Special Programs

Chalice Lighters: Each week during the year, a child is invited to lead the congregation in lighting the chalice of our faith.

Child Dedications: This ceremony honors the covenant of love and support between the congregation “church family” and infants, children and families. To learn more, contact our minister.

Children’s Choir: Our children’s choir meets weekly for rehearsal and sings regularly at worship services under the direction of our choir director, Robert Brown. For further information, contact Anne Marie Curran, .

Social Events: Throughout the year, we sponsor holiday celebrations such as a Buddy Breakfast, Thanksgiving Cornbread Communion and Flashlight Tour, Christmas Eve Play, Valentine’s Special Pals Breakfast, and an Easter Egg Hunt. We welcome your assistance to make these events fun for all!

Children’s Worship: Children and youth are provided a number of opportunities to participate in worship. Children begin their Sunday mornings in the Worship Service. All Community Worship Services are offered throughout the year. Classes such as Spirit Adventure and Spirit Play offer regular worship opportunities.

Our Whole Lives, 4th and 5th Grade (OWL): This is one part of a comprehensive life-span faith based sexuality program and will be offered for Grades 4 & 5 during the 11:15 service.

Bridging: A church-wide celebration recognizing our graduating high-school seniors as they transition to young adulthood.

Youth Choir: Our junior high youth have a chance to share their musical gifts and talents as they sing for the congregations.

Quest Coming of Age, Grades 7-8: Every other year, youth have the opportunity to participate in a program offered outside of Sunday morning. They meet monthly to share a series of experiences that gives them the chance to learn about themselves, their gifts, their strengths, and their weaknesses. Through this program, we want our youth to gain self-confidence, discover, celebrate, and honor their uniqueness. During their quest, they will have mentors within the church to share this experience with them as they grow. Youth completing the program will participate in a special Spring service.

Teens in the Adult Choir: We encourage our Teens to display their musical talents by joining the Adult Choir. The Adult Choir is open to youth in grades 9-12 and meets on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.

Teen Service: Teens are given an opportunity to plan a service each year in the spring. They bond together to share their many gifts with the congregation.

Youth Adult Committee (YAC): YAC is a group comprised of middle and high school youth and adults working together to administer and govern youth programming at the Unitarian Church of Norfolk. YAC gives them a set time to discuss issues that impact our youth. The committee will help to foster youth leadership and ownership of youth programs, brainstorm ideas of youth activities and develop policies and procedures surrounding those programs and activities.