MISSION:
Unity Church of Austin is committed to offering a creative and positive education program for it's children and young people which inspires, instructs and provides a solid spiritual foundation for their growth into adulthood. The church administration and board are committed to support the provision of a high quality program by offering all the resources that are feasible and available to the ministry.
Our classes and instructors create environments which provide security, friendship and fun. Materials and curriculum are age appropriate and provide opportunities for discussion, sharing, personal experience and life application. Prayer and meditation, which are important to learning to communicate with God are a vital part of the curriculum.
CLASSES:
Currently we offer the following classes during our Sunday School program which are held during the adult worship service.
* Nursery - Preschool (infant to 5yrs old)
* Kindergarten - 4th grade
* Uniteens (5th - 8th grade)
Before the start of classes, all children Kindergarten and up meet in the sanctuary of the church with the adult members of the church for prayer, and praise singing. Therefore, it is necessary that parents and/or care givers escort their children into church before 1p.m.
Following the singing, the children are escorted to the Youth Education building for their classes.
CURRICULUM:
The lessons that engage the children in their classes cover a wide range of learning activities. They are hands on experiential and fun. Just like adult services the classes offered to our children are based on basic Unity Truth principles.
Adjusted for children, these Five Basic Principles are:
1. The only Power in the universe is God, who is wholly good.
2. The Spirit of God we call the Christ is alive in Jesus and in me.
3. Through the power of God, my thoughts can change my life.
4. I can choose to let go of hurtful and limiting thoughts. I can choose to think loving and kind thoughts.
5. I can talk to God. I can listen to God. God listens and talks to me. I can use the truths I am learning every day.
Our staff consists of one program director and a number of loving volunteers. These dedicated people are constantly learning how to best serve our children. They teach from a spiritual understanding that each soul, child or adult, has an individualized pattern of soul growth. The Living Curriculum developed by the central organization called the Association of Unity Churches is designed to draw forth innate spiritual truth from within each child and not just to impart knowledge intellectually. This program is a process to assist children, teens and families to learn and grow together. Thruths are emphasized through shared experiences, storytelling and creative expression (art, music, etc.) Teachers listen to the real stories that students are telling with their action and their energy and address the real needs revealed so that students may discover many options and help create their own solutions.
Love-in-Action Projects are included in the curriculum. Some of these activities are "the pennies for giving" project, homeless projects, raising funds for use by internation organizations for children, helping during the Keep Austin Beautiful clean up days, creating Earth Day festivals, and other annual projects.
Future dreams and plans: We hope to expand our programming by adding a Y.O.U. program (high school), a special program for Bible studies, and a music program. The desire of the entire congregation is to support and grow an education program that is dynamic, inclusive and challenging. In today's world we want our children to have optimum support for soul growth and development.
Within 2 months our congregation will finish building our new church building and will begin to occupy space uniquely designed for children. In an expanded and more efficiently designed space, our program will be even better.
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