Coming of Age Program

This program is done throughout the UU denomination with 13 - 16 year olds as a way to acknowledge the transition from child to adult. COA is currently being done every other year and will run next fellowship year from January to May 0f 2010. Please email our DRE if you have any questions or if you are interested in being involved.

The goals of COA programs are:

To encourage youth to explore what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist;

To help youth move into the adult role of identifying and acting on personal beliefs and values;

To recognize and publicly honor the movement of a youth from childhood to adolescence within the Unitarian Universalist tradition.

Through mentoring and classes, the COA program:

Encourages youth to discuss, reflect on, and clarify his or her personal religious beliefs as part of lifespan faith development;

Provides opportunities for independent thinking, assuming responsibility, decision-making and exploration of values;

Encourages youth to put faith into action in his or her own life and community;

Components of COA usually include youth being paired with a mentor to work on above stated goals, planning and implementing a service project, presenting a credo (statement of faith) as part of a Coming of Age ceremony, and can include a trip to Boston to visit the UUA and other significant UU sites.

Our Whole Lives

Our Whole Lives is a series of sexuality curricula for six age groups: grades K – 1, grades 4 – 6, grades 7 – 9, grades 10 – 12, young adult and adult. OWL helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual health and behavior. It equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas: human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health and society and culture.

Grounded in a holistic view of sexuality, Our Whole Lives provides not only facts about anatomy and human development, but helps participants to clarify their values, build interpersonal skills, and understand the spiritual, emotional and social aspects of sexuality.

Facilitators are trained through the Unitarian Universalist Association and its local districts across the US and Canada.

Our Whole Lives Jr High (grades 7 - 9) is currently offered every other year at FUUFHC. Our Whole Lives will be offered this year starting in November 2008. If you are interested in participating, please contact our DRE for more information and orientation.