​Children and Youth Opportunities
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Peace Village
​For the past few years, UCG has sponsored Peace Village, a day camp for K-6th grade students.  In this camp, kids develop skills in building peace with themselves, peace with others, peace with nature, and peace in the world. 

Children's Church and Kid's Club
During worship (and up until 11:15),  nursery care is available for infants & toddlers.  After the Children's Chat in morning worship, lower elementary students are invited to attend a Children's Church program which lasts until about 11:00. ​

High School Youth
Our high schoolers meet periodically throughout the year for a variety of activities including pool parties, cookouts, special service projects, and youth camp.  A well-loved tradition for UCG high schoolers is to participate in the week-long, Baptist Youth Camp at Laurel Hills Moravian Camp in the hills of rural North Carolina in late June or early July each year.  Many of our high schoolers also participate in the regular two-week long mission brigade to Rancho Ebenezer, a teaching "eco-farm" in rural Nicaragua.

Youth Group  All 6th-12th graders are welcome!
  Look for details posted in our newsletter: "Whats Up at UCG"

Youth Camp        
Each summer our rising 7th-12th graders have the opportunity to participate in Beloved Youth Camp, an enriching week spent with friends from around the country.  Our youth leader joins with leaders from other progressive churches to craft this week of fun and spiritual enrichment in the rolling hills of western North Carolina.

Here is the report from Julie Reiswig on this year's camp experience:
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Home from “B” Youth Camp.
Our camp theme last week was “Draw the Circle Wide”, with focus on the Book of Acts and the early church communities.  Our UCG contingent included 10 youth, 9 from our congregation plus my own granddaughter from New Mexico!  Ruth Satterfield and Andy McCall graciously committed to the kids for this trip with heartfelt involvement!!  Since we had rented a 12-passenger van for 13 people, Jay Satterfield agreed to help us make our way to North Carolina, then made the return trip to bring us back home - and surprised the youth with Pastor Alissia accompanying him!
The teenagers who are part of this UCG family are terrific human beings!  They support each other in ways that continue to touch my heart - When we drove away from the church lawn for camp, every new camper had been assigned to an experienced camper as their “Big Buddy.”  The pairs sat together in the van and used a list of interview questions know each other better, and by week’s end, the group was one.  
Without cellphones, the whole camp takes on a fun and connective energy.  Another small group of Florida teens were having a mission camp on the property, and seeing them sit around a table, each staring at phones, in contrast to our kids who were talking and laughing across each lunch table - the difference was striking!
Up to this point, camp has been known as “Baptist Youth Camp.”  Our camp congregations include one that is UCC, plus many people with different backgrounds than Baptist.  In an exercise of inclusion, youth were asked to propose a new name with the same letters, then imagine a backstory mythology to go with it!  This included art supplies and costumes and lots of silliness, and resulted in several options for the Planning Team to decide on at our fall retreat in October.
The whole camp takes time to write supportive notes to each other, deposited in the “camper mail” envelopes stuck to the windows of the dining hall.  It doesn’t take much to make someone feel appreciated, and when an older camper models this note writing, it spreads exponentially.  Our kids have experienced the simple power of making each other feel seen and known.
I watched our kids stretch their social muscles, and try new experiences.  I always ask them mid-week to name the new friends they’ve made, and one of our youth replied, “the people in our church group”!  Several of our youth stepped to the microphone to help with the worship service, or even participated in the variety show with music, jokes and skits.
Our teenagers are a treasured resource of our church family.  They always experience community at its finest at BYC, and they want more of that richness in their lives back home.  When you hear that they’ve spearheaded an inter-generational event, do your best to participate and benefit from connecting with these stellar young humans!
Julie Reiswig
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Some of the things we enjoy doing at camp:
Creating Giant bubbles
Walking the labyrinth
Playing gaga ball, basketball, volleyball, 9-ball, pickle ball and NERTZ!
Looking for shooting stars
Toasting s’mores
Singing with arms around a whole string of friends
Building communities out of Legos
Making art
DANCING and playing games
Trying on a new identity
Swimming, fishing, hiking, running
Sleeping
Getting up early to see the sunrise.
Staying up late to talk and laugh in the cabin
Writing affirming notes to lots of people you just met
Spending time with old friends
Building strong leg muscles!

UCC Camps and Activities
Throughout the year, middle and high school students are able to participate in regional retreats organized by the Central Southeast Ohio Association of the United Church of Christ.