Religious Exploration for Children, Youth, and Families

First Parish in Lincoln is an open and welcoming community church.
Whoever you are, and wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here!

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We welcome you and your family into ours. First Parish is a place where we can all grow and learn together. We look to explore spirituality in a variety of meaningful ways while having a lot of fun together by offering programs that build community, character, empathy, and an awareness of social justice. Join us for RE anytime!

FALL 2024 RE CALENDAR

*NEW* Programming & Volunteer Opportunities

WE NEED YOU!  We’ve been working hard this summer to expand our Religious Exploration (RE) offerings to meet our growing numbers.  With all the activities we’re offering, we’re going to need 20 or more additional volunteers over the course of the fall!  Join a class one weekend; lead a food drive at Donelan’s; help with the Advent workshop; lead the pageant!  There is something for everyone! Check out the SignUp Genius form below.
SIGNUP GENIUS: VOLUNTEER IN RE!

Upcoming Events

Blessing of the Animals

October 6 @ 9:00 am - 9:15 am

Click here to view all upcoming events for children, youth, and families.

Open & Welcoming at First Parish

Openness and Welcoming is a recurrent theme throughout our Religious Exploration programs as First Parish actively serves LGBTQ+ children and youth in all our programs. Parents of LGBTQ+ children communicate with our Director of Religious Exploration, Sunday School teachers and our Youth Program Committee to assist in further developing adult awareness of issues surrounding children and youth with non-conforming gender identities and sexual preferences. Likewise, […]

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  • September 3, 2024

  • August 23, 2024

  • August 20, 2024

Sunday Religious Exploration Programs… and more!

Nursery Care (Children ages 0-5)

Babies and younger children are welcomed into our Nursery with professional staff members and trained helpers who offer fun, tactile projects that build small and large motor skills, as well as social skills. Children may be dropped off at 9:30 and picked up at 11:30am.

Our Whole Lives (3 levels: K-2nd, 5th grade, 8th grade)

First Parish is happy to offer Our Whole Lives (OWL), a reputable fact-based sexuality education program children and youth at First Parish and the surrounding community. We have classes for three levels (K-2, 5th grade, and 8th grade). OWL is an engaging, age-appropriate curriculum providing information about relationships, communication and hygiene, as well as gender identity, digital safety, consent, and other sexual health topics. Registration and parent orientation are required prior to enrollment. For more information, contact lora@fplincoln.org.

Love Connects Us (grades 3-5)

We are excited to offer a curriculum called “Love Connects Us” for children in grades 3-5 that explores some of the foundations of our UU traditionWe will begin conversations about our principles and faith with engaging lessons focused on love, kindness, connection and making a difference. Activities include stories, projects & discussions that build community & connection within this age group. We are looking forward to exploring these themes & having fun together! This year-long program will be held monthly (see RE Calendar for dates). Drop-ins are welcome. 

Interfaith Breakfast Club (grades 6-7)

Interfaith Breakfast Club (IBC) is a special program just for 6th & 7th graders! The year-long program will meet 2 times per month for a deeper dive into the many different religious faiths of the world while enjoying breakfast together. We will also visit various houses of worship and meet people from those faith communities. It will be an exciting year where we will learn more about Protestant Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, etc. Our first meeting will be an introduction to the program with fun activities. IBC will begin on September 22. (Note: There will be occasional meetings that will not be on Sunday, but parents will get plenty of notice.) 

Teen Service Group (grades 8-12)

First Parish aims to help teens in grades 8-12 explore, reflect on, and connect with the broader world around them.  The program consists of monthly activities and trips from September to May, that will expose our teens to issues of homelessness, addiction, food insecurity, or language barriers, as well as to life in other sections of the Boston area such as Downtown Boston, Jamaica Plain, Waltham, and Roxbury. The group will partner with established organizations to offer safe, well-organized experiences different from day-to-day life in Lincoln, while offering community service hours.

Special Events for Families

FPL offers monthly events and opportunities for families to connect organized by the Family Connections Committee. Look for announcements about upcoming events, such as family service day, movie nights, potlucks and more. For additional information, contact Abby Adams or Elizabeth Kelly.