Upcoming Sunday Youth Classes and Events:
November Youth Religious Exploration:
We are now in our third month of exploring this year’s overarching frame: The Practices of Our Faith. With this practice-oriented frame, we are lifting up our long-loved UU commitment to “deeds, not creeds.” Each month’s theme helps us explore ways to embody liberating love in our daily lives. Our November theme is Living Love Through the Practice of Repair, through the exploration of democracy, memory, kindness, and honesty. A major goal this month is to help our youth understand the many tools we have available to heal each other and the world. We also hope to impress on them that these ways of going about repair do matter, regardless of how supposedly “large” or “small” they may be.
The theme of repair and the metaphor of tools of repair suggest the idea of construction, especially the idea that we human beings are constantly “under construction,” growing more and more into the best versions of ourselves. It’s a great way to make something abstract into something tangible and accessible for our group. Together, we hope we can experience a similar reminder we are works in progress, with no expectations of perfection and the assurance that this work of repairing the world is not something we have to do alone. Please reach out to one of us if you have questions, comments, or would like more information on our programming!
Much peace and love,
Religious Exploration
The Religious Exploration Department at UUCE enhances the spiritual growth of our infants, children, youth, and adults by providing a place where congregants of all ages share, interact, and experience “meaning making” about life within a welcoming environment of discovery and cooperation. The Unitarian Universalist Association and independent UU authors develop the curricula we have chosen with you in mind. Other components of our programming include worship, community building, special rituals and events, leadership development, social action, and fellowship. Our programming is open to all persons, whatever their religious background or present beliefs, non-beliefs & questionings.
Ask a Unitarian Universalist their definition or interpretation of what “religious” and “religious education” means in our faith, and you will receive many different answers. However varied these definitions, we are all certain of the role you play in your own experience in church. We believe that you are your own primary religious educator. We urge you to honor your own wonderings and wanderings and share them with other people in the church community. Everything and everyone in this congregation can contribute to your faith development. We work toward building an atmosphere that respects and cares about individual differences and personhood while developing a strong UU identity. We strive to build a multigenerational community that is enriched by the many cultural experiences we bring to one another. In this company of “seekers” you will find ways to further build upon our beloved community of memory and hope.
Our program is only made possible by Religious Exploration staff, as well as numerous volunteers, and the Religious Exploration committee.