Religious Exploration Programming

Currently, all children join together for our exploration. These classes take place during the Sunday morning worship service at 11:00 AM. Classes are engaging and fun. We hope you will join us.

This Year: (Beginning in September 2023) We are happy to be exploring together as the very first UUYO Jedi Academy!

Jedi are the guardians of peace in the galaxy.
Jedi use their powers to defend and to protect.
Jedi respect all life, in any form.
Jedi serve others rather than ruling over them, for the good of the galaxy.
Jedi seek to improve themselves through knowledge and training.

We are excited to announce the brand-new Jedi Academy for Fall on September 10th! Many of our children and youth are enthusiastic about the use of pop culture in our summer programs. But how does our Jedi Academy fit as UU faith development?

Many “pop culture” stories offer far more than mere fantasy. As “modern mythology,” these stories of substance have the ability to speak to a modern audience in ways that more traditional sources cannot.

The Star Wars Saga began “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.” In addition to the original trilogy of movies and the prequel trilogy, Star Wars has inspired countless spin-off books, television series, computer and video games, and other fan enterprises, including costume play, conventions, live action role playing, and more.

But, more significant to our purposes, the world of the Jedi has inspired real-life practices of spirituality. The philosophies of Star Wars have been explored, examined, and adopted by many. Some even consider “Jediism” to be their legitimate religion, though it incorporates beliefs from many different philosophies. The Jedi believe in the ‘Living Force’, a spiritual presence that surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds all the matter in the universe together.

Students do not need to be familiar with the Star Wars movies or stories to participate.

Our “Jedi Academy” will offer younglings (PreK through 2nd grade) and padawans (3rd through 8th grades) an opportunity to develop practical spiritual skills. These will include:

  • Courage (physical training, including some light saber training, along with peacekeeping and how to make good choices despite forces pulling in other directions)
  • Insight (Exploration of big questions – good, evil, death, morality and more)
  • Skill (Mindfulness training and using that to become a positive force for change in the world, even (and especially) when the odds do not seem in their favor)
  • Senses (Connection of the body and physical experience to spirituality)
  • Spirit (Spiritual practices grounded in Unitarian Universalism which will allow them to feel connected to something larger than themselves…a larger purpose, a greater strength, a sense of lineage, etc.)

We intend to offer hands-on, active training for our Jedi younglings and padawans throughout this course, so we are seeking Jedi masters and apprentices to help teach them the ways of the Force. Sign up by contacting Kathleen: dre@uuyo.org

We also ask each family that is willing and able to contribute $20 for special Jedi materials. Cash should be in an envelope with your family name written on it. Checks should be made out to UUYO with Jedi Academy on the memo line. Either can be placed in my mailbox in the church office.

May the Force be with you!

Also, please explore our recorded programming YOGAART: Unitarian Universalist principles

explored through yoga and art. These are videos that run about a half hour.

YOGAART Our Eight Principles of Unitarian Universalism

  • You matter
  • Offer fair and kind treatment
  • Grow and learn together
  • Always search for truth
  • All people have a say
  • Responsibility for peace is shared by all of us
  • Take care of our planet
  • We believe in fighting Racism *

In these videos, you can join us at any time as we spend about a half hour exploring a UU principle through story, yoga, art and song.  Each session is designed to be engaging for children and adults alike.  Try a new yoga pose, learn a new song or create something beautiful. 

All Ten Sessions are available by selecting the links below:

Session One

Session Two

Session Three

Session Four

Session Five

Session Six

Session Seven

Session Eight

Session Nine

Session Ten

* Please note: YOGAART was created prior to the addition of our eighth principle. We will be working on updates as we are able.