Children and Teens in the Charlottesville Friends Meeting
The religious education of young people is a community process that happens both locally and through activities with the broader Quaker community. The Religious Education Committee works hard to provide our youth with a balanced program, with time spent on Quaker history, Quaker faith, the Bible and other spiritual writings, and social action. The summer camping program is also an important part of the their spiritual growth and development, and we work hard to make camp accessible to all.
During the academic year, children and teens gather for First Day School for the first 45 minutes of later worship; during the summer there is supervised play, often outdoors. Then, they move quietly into the meeting room to join us for worship. Their arrival is joyous for many of us and adds greatly to the worship experience. We know it can be especially hard for young children to stay perfectly still and quiet. That’s OK. Their quiet whispers, giggles, hums, or toddling around are sometimes a ministry to others in the room. If an adult rises to share a message, please encourage your child to listen.