Families

Come and see! 

We celebrate children at U Temple! We know that the children are the future leaders of the church and the future decision-makers in the world. We are committed to giving children in our community the best role models for growing up to live compassionate lives full of love and care for each other.

NURSERY

We have a nursery that is open and staffed from 9:00 am-12 pm every Sunday on the floor above the sanctuary in the Shooting Star room, and during special events. The nursery does not provide lessons to children, but does offer games, books, and toys that reflect our shared values.

SUNDAY SCHOOL

For children who are ready for a little more than nursery care, there are two options for Sunday School at University Temple. At 9:00 a.m. during Enrichment Hour, older children meet in the Orca Room for a lesson about the theme of worship that day. These lessons cater to the older children (ages 5+) who will be in worship at 10:30. They include a story, an opportunity to engage with the story through craft, a snack, and a game. These lessons help children to engage with the message they will hear in worship so they can make connections at their level between community worship and individual actions.

During worship at 10:30 on Sunday, most children begin worship in the Sanctuary with the congregation, and then are called forward for a special story or conversation with Pastor Rich. At that point, some older children stay in the Sanctuary to worship, while the pre-school and elementary age children attend Sunday School in either the Orca room or the Wombat room. This program is a lively combination of singing, stories, prayer, crafts, and play, that follow the day’s worship themes. The goal of our Sunday School is to help the children learn foundational lessons about God and about worshiping together. This class is structured to help them connect Bible stories to their daily lives in meaningful ways.

During worship, children who are more comfortable staying with their parents are always welcome to stay with their parents. Parents who are more comfortable staying with their children are always welcome to stay with their children in the Sunday School classroom or nursery. If a child is in Sunday School or the nursery while their parents are in worship or at an event and the child is unhappy, three attempts to distract and engage the child will be made. If the child is still inconsolable, an adult will be notified to find the parent for further advice.

In order to ensure the safety of the children in Sunday School and the nursery, there is a locked door with a keypad at the entrance to the classroom hallway. To gain access to the hallway, you will need the code for the door, available to families from a Sunday School teacher. The first time a child visits, the teachers will get to know the child a little, including any food allergies the child may have. The teachers will also learn from the parents who is authorized to pick up the child. The teachers may request a cell phone number if the parents will be hard to find.

At U Temple, we are committed to providing a safe, nurturing place for all children. Because of this, we have a Safe Church Policy that sets high quality standards for all of our Family Ministries.