Programming alternates between Coming of Age and Neighboring Faiths. See below for details.

Please contact our Director of Religious Education (dre@uusocietyamherst.org) for more information for more information.

Neighboring Faiths (Crossing Paths)

This program is an excellent introduction to world religions and the faith communities that practice around us in the Amherst area.  The Neighboring Faiths program involves visiting one area faith community once a month and talking about the experience in relation to the UU faith.  Neighboring Faiths will prepare the youth for the following year when we hope they will participate in the Coming of Age program.

Coming of Age

The year starts with a bonding experience like a ropes course (or a group hike and games) and ends with a pilgrimage to Boston to learn about UU heritage. One of the most important aspects of this curriculum is time devoted to learning spiritual practices such as prayer, meditation, social justice, art — focused time to leave behind any stress and concentrate fully on being at peace.  The beginning of the year is ritually started with a ceremony in church and the end of the year is marked by the kids sharing their credos — or personal faith statements — with the congregation.  A parents’ program is offered at the same time and that program focuses on exploring the faith aspect of the curriculum the youth are exploring.