The Urbana-Champaign Friends Meeting welcomes families with children to our silent meeting for worship. We value the presence of children in our midst because we believe that God is present in everyone, regardless of age. We know that the quietness of the room can sometimes magnify the noise and movement of small children, but often it is the parents who are bothered the most by these sounds!
Typically, all ages of Friends worship together for the first fifteen minutes of the hour. Then, children and youth are invited to attend First Day School. Our First Day School coordinator plus motivated volunteers lead the children in age-appropriate activities designed around monthly themes. Currently we have school-year programs designed for pre-school, elementary, middle school, and high school age groups.
The children begin with a short candle-time that provides practice in contemplation and Quaker process. A lesson and craft or activity follows. Children are summoned at the rise of meeting for sharing, announcements, and introductions. Parents are free to stay in Meeting or to attend First Day School along with their child(ren).
During the summer months children engage in supervised unstructured play.
Our youth, and especially our middle and high schoolers, are involved in numerous service projects and special events throughout the year, including fundraising, outings, talent shows, visits to neighboring faith communities, and more.
Our Religious Education mission is to provide a nurturing and safe environment for children, to provide a spiritual foundation of Quaker values, beliefs, history and process, and to build community between families, the children themselves, and the meeting as a whole.
