Congregation of Unitarian Universalists

Director of Religious Education: Now, before us stand those who are willing to answer the call to the ministry of teaching. This morning we wish to thank you for your commitment to this church, to our values, and especially to our children. You have accepted the responsibility of helping our children grow and develop within our community. The enthusiasm you show toward them, this church, and our Unitarian Universalist movement will help them as they develop their own spiritual identities. We wish you to know that we acknowledge the responsibility you have accepted and respect the commitment you have made. You will receive the questioning minds of our young people, guiding them on their spiritual paths.

Congregation: For the company of this community and other who have taught and guided us, we are grateful and offer thanks. You who have taken up the ministry of teaching, we give you our trust and pledge our support as you share your own walk of faith and understanding and teach our children the ways of love.

Parents: We thank you for your willingness to be with our children, to teach them, to guide them, and to be with them. We remind you that you are role models for our children. How you treat them and how you interact with each other teaches them more about who we are and what we believe than any lesson.

Congregation: We all have cause to be grateful to those who have taught us on our journeys.

Children:We are grateful to you for being our guides. Thank you for being our leaders. We look forward to spending time with you, having fun with you, and learning from you. We ask that you remember that we are people, too, and that you respect us. We will do our best to be open to you and to take part in all that you bring.

Teachers: We accept the responsibilities of being in the classrooms with our children. We promise to bring our enthusiasm, talents, and energies to helping them grow into the individuals that they will become. We ask that you support us in this endeavor. Be there when we need help. Listen to us when we need your ear. Mindful of your trust and of the responsibility for spiritual care, we take up this ministry of teaching with humility and accept your support with gratitude.

Presentation of the Flowers: The gardens of the world are full of many flowers, each different, each beautiful, each unique. May this flower remind us all that our children are like those flowers. Each is different, each is beautiful, each is unique. They are all worth of our time and our love.

Poem:

With a special gift for learning and with a heart that deeply cares,
You add a lot of love to everything you share,
And even though you mean a lot, you'll never know how much,
For you helped to change the world through every life you touched.
You sparked the creativity in the students whom you taught,
And helped them strive for goals, that could not be bought,
You all are special teachers, that no words can truly tell
However much you're valued for the work you do so well.

--Author Unknown