Visitors-Children+and+Youth+Ministry+Program

The Community Church of Chapel Hill Unitarian Universalist If you are planning a visit... There about 180 children and youth who participate in the Ministry for Children and Youth at the Community Church. On Sunday morning there is childcare for young children, small ministry groups for elementary aged children, and an active middle school youth program. Many of the church high school youth are assistants to the adult volunteers in the childcare and elementary religious education programs on Sunday morning and the High School Youth Program is offered on Sunday evenings.

Core Programs Offered September-May:

 * **Nursery and Childcare (ages 0-3 years old)** Sundays 9:30 & 11:15 AM
 * **Pre-K (4&5 year olds)** Sundays 9:30 only
 * **K-5th Grade Small Ministry Groups** Sundays 9:30 & 11:15 AM
 * **Middle School Youth Small Ministry Group (6th-8th Grade)** Sundays 9:30 & 11:15 AM
 * **Middle School Youth Group (6th-8th Grade)** Sundays 4:30-6:00 PM, twice a month, usually 1st and 3rd Sundays
 * **High School Youth Group (9th-12th Grade)** Sundays 6:00-7:45 PM

If you are visiting, please arrive 15 minutes before the service starts so you have time to accompany your child to sign in before you attend the Sunday Service yourself. Children and youth are also welcome to attend Sunday Service with their parents. The service is generally about an hour long. Once a month there is a mulitgenerational service which is more geared to children and youth. Usually the service is directed at adults and more active children may get restless. The service can be heard in the lobby and there are toys there to make it possible for parents who want to listen to the service but supervise a restless baby or small child in a more comfortable atmosphere.

After visiting three times, we ask families to formally register their children in the Children and Youth Ministry Program. However, it often takes several months of regular visiting to fully explore and get acclimated to the church. Choosing a church home is a very important decision and we encourage you to take the time you need to decided if The Community Church is right for you and your family.

The programs at both services are very similar. The 9:30 service has more young children attending and has more classes for them. The 11:15 program is smaller and more intimate. Because the 9:30 program is more crowded, we encourage families to consider registering for the 11:15 program.

The Ministry Program for Children and Youth is a parent cooperative and requires a volunteer commitment. We don’t ask new parents to volunteer right away. It is recommended that parents attend the adult service for at least six months and usually a year before participating in the cooperative. This allows new families a chance to really get comfortable in the church before taking on a volunteer commitment.

There is no registration fee. However families with children who participate in the Children and Youth Ministry program are expected to contribute financially to the church and will be of course invited to join the church as members.

For more information contact:

=== //Marion Hirsch, Director of Religious Education// === Hirsch.marion@gmail.com 919-942-2050 (church), 919-619-8792 (cell)