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Coming of Age Group

Every two years our Fellowship offers our 7th and 8th graders the opportunity to explore their developing faith as part of our Coming of Age (COA) program. This program has many facets, including in-depth learning about UU history and principles, a mentor program that matches each youth with an adult in the congregation, a UU heritage trip to Boston, community involvement (both within and outside the Fellowship), and a marvelous culminating ceremony and celebration at the end of the year.

Information on our current Coming of Age program is below:

Coming of Age Goals

Our goals for the COA program are to:

  • Provide an enriching transitional experience for youth a UU rite of passage to mark that transition;
  • Form connections and community within the peer group of 6th-8th graders as well as between COA youth and adults and older youth in the congregation;
  • Provide a meaningful program, by the end of which youth will:
    • Be able to articulate their belief system;
    • Feel comfortable participating in worship and other programs at UUFNW;
    • Understand Unitarian Universalist history and heritage;
    • See themselves as a part of UUFNW and the larger Unitarian Universalist movement; and
    • Feel a sense of social responsibility and understand their power to create justice in our world.

Expectations of Youth

  • Attendance at all 11 Sunday evening classes.
  • Attendance at Sunday morning classes as often as possible.
  • Participation in one Sunday worship service (chalice lighting, reading, dance/music or something else).
  • Monthly meeting with adult mentor for conversation.
  • Participation in two (2) social action service projects.
  • Interview with one (1) UUFNW member about their spiritual journey (complete by April 24).
  • Participation in trips to Murray Grove (a Universalist historical site in New Jersey) and Boston, as possible.
  • Preparation of a reflection on your beliefs (“credo statement”) by May 31.
  • Participation in COA Worship service on June 7.

Expectations of Parents

  • Volunteer support for the program. Each youth’s parent(s) are expected to take on one volunteer role.
  • Volunteer as assistant teacher for at least one Sunday evening class.
  • Commit to facilitating your child’s fulfillment of expectations of youth (above).
  • Financial support for COA program and trip (amount TBD based on budget for program). Scholarship assistance is available—talk to Rev. Michael about this if it will be needed.

Sunday Morning Religious Education: Compass Points

Several parents have expressed an interest in a Sunday morning component to the COA program, in order to deepen the experience for our youth and provide more continuity than an every-three-weeks class can provide. Some expressed a reluctance to add this as a mandatory part of the program. We have sought a middle ground between those two positions.

In selecting the Compass Points curriculum, we chose a curriculum that other congregations have successfully used for this age group. This curriculum has far too many sessions to complete on Sunday evenings, and the Sunday evening exploration will use the sessions in the curriculum that center on articulating beliefs and theology.

We have chosen to offer the rest of the curriculum as part of the Fellowship’s Religious Education program on Sunday mornings throughout the year in order to complement the evening sessions. While attendance at these sessions will not be mandatory for completion of the COA program, we feel strongly that regular attendance at the Sunday morning sessions (see reverse) will deepen each youth’s experience in this program. We hope that all participating COA youth will make an effort to attend the Compass Points classes on Sunday morning.

COA Calendar 2008-2009

Dates for 2009 are currently tentative dates subject to change in the next month based on school and sports calendars as well as the RE calendar for the year. We hope to have firm dates by October 26.

September

  • 14 - 5:30-7:30pm - Evening Class with Rev. Michael
  • 20-21 - Metro New York District Junior High Retreat, Bear Mtn.

October

  • 5 - 5:30-7:30pm - Evening Class with Rev. Michael
  • 12 - 10:30-11:45am - Compass Points Class
  • 19 - 10:30-11:45am - Compass Points Class
  • 26 - 5:30-7:30pm - Evening Class with Rev. Michael
  • Fall Service Project
November

  • 2 - 10:30-11:45am - Compass Points Class
  • 9 - 10:30-11:45am - Compass Points Class
  • 16 - 5:30-7:30pm - Evening Class with Rev. Michael
December
  • 7 - 5:30-7:30pm - Evening Class with Rev. Michael
January

  • 11 - 5:30-7:30pm - Evening Class with Rev. Michael
  • 18 - 10:30-11:45am - Compass Points Class
  • 25 - 10:30-11:45am - Compass Points Class
February

  • 1 - 5:30-7:30pm - Evening Class with Rev. Michael
  • Winter Service Project
  • 8 - 10:30-11:45am - Compass Points Class
  • 22 - 10:30-11:45am - Compass Points Class
March

  • 1 - 5:30-7:30pm - Evening Class with Rev. Michael
  • 6-7 - Trip to Murray Grove
  • 15 - 10:30-11:45am - Compass Points Class
  • 22 - 5:30-7:30pm - Evening Class with Rev. Michael
  • 29 - 10:30-11:45am - Compass Points Class
April

  • Spring Service Project
  • 5 - 10:30-11:45am - Compass Points Class
  • 18-19 - Metro New York District Junior High Youth Conference, Westport, CT
  • 24-26 - Weekend Trip to Boston (leave at 5pm Friday, return 8pm Sunday)
May

  • 3 - 5:30-7:30pm - Evening Class with Rev. Michael
  • 10 - 10:30-11:45am - Compass Points Class
  • 17 - 10:30-11:45am - Preparing for our COA Service
  • 31 - 5:30-7:30pm - Evening Class with Rev. Michael
June

  • 6 - time TBA - COA Service rehearsal
  • 7 - 10:30am - COA Service
  • 7 - 12:00pm - COA Party with the Congregation
  • tba - COA Wrap-Up with UUFNW Youth Group

Last modified on Thursday, September 18, 2008 3:30pm