Religious Exploration for Children and Youth
A welcoming, progressive community for families
Looking for a welcoming community where children and teens can explore values, ask big questions, and feel at home? USNH is an inclusive, LGBTQ-affirming Unitarian Universalist congregation serving children, youth, and families in the greater New Haven area.
Rooted in Unitarian Universalism and open to many spiritual paths, our programs weave together stories, creativity, conversation, worship, and hands-on service. Young people are encouraged to be themselves, build meaningful relationships, and discover how their values can guide them in the world.
Families of all kinds are welcome here. Whether you’re new to church, returning after time away, or simply seeking a faith community that shares your values, your children will be known, supported, and included.
"The great end in religious instruction is not to stamp our minds upon the young, but to stir up their own."
- William Ellery Channing
What Your Child Will Experience
Religious Exploration at USNH nurtures the whole child — heart, mind, and spirit.
A strong sense of belonging in a caring, multigenerational community
Freedom to ask big questions without pressure to believe a certain way
A growing moral compass rooted in kindness, justice, and compassion
Respect for many faith traditions and ways of making meaning
Opportunities to serve others and put values into action
Confidence to be themselves — and to know their voice matters
New to Unitarian Universalism? You and your family are welcome exactly as you are.
A Years
Focus on Unitarian Universalist history, identity, and core values.
B Years
Explore the diverse sources of Unitarian Universalism, including Jewish and Christian traditions, other world religions, humanism, science, nature, and a sense of mystery and wonder.
Nursery Care
Nursery care for infants and toddlers through age 4 is available from 10 am to noon, staffed by trained and background-checked caregivers. Infants and toddlers are also welcome to remain with their caregivers during worship.
Religious Exploration for Pre-K through 6th Grade
Wonder, belonging, and love in action
At USNH, children are encouraged to wonder, ask questions, try on ideas, and discover what matters most to them—while being held in a community that honors each family’s traditions and values.
Through stories, play, art, music, and hands-on experiences, children learn about Unitarian Universalism, many faith traditions, and the practice of living with kindness, courage, and compassion. We believe spiritual growth can begin at any age, and that children already have wisdom to share.
Justice, community, and care are woven throughout our program. Children are part of the life of the whole congregation—learning, serving, worshiping, and celebrating alongside people of all ages. Together, we practice connecting deeply with ourselves, one another, and the wider world.
Our programs are designed to meet children where they are—developmentally, spiritually, and emotionally—while inviting them to grow in curiosity, compassion, and courage.
Religious Exploration by Age
A joyful introduction to kindness, fairness, and the values that guide how we live together.
Young children explore Unitarian Universalist values through stories—because stories are one of the ways we learn what it means to be human. Each week, children encounter tales that reflect themes such as kindness, fairness, courage, and caring for others and they begin to connect these big ideas to their own experiences.
Each gathering balances listening, talking, and creative activity so that children with different learning styles can participate comfortably. Curiosity, imagination, and questions are always welcome, and children are never expected to believe a certain way.
In Spring 2026, this age group will also participate in Our Whole Lives (OWL), our age-appropriate, values-based sexuality education program.
Children explore who they are and what they care about through stories of courage, compassion, and justice.
At this age, children are beginning to notice fairness, difference, and their own growing sense of right and wrong. Through stories of real and imagined heroes, children explore Unitarian Universalist values such as kindness, bravery, honesty, and standing up for what’s right.
Sessions draw from a wide range of cultures, identities, and experiences, helping children see themselves reflected in the stories they hear—and to recognize the humanity and worth of others. Conversation, creative expression, and shared reflection invite children to wonder how their own choices and values shape the world around them.
Children are encouraged to speak, listen, and participate in ways that feel comfortable for them. There is no expectation to believe a certain way—only an invitation to explore and grow.
Connecting faith, values, and justice to real places, real stories, and the wider world.
As children grow, so does their ability to connect ideas across time, place, and experience. In this program, participants explore stories from Unitarian Universalist sources by tracing them to the real-world places they come from—ancient and modern, sacred and everyday.
Through storytelling, discussion, and “then and now” comparisons, children reflect on how beliefs, cultures, and movements for justice evolve over time. They are invited to consider how values are shaped by context—and how their own values are taking root as they grow.
This is a space where curiosity is welcomed, questions are encouraged, and thoughtful conversation helps children make meaning of a complex world.
"It has been transformative as a family to know that my children are free to learn about themselves and others in an environment where they can be who they are and learn how to be truly with and among others."
- Alissa C.
Youth Programs for Middle & High School Students
A place to question boldly, grow authentically, and make a difference
Our youth program is a space where young people are trusted to think deeply, explore openly, and show up as their full selves. Questions are welcomed, identities are honored, and no one is expected to have it all figured out.
Youth engage in meaningful conversations and shared experiences around spirituality, ethics, leadership, and justice—connecting Unitarian Universalist values with the real challenges and possibilities of their lives. Through service projects, worship, and multigenerational experiences, youth build relationships, discover their voices, and learn how to put love into action.
We believe young people are not just the future of the congregation—they are vital to its present. In a complex world that needs their energy and passion, we walk alongside our youth as they explore who they are, what they believe, and how they want to shape the world.
Religious Exploration by Age
A thoughtful supportive space for middle school youth to explore beliefs, identity, and growing independence.
Middle school is a time of rapid change, deep questions, and growing independence. Our program offers youth a trusting community where they can explore identity, values, and belief without pressure to have answers or arrive at conclusions.
In A Years, youth participate in a Coming of Age / Affirmation program that includes reflection on personal beliefs, a Unitarian Universalist history and heritage trip, and a youth-led worship service.
In B Years, youth take part in Our Whole Lives (OWL) sexuality education throughout the year, engaging age-appropriate conversations about relationships, bodies, consent, and values.
(The 2025–2026 program year is a B Year.)
Youth are encouraged to show up as their full selves, to listen deeply, and to support one another as they grow.
Youth build deep relationships, explore spirituality, and put Unitarian Universalist values into action.
Our high school youth group, YRUU (Young Religious Unitarian Universalists), is a space where teens are trusted to think deeply, speak honestly, and lead with integrity. Together, youth explore spirituality, ethics, and justice in ways that connect directly to their lived experiences.
The group meets bi-weekly and focuses on community building, service, leadership development, and the transition from youth programming into the wider life of the congregation. Youth help plan worship, engage in fundraising and service projects, and participate in meaningful trips—most often to Star Island and Kroka, a winter outdoor skills camp in New Hampshire.
In a complex world that needs their energy and passion, we walk alongside our youth as they discover their voices and learn how to live their values with courage and care.
"USNH is a wonderful community that embodies kind and compassionate values and supports our family’s spiritual journey."
- Nathan K.
Multigenerational Worship, Service, and Community
Children and youth are woven into the life of the whole congregation. USNH offers eight to ten multigenerational Sunday morning worship services each year, and children in Pre-K through 6th grade participate in monthly Children’s Chapel services led by the Director of Religious Exploration.
We also host a wide range of multigenerational activities, including U-lympics, Community Builds, holiday celebrations, and the Getting to Know U program, which pairs younger and older congregants for shared connection.
Service and justice are central to our Religious Exploration program. Children and youth participate in hands-on service through the Kids’ Service Team, including environmental projects, food justice efforts, and scientific research with Project Limulus. Through an annual reading-based fundraiser, we also support the education of our Philippine pen-pals through the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA).
Questions?
Contact Jesse Greist, Coordinator of Congregational Life and Director of Religious Exploration.
You can find him most Sunday mornings, email jesse.greist@usnh.org, or call 203.288.1807 ext. 203.
Jesse looks forward to hearing from you.