The Nursery & Young Children's Program at Eliot Chapel
From May 24-August 31, 2025, the nursery is open each Sunday from 9:30-11:15 for the summer worship service for children aged five and younger who need freedom of movement. The nursery is staffed by Tim Bubb, Anna Beck, and rotating Eliot volunteer leaders. Summer worship services are at 10:00 am.
For questions about summer nursery staffing and volunteer information, please contact Anna and Brooke at summernursery@eliotchapel.org.
Religious Education (RE) classes for young children resume in September 2025 Please contact Scott Stewart at
scott@eliotchapel.org for up-to-date information about programs and classes for young children next fall and beyond.
We are all flames.
When we gather hand in hand in our church,
our community, and our home.
We inspire, we celebrate, we come together
Sharing our light of hope for our shared future.
—By UU children Josh, Prudence, and Percival Roburn
Young Children's Activities (Coming Fall 2025)
*Note: During the summer months (May 24-August 31, 2025), Eliot holds one worship service at 10:00 a.m. each Sunday with nursery care offered for children five and younger. Beginning September 7, 2025, two worship services are offered at 9:45 & 11:15. The nursery is open during both services while all other Religious Education activities take place at 9:45.
Supervised play and age-appropriate UU activities for nursery and young children aged five and younger on August 1, 2025 (usually kindergarten and younger) are available during the 9:45 worship service most Sundays beginning September 7, 2025.
Nursery: For children aged three and younger, the nursery is full of books, toys, music, and fun during the 9:45 service beginning September 7, 2025. Supervision and care are provided by Eliot staff members and volunteer leaders beginning at 9:30 on Sunday morning.
The nursery is also open during the 11:15 worship service beginning September 7, 2025 for childcare for children aged five and younger.
Most worship services are livestreamed on the large television in Adams Hall. Parents & caregivers who wish to view the service and remain with their children in an area with freedom of movement are welcome to use Adams Hall.
Chalice Children, Eliot’s young children’s class, meets most Sundays September-May and is designed to provide an introduction to Unitarian Universalism for young children. Chalice Children will meet during the 9:45 service beginning September 7, 2025.
Chalice Children gatherings are led by staff and volunteer leaders and include free play, stories, and activities from Unitarian Universalist curricula for young children, including
Chalice Children,
Soul Matters,
Rainbow Connection, and UU activities exploring the
shared values in Unitarian Universalism. These curricula provide age-appropriate introductions to UU values, identity, heritage, and spirituality. When weather and staffing permit, a portion of the time may be spent on the Eliot Chapel Nursery School Playground or doing outdoor activities, especially during the early fall and spring months.
Chalice Children is designed primarily with children ages four and five (by August 1, 2025) in mind, most of whom will be in older preschool or kindergarten during the 2025-26 school year. The Chalice Children class is open to children slightly younger and slightly older at their family's discretion.
Note: Classes and age groups may be combined or rearranged at any time based on enrollment, attendance, and availability of volunteers and staff. All classes, regardless of the ages, are required to have two adults present at all times in accordance with Eliot’s Safe Congregation Policy.
Getting Involved
For more information about the young children’s program, or to learn more about how to get involved, contact Scott Stewart at scott@eliotchapel.org.
