What We Offer Through the Lifespan

We provide children, youth, young adults, and adults the opportunity to explore, reflect, and learn in a nurturing spiritual community. San Gabriel strives to inspire:

• Ethical growth – internalizing enduring values like justice, equity, and compassion, and gaining tools to act on them in everyday life.
• Social growth – connecting with peers and people of all ages on a deeper level. Finding acceptance among people who see beyond the superficial.
• Spiritual growth – feeling a connection with the sacred within, among, and beyond us.

What Do We Learn

Our congregation has adopted a themed approach to ministry. This means that on the first Sunday of each month we introduce a theme at a multigenerational worship service. After this brief service adults have time to discuss and children engage in an extended activity. Adults and children, having been present for the service together, can then continue to share what they’ve learned with each other at home. Engaging with themes is one way we promote faith formation for everyone in the family.

To help us program for the themes, San Gabriel subscribes to Soul Matters, a curriculum developed by UUs for UUs. Over 150 UU congregations subscribe to Soul Matters. Each monthly theme focuses on a spiritual value that our UU faith has historically honored and calls all of us to embody in our lives. Past themes have included topics such as Intention, Perseverance, Balance, Emergence, Creativity, and Blessing.

Classroom Helpers

San Gabriel’s safety policy requires two adults in the classroom at all times. Please consider joining our teachers in the classroom *one* Sunday per semester as a Classroom Helper. No preparation is necessary, simply show up at 10:30 a.m. and enjoy learning with, and from, our youngest UUs.

To volunteer, please contact our Religious Education Team at ReligiousEducation@sangabrieluu.org. We cannot hold class without you – thank you so much!

Nursery

Care for infants and children up to age 48 months is provided by our trained, paid caregivers who help them explore and play. The Nursery, located in the Little House, opens at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays.

Please sign in your child and leave a phone number so we can text you if we need you during the morning. Please remember to pick up your child by noon.

Child Dedications

A Child Dedication is a ceremony to offer welcome to a child of any age into our larger San Gabriel family and Unitarian Universalism. We will work closely with the child’s family to incorporate their wishes and often include:

• A blessing for the new life of the child
• An expression of the parent or parents’ hopes for the child
• A promise by the congregation to support and nurture the child

If you are interested in having your child dedicated, please contact our Religious Education Team for more information at ReligiousEducation@sangabrieluu.org.

Hush Childers

“Hush has been providing loving childcare for our Nursery since the summer of 2014, and has seen more than a few of our San Gabriel children grow up right in front of their eyes! They feel that children are the foundation of our community. So, by teaching them good choices and how to have fun constructively with their peers, they hope that they are contributing to society in some way. They also hope that their time with the kiddos will help alleviate some stress for parents while they attend service! In their spare time they like to play all kinds of games, practice their Japanese, and watch everything from fantasy to documentaries. Hush and their partner Liz live with their little schnauzer mix, Rhea.”

Adults

We offer a variety of adult religious education opportunities throughout the year and we have many groups who meet regularly. Subscribe to the Messenger to stay updated with our weekly news!