen area, building sets, dolls, and dramatic play – with a small table for simple shared activities. Parents and caregivers are welcome to stay with their child or take in worship in the sanctuary. Our goal is to help little ones feel secure and experience church as a place of love and belonging. Children transition to the Children’s Chapel when a more structured environment is a good fit for them (typically sometime in between 3 and 5 years old).

Children’s Chapel –  Play, Wonder & Explore (PreK through Grade 4)

In this child-centered space, children explore big questions through story, art, movement, and play. With choice-based activities and caring adult guides, they practice being in community, learning about our Unitarian Universalist values, and wondering about the world around them. Children younger than PreK are invited to be in this space with a parent or caregiver accompanying them (this is particularly helpful when siblings want to stay together).

Middle School Youth Group – Friendship & Service Together (Grades 5-8)

Middle schoolers share in service projects that connect them to one another and the wider world and gather for screen-free fun and socializing with peers. Rooted in Unitarian Universalist values, together they explore local areas of need, take action together, and experience the joy of being in community.

High School Youth Group – Community & Self-Discovery (Grades 9-12)

We are in the process of reestablishing our High School Youth Group community. More information to come! If you have a high schooler who is looking for community, friendship, and meaning, please reach out using our contact form for more details.

More Spiritual Exploration Offerings for Families

Love in Action Sundays – Putting UU Values into Practice (PreK – Grade 9)

Once (or sometimes twice) a month, we have special days when children, youth, and families join together in hands-on projects and service opportunities that put our Unitarian Universalist values into practice. We practice kindness, compassion, and community care. These days are a chance to build friendships, make a difference, and experience the joy of putting love into action together. As always, parents and caregivers are welcome to participate, too!

Monthly All Ages Worship Services – A Shared Worship Experience (All Ages)

While children and youth are always welcome in all of our Sunday worship services, once a month we specifically join in an All Ages Service designed to engage the whole congregation – from children to elders – in a shared experience of spiritual growth. These services are crafted with music, rituals, and other elements that are especially familiar and accessible to children and youth, while still offering depth and meaning for adults.

Multigenerational Gatherings & Events – Building Beloved Community (All Ages)

We regularly gather across generations to participate in whole church faith formation. Whether it’s a Blessing of the Backpacks, children singing with the choir, shared time for fellowship, or beloved community traditions like the March Mystery Madness and our No Rehearsal Christmas Pageant, we have multiple ways to foster multigenerational community and connection for families. 

Our Whole Lives Grades 4-6 – Developmentally-Appropriate Sexuality Education (Grades 4-6)

This church year we are offering Our Whole Lives for children ages nine through twelve to help them gain the knowledge, life principles, and skills they need to understand and express their sexuality in holistic, life-enhancing ways. Like the other Our Whole Lives programs for different age groups, this comprehensive, developmentally appropriate program introduces key topics like values, body image, gender and sexual identity, peer pressure, and healthy relationships with sensitivity and inclusiveness, yet without specifically religious doctrine or reference. Learn more at the Unitarian Universalist Association website or by contacting the Director of Spiritual Exploration, Caitlin Frauton.

Child Blessing & Dedication – Celebrating the Sacredness of Every Child (Children of Any Age)

As Unitarian Universalists, we honor and bless our children in ceremonies such as the Child Blessing and Dedication. This special ritual is a blessing for the new life within our community, an expression of the hopes of parents, and a promise by the congregation to support and nurture the child in their spiritual life. It’s our beloved spiritual community’s way of embracing both the mystery of life and our grounded commitment to each other as human beings. It celebrates the sacredness of each child, their inherent worth and dignity, and acknowledges that each of us is nurtured and shaped by others. Babies and children new to the congregation are welcome to participate. If you would like your child of any age to participate, please contact Rev. Joan for more details.

Our Commitment to Safety & Care

At UCM, the safety and well-being of children and youth is of primary importance. Every staff person and every volunteer who works with children and youth is required to:

• Complete a background check before serving.

• Meet minimum requirements, which includes being active in the life of the congregation for at least six months before volunteering with children.

• Participate in annual training in our Sexual Abuse Prevention, Education, and Response (SAPER) policy.

This policy equips us to create the safest environment possible for our young people. For a quick overview, you can view our SAPER Snapshot slideshow, or for more detail, read the policy in full. Every year each staff person and every volunteer who works with children and youth here at UCM is trained in this policy.  We work hard to create the safest space possible for our young people.

Stay Connected & Get In Touch

To stay in the loop regarding our Spiritual Exploration program, sign up for the UCM weekly e-news. You can also email our staff to be added to the monthly newsletter specifically for Spiritual Exploration families and volunteers. We also have a Unitarian Church of Montpelier public Facebook page.

On behalf of the volunteers who share in this ministry of Spiritual Exploration, we are so glad to have you take an interest in our program. Definitely reach out if you have any questions or would like to schedule a time to meet or to tour the Spiritual Exploration spaces at the church.