Imagine a "Sunday school" that encourages children to cultivate values but doesn’t tell them what to think and instead encourages them to explore different religions and faiths.
The Unitarians have long been known as a liberal, non-creed faith community that teaches the following principles: Respect all people, offer fair and kind treatment to all, yearn to learn throughout life, grow by exploring responsibly, believe in our ideas and act on them, insist on peace, freedom, and justice for everyone and value our interdependence with nature.
After teaching these principles, the Spiritual Education program for children from Grades 2 to 6 transitions into a widely used popular program that introduces world religions through festivals and celebrations.
The program compares many of these religions to the Unitarian principles, focusing on common themes within different faiths.
This class also focuses time on building community through activities and field trips such as swimming, a snow day, mini golf, a bike outing, visiting another church and, of course, bowling.
The Spiritual Education program occurs on the first and third Sunday of every month at 4 p.m. — which is the same time as the regular services for adults — and takes place at 250 Beach Ave. in Comox (Comox United Church). There are also programs for younger children and multi-generational events on other Sundays.
For more information, call spiritual education teacher Dominique McGrady, who has also taught for years in the local school system and facilitated compassionate communication courses.
Her number is 250 890-9330 or call the Comox Valley Unitarian fellowship at 250-890-9262. The Unitarian fellowship website is www.cvuf.ca.
— Comox Valley Unitarians