Children’s Faith Exploration Projects
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Sunday, July 19, 2026, “Is Fair Really Fair?” – The CFE children created marble mazes using Legos! The lesson was on equality and equity. They don’t know it, but this lesson will help when we discuss mazes vs. labyrinths!
Sunday, June 21, 2026, Children’s Faith Exploration – After the Children’s Chapel, the children celebrated the longest day of the year by exploring the science and traditions of the Summer Solstice through fun videos and the book, Summer Solstice by Ellen Jackson. The children wrote notes to a person that matters to them on this Father’s Day. We then enjoyed the weather and played soccer and whiffle ball!
Sunday, June 14, 2026, “Rainbow Allies” – This week we read the inspiring book Rainbow Allies by Nancy Churnin and learned how children stepped up to support their neighbors and stood up for kindness, inclusion, and love. Through stories and discussion, we explored how even young people can make a big difference in the world.
May 31, 2026: The CFE children joined Rev. Caitlin for a lively pirate-themed service in the sanctuary. Afterward, they went to the CFE room for some swashbuckling fun of their own!
Sunday, May 10, 2026:
CFE: Special guest Mac Goekler joined us to explore the big question: Where does our chocolate come from—and why does it matter? It was a hands-on, thought-provoking look at Free Trade and global connections.
Youth: The participants in next week’s Sunday service completed a run-through and final preparations.
Sunday, April 5, 2026, Easter Sunday Youth Program – We are very grateful to the four youth who woke up very early (some were at UUSD by 8:35 a.m.) to help hide 550 eggs! Robin, Chloe, Brydon and Lydian, you are awesome as well as your guardians who got you to UUSD! The youth hosted a Cottage Open House, and the adults had so much fun sitting, talking, and coloring Easter eggs that will be used in next year’s hunt! Thanks to all who stopped by to see the wonderful transformation from shed to Cottage!
Sunday, April 5, 2026, Children’s Faith Exploration – The children listened to our UU Wisdom Tale version of The Easter Story, honoring the fact that our Christian friends are celebrating Easter today. They also learned more about Jesus and some beautiful traditions of our Jewish friends — celebrating learning, respect, and understanding across faiths. Then . . . it was time to get creative! Children designed their own Easter “baskets” for the egg hunt following the service! What fun they had finding the eggs hidden by the youth and discovering what was inside!
Sunday, March 29, 2026, Children’s Faith Exploration – The children explored the wisdom within by reading Listening to My Body by Gabi Garcia. They learned to take their pulse, notice physical feelings, and understand how emotions show up in their bodies. When we pay attention to our bodies, we learn to listen to our hearts.
Sunday, March 15, 2026 – Today, the CFE children explored the meaning of pledging. They reviewed the UUSD budget and each received an envelope with a different amount of money. After thoughtful discussion, they created a list of places they would choose to give. It was a meaningful lesson showing that every donation—no matter the size—makes a difference.
Sunday, March 8, 2026, CFE and Youth – The CFE children celebrated International Women’s Day and read a story about a Unitarian named Lucy Stone, a leading suffragist and abolitionist. The children discussed what happens when you don’t listen to people and really hear their needs. The lesson tied in “Our UU values of justice, equality, and compassion in human relations reminding us that we have the power to make the world more fair.” Soul Matters 3/8/26. We then made an Equality Garden full of flowers, veggies, and more! You can add to their garden posters as they are hanging in the large Faith Exploration room!
Sunday, March 1, 2026, CFE and Youth – The CFE children enjoyed the Wisdom Story “What’s in Your Cup?” inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh. This beautiful story helps children explore how what’s inside us—kindness, frustration, and joy—can “spill out” onto others. When we pay attention to our inner world, we can choose what we pour into the world around us. The children decorated cups with images, words, and stickers of things they want to spill into the world.
The Youth were treated to their final lesson on Buddhism with Greer and Juan. They were gifted with peace flags.
Sunday, February 22, 2026 CFE Children, “Resilience Through Humor” – We had 14 children this Sunday. They loved the message that laughter is resilience too! The children enjoyed the beloved story Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type and explored how humor can help us navigate conflict and stress. They completed a fun take-home creation—a reminder that stress is okay, and how we handle it really matters.
Sunday, February 15, 2026, Children’s Faith Development on Resilience – CFE children gathered together to explore resilience through a powerful Soul Matters wisdom tale, beautifully read by Rev. Cathy: “Theodore Parker and the Crafts.” Through the inspiring story of Ellen and William Craft, our children learned that courage does not stand alone it is strengthened and sustained by community. When people support one another, resilience grows deeper roots.
We then watched a moving video about the Drinking Gourd and listened to the powerful song that guided so many seeking freedom along the Underground Railroad. As the music played, children (and adults!) colored images inspired by that journey— reflecting on hope, bravery, and the quiet strength of those who helped light the way.
Sunday, January 18 – Resisting Unhealthy Screen Time – CFE: Even our youngest learners benefited from conversations about screen time and social media. We read “Unplugged: Ella Gets Her Family Back,” played interactive games about healthy vs. unhealthy internet use, and made butterflies for Ms. Maureen.
Crossing Paths Youth: There was no separate class on Sunday—some of the youth attended CFE and helped lead and deepen this important discussion. We appreciated your voices and perspectives!
Sunday, January 11, 2026, Practicing Resistance – In Children’s Faith Exploration today, the children learned about resistance. They also shared about Martin Luther King, Jr. For their art project, they made a “Quilt” of our UU Values. The class was led by Dr. Michele as Dr. Heather was in the cottage co-leading the Crossing Paths youth group.
Sunday, January 11, 2026, UUSD Youth – On Sunday morning, the Youth entered the nearly finished Cottage. They were greeted with beautiful couches, tables and a new smart TV. Rev. Cathy coordinated a fantastic dialogue with their friends/colleagues to help our youth learn about the Muslim Faith and community. This Zoom dialogue was robust, fun, informative and more. In the afternoon, twenty youth and adults made their way to the Islamic Center in Georgetown. We met with their liaison and an Imam from the Dover Mosque. The sisters and brothers greeted us warmly, and we learned so much. They were great hosts and treated us to pizza, desserts, and a scrumptious chicken and rice dish. It was a full day or interconnectedness and community building.
January 6, 2026 Today at UUSD– Mike, Cheri, and Dr. Heather put together the TV stand and got the new TV up and running in the Cottage. Mike and Cheri have been working so hard on making the new Cottage a space that feels loving and as well as a space for learning. Laughing and good snacks are on the agendas too. The Cottage is a work in progress and coming along beautifully! Our Youth are so thankful! We will have an open house in the spring!
Sunday, January 4, 2026, Children’s Faith Exploration: We welcomed each other back to UUSD. The children created a yarn web that connected us all together. We shared joys and concerns, lots of great presents were discussed! The children also discussed the word “resistance” and what it feels like when you resist the norms. A great discussion ensued!
2025
CFE Sunday, December 21, 2025, Winter Solstice Celebration – The children welcomed back the sun! They discovered how people across the world have celebrated the Winter Solstice for centuries, honoring the return of light and the promise of new beginnings.
Sunday, December 6, 2025, The children decorated Christmas ornaments for our newly donated tree in the foyer. They rolled out the clay, punched out decorations, painted them and let them dry. You can see their creations on the tree!
Sunday, November 30, 2025, Professor Dumbledore, aka Mac Goekler, taught our children about the Defense of the Dark Arts how to deal with bullies.
Sunday, November 23, 2025, CFE children read about Thanksgiving and had fun creating lots of things to be thankful for. Our youth went to St. Peter’s Church in Lewes as part of their study on Christianity.
Sunday, November 16, 2025 – The morning kicked off with laughter and chatter as the children gathered to play and connect in the Gathering Area. The youth dove right into rehearsing their puppet skit roles — so much creativity and youthful energy!
They then joined the congregation in the Sanctuary, where the youth and Dr. Heather joyfully shared a Thanksgiving story using puppets. Afterwards, the children took part in the beautiful bread ritual, passing out a delicious variety of breads to everyone present. And guess what? They didn’t stop there! Inspired by an idea Dr. Heather brought from her time in CT, they turned Fellowship Time into a mini tasting party, spreading jams — including a yummy local creation — on the extra bread. Huge hit! To top it off, the remaining extra bread found a perfect home with a UUSD member who has a farm. Nothing wasted and lots celebrated! It was a warm, busy, joy-filled morning from start to finish!
November 9, 2025 –The CFE children enjoyed the beautiful weather before the service. They played whiffle ball, soccer, and kickball, and swung on the swings and slid down the slide! They also enjoyed checking out the lending library. Then they went into the sanctuary to enjoy the music and hear Rev. Heather’s message about Harriet Tubman.
November 1, 2025 – UUSD children and youth joined in a joyful Día de los Muertos Celebration filled with remembrance, culture, and community. Be sure to watch the video to see highlights from this special afternoon.
Sunday, November 2, 2025, Whose Footsteps Do We Follow?– Our CFE kids read “I Am Lenape” by Janice West and learned about the Separatist William Brewster from the Mayflower. Together, we talked about our ancestors, who was here first, and how they lived. Meanwhile, our Crossing Paths youth continue their journey exploring Christianity with the help of our wonderful adult volunteers.
Sunday, October 26, 2025, 🎃 Compassion, Candy, and Community! 🎃 This week in CFE, our children explored the theme of compassion in a fun and thoughtful way! We started with two candy bowls—one with treats containing nuts and dairy, and another filled with chewy, allergy-friendly options. This led to some wonderful conversations about kindness and inclusion, especially as Halloween approaches. We asked: What if someone’s costume doesn’t look like what they say it is? How can we help friends with allergies? What can we do to make trick-or-treating welcoming for someone new to the tradition?
We were also thrilled to have Norma join us to share the meaning behind Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and tell us how we’ll be celebrating it here at UUSD on November 1st. Meanwhile, our Youth began their study of Christianity in the Cottage. They are so excited to have a new space to learn, laugh, share, and simply be together.
Sunday, October 19, 2025, Skye taught the children about Clara Barton, and they played First Aide bingo. The youth had their final class on Judaism. Elise prepared a fun lesson, and we competed using Klinko. Dr Heather had a blast learning a new technology. Elise gave winner candy galore!
Sunday, October 12, 2025, The children had a wonderful morning filled with creativity, laughter, and connection! We started off building with LEGOs and exploring other fun activities before gathering to read a story about our Unitarian Universalist ancestor, Dorothea Dix. Our theme was compassion and generosity—how we can be kind, helpful, and good listeners in our everyday lives.
Afterward, we played a lively balloon teamwork game that filled the room with smiles and giggles! Though our group was smaller due to the weather, the spirit of community, kindness, and joy was as big as ever.
Meanwhile, our Youth (grades 6–12) kicked off their very first Crossing Paths class with a focus on Judaism. Guided by our amazing leaders, Shelley Garfield and Juan Berrocal, the youth gathered in the brand-new Cottage for the very first time. Our youth are so thankful to everyone working hard to prepare this welcoming new space—it’s already becoming a place for learning, sharing, and growing together.
Sunday, September 14, 2025, “The Pull of Water,” – Drawing upon Wallace Nichols’ beautiful book, Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do, we celebrated our annual Water Ceremony and Ingathering service. Participants gathered water from wherever their spirit was nourished this summer. Notice how being by the water, in whatever form, makes you feel!
Sunday, September 7, 2025 – Dar Sellers led CFE chapel time with her always-inspiring message. The children and youth created keychains to clip onto their backpacks and then joined the congregation for the second half of the service, where they took part in the annual backpack blessing.
Thursday, August 21, 2025: Another Joyful Day at Still Water Summer Camp! 🌞
Every morning, our campers gather for Chapel Time with Jean Charles, setting the tone for the day with music and reflection. This week, they learned the beautiful benediction Take the Fire, written by our very own UUSD member, Rev. Dr. Ron Parks. They sang with such spirit—you’ll get to hear them join the whole congregation in singing it at services soon! 🎶🕯️
Today’s adventures included:
🌿 Exploring plants, herbs, and soil with Karin Westermann, followed by harvesting fresh veggies from our very own garden.
🥁 Making rattles and hand drums (yes, from Pringle cans!) with Greer—the kids loved creating music with their own hands.
🧡 Receiving a special surprise gift of blankets from the late Tony C. The children were deeply touched and will treasure these gifts for years to come.
It was truly a day of learning, laughter, and love. By the end, the children made one thing very clear… they insist we do camp again next year! (And their one request? Let’s start at 9:00 AM instead of 8:30! 😉)
August 20, 2025 – Still Water Summer Camp Continues with Fun and Learning on Day 2
On Tuesday, the excitement continued as our campers:
🌱 Dug into soil science and explored advanced science concepts with Dr. Jeri Berc
🌿 Learned about the Lenape Tribe and created beautiful bracelets with Rick Welk.
We also played kickball, played on the playground and explored the UUSD grounds!
And through it all, our amazing UUSD Youth Counselors supported our campers every step of the way.
August 19, 2025 Still Water Summer Camp Kicks Off with Joy and Learning! 🌟
The first day of Still Water Summer Camp was buzzing with energy, creativity, and discovery! 🎶✨
On Monday, our campers:
🩹 Learned first aid with our nurse, Skye Ryan
🪨 Built beautiful and creative cairns and explored the history of stones with Shelley Garfield
🎸 Sang songs, played guitar and piano, and shared in Chapel together
🕯️ Lit the Chalice Candle and lifted up joys and concerns.
Our amazing UUSD volunteers were there to guide, care for, and cheer on our 12 campers every step of the way. 💛 Truly—it takes a village!
Sunday, August 10, 2025 – We read All the Way to the Top by Annette Bay Pimentel, the powerful true story of Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins, a young girl who used her voice–and her wheelchair–to fight for disability rights. Don’t know her? Look her up–you’ll be amazed! Then we used our Legos to build an ADA compliant ramps and walkways! We all learned a lot.
Sunday, August 3, 2025 – The children discussed Pluralism and Faith and looked at photos of children from all over the world worshiping, praying, lighting candles, and singing. A good discussion ensued! We lighted the Chalice candle and shared many joys and concerns. Some children did some pushups with Victor too! Then we had a “make whatever you wish” Lego morning!
Sunday, July 7, 2025 – The children learned about different faiths and discussed what is faith. We learned a mantra — “I am here now.” — to ground ourselves. By being grounded, we can help ourselves and thus bring our faith and love to others. We created thank you cards for Sandy, Lego designs, and a Lego chalice! We also had a first-time volunteer help us, Silvia! Remember we will need six volunteers every Sunday starting in September!
Sunday, July 20, 2025 – The children learned about the difference between mazes and labyrinths, how life is full of twists and turns, and how to navigate them. They also made Lego mazes and had fun drawing labyrinths.
Sunday, June 29, 2025 – Looking Back, Looking Ahead – Some of our UUSD members were born in 1945, 80 years ago! We celebrated them by making homemade birthday cards and having a thoughtful conversation about what’s changed—and what hasn’t. It was Open Dialogue Sunday, so the children brought their curiosity, questions, and creativity!
Sunday, June 15, 2025 – The children gathered in the CFE room for some free-time. Susan read books to the children, others created wonderful puzzles and more creativity happened. A fun Connections Sunday!
Sunday, June 8, 2025 – Freedom Rings: Honoring Juneteenth
We celebrated the powerful story of Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free—the amazing woman known as the Grandmother of Juneteenth! The children learned how joy and justice go hand-in-hand, and how freedom is something we celebrate and fight for at the same time.
Sunday, June 1 – Celebrating Pride Month
The children began Pride Month together in the Gathering Area with the inspiring picture book Stonewall: A Building. An Uprising. A Revolution. by Rob Sanders. They then discussed how to love and be kind to all. The children joined the service in the sanctuary to hear Scarlet sing and receive a Glitter Blessing.
Additional photos of the children participating in the Sunday Service may be found on the UUSD Facebook page and in the website Photo Gallery.
Children’s Faith Exploration – Sunday, May 18, 2025, Flower Sunday was in full bloom—literally! It was a joyful day celebrating beauty, empowerment, and community. The kids kicked off with a lively discussion: “What’s a Flower Ceremony?” For those who had never seen one before, their friends lit up the room with colorful explanations (pun intended). Then came the grand moment—all ages proudly carried in vases and flowers, filling the sanctuary with color and joy as they handed the flowers out to the congregation- fun was had by all! See additional photos in Our Photo Gallery.
Dr. Heather recently received an email invitation from the UU Ministries and Faith Development Team—they were seeking youth artists to design chalices that represent their CFE program and/or their unique identities.
This past Sunday, two of our amazing youth stepped up to the challenge and created beautiful, meaningful chalice drawings. We’re excited to share photos of their inspiring artwork!
We are so fortunate to have such talented and expressive young people in our community. Their creations will be featured in the Synergy Service video at General Assembly, shown live on the main stage on Friday, June 20, from 7:00–8:30 PM.
May 11, 2025, Children’s Faith Exploration Mother’s Day Celebration – During children’s chapel, Dr. Heather talked about Julia Ward Howe, a Unitarian, who issued a Mother’s Day Proclamation calling for women around the world to unite for world peace. The children channeled their creativity into a beautiful Peace Banner that they displayed on the back deck so that members of the congregation could see it.
Sunday, May 4, 2025 Children’s Faith Exploration
Dar Sellers read a short version of The Little Prince. After hearing about the different planets that the Little Prince visited the children shared what their perfect planet would be like. They said no pollution, kind people, lots of wildlife, no wars and lots of macaroni and cheese. They also understood that it’s important to see things through your heart and not just your eyes and to care for each other. The children made their own light up planet and enjoyed a snack of golden Oreo Cakesters that were round like a planet. The force of imagination was with everyone!
Sunday, April 27, 2025 Joy is everywhere—even in the tiniest roots! The children dove into The Root Children, a retelling of a classic wisdom story about the wonders of nature. Then, they practiced nature-themed yoga with CFE parent and yoga instructor, Sarah Schaber. And yes… Fairy Houses happened!
April 20, 2025 – LOVE at the Center: Joys & Concerns with Our Youngest Voices!
This past Sunday, our Joys and Concerns time overflowed with the heartfelt voices of our children! From joyful shouts of “We’re all together!” to birthday cheers, giggles about the egg hunt, and sweet little moments of gratitude—it was a beautiful reminder of the love that lives in our community.
Each week, we create a space where everyone—no matter their age—can share how they’re feeling and be held in the care of others. Because at the heart of everything we do is LOVE. We love being together. We love celebrating. And most of all… we love LOVE.
After the Children’s Faith Exploration program and Sunday service, the children were eager to begin the annual Easter Egg Hunt. More than 700 eggs were carefully hidden throughout UUSD’s back yard – tucked into the grass, nestled in trees, placed on the playground equipment, and strategically located on the deck. In record time, the children raced to find the colorful plastic eggs and special golden eggs. Afterward, they gathered with their families at the picnic tables to open the eggs and enjoy the treasures.
Sunday, April 13, 2025The Gill Family introduced the children to the beautiful tradition of Passover. They explained the significance of each item on the Seder plate and shared stories about making homemade Matzoh Ball Soup. It was a delicious and deeply meaningful experience!
Sunday, April 6, 2025 – The theme in CFE this month is JOY! Skye Ryan led the group in finding joy through foolishness. She emphasized using laughter to help find what gives us joy and how humor can help others to find joy as well. The children had an opportunity to tell their favorite jokes during a mini comedy club.
Sunday, March 30, 2025, CFE Class on Fixing Broken Trust – Trust doesn’t always come easy, and sometimes it needs to be repaired. The children listened to the wisdom story, The Broken Pot, by April Rosario, which was inspired by the art of Kintsugi—the Japanese practice of repairing broken things with gold to make them more beautiful. Together, they talk about how we can mend trust when it’s been broken and create our own “golden” repair art project. Bailey Weaver-Ronk met with the children to discuss Social and Environmental Justice.
Sunday, March 23 The children in CFE experienced a musical reading of Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae—a heartwarming tale of a giraffe who discovers the joy of dancing by opening his heart and trusting a friend. This inspiring story sparked a thoughtful discussion on the theme of trust.
During our conversation, we reflected on the book’s use of the word weird to describe the giraffe. Together, children and adult volunteers engaged in a meaningful dialogue: Have you ever been called weird? Have you ever called someone else weird? How did it feel? What can we do to be more kind and inclusive in our words? Also, what are our superpowers that some see as, “weird”.
Our morning continued with a heartfelt Chalice lighting, where we shared our joys and concerns, followed by a creative arts and crafts activity. It was a truly meaningful and enriching time for all.
Sunday, March 16 – The CFE children began the morning in the sanctuary and watched friend, Cecelia, dance an Irish dance for the entire congregation! After the performance, they went to the Gathering Area to share joys and concerns and to hear a story. The children participated in a discussion with Rev. Heather in the Large Faith Exploration Room.
Sunday, March 9: Shoe Laces & A Spring Scavenger Hunt in CFE! – Trust is about more than ourselves—it’s also about the people around us. Today, we’ll talk about interdependence: how we can lean on others and how to recognize when someone is trustworthy. Then, we’ll take on a fun (and useful!) challenge: learning to tie our shoes! Can we trust our shoes to stay tied during the spring scavenger hunt and games?
Sunday, March 2, 2025: Trust Yourself and Your Superpowers: This month in Children’s Faith Development, the children are diving into the art of trust—starting with trusting themselves and those around them. Together, they will uncover their inner strengths, learn what makes others trustworthy, and explore how to repair trust when it’s been broken. Plus, they will have fun with games, books, and creative activities to bring the lessons to life!
Discover your superpowers! CFE Volunteer, Skye Ryan led the children in reading, I Can Do Hard Things by Gaby Garcia. The book inspires the reader to tap into their inner strength and say, “I can do this!” Afterward, the children explored their unique strengths with fun activities designed to remind them just how capable and amazing they are.
Sunday, February 9, 2025 CFE, Celebrating Self-Love and Acceptance: Loving oneself is the foundation of embracing others. The children explored this theme with the timeless classic The Ugly Duckling and discussed self-love and acceptance. To celebrate, they got creative with a special Valentine’s Day art project—making cards for themselves and others to spread love in every direction!
