On May 18^th we will celebrate with seven young people who have completed the Coming of Age (COA) program.  This is an exciting time in our congregation,  as these young people read their statements of personal belief (credo statements) to the congregation and lead the worship service.  Why is this service one of the best every year? We are humbled by the amount of thought and consideration that our youth have invested in the examination of their own faith.

 

What is the Coming of Age celebration all about?  The ceremony is preceded by a year-long curriculum that helps our youth learn more about Unitarian Universalism and more importantly to articulate their own beliefs.

 

The re-start of the COA program began last April and continued each Sunday morning throughout the year with classes and discussion.  At least two aspects of the UUA’s program for youth are very important to this program: first, each student has an adult mentor, who gets to know the student and provides feedback as the student gradually begins to consider their personal beliefs. A second aspect is that the students write a credo statement: their own beliefs at this point in their lives.

 

The COA program is an opportunity for youth to explore who they are at this stage in their life, as they embark on a journey of faith and exploration about life’s most important questions. Over the course of the year, the youth begin to craft their own credo statements by engaging with topics that encourage them to discover what they know about the values at the heart of Unitarian Universalism.  Instead of prescribing what the youth should believe or feel, the teachers and mentors support our youth as they put into their own words their beliefs, guiding principles, and spiritual connections, and in so doing, give them the tools to communicate about who they are and what matters most to them.

 

This year, our seven students are supported by seven devoted mentors: Bill Hammons, Lane Devereau, Mackenzie Proulx, Marci Collier, Alejandra Posada, Dennis Fehr, and Rob Little.  They met with their students both in and out of class throughout the year and at the weekend retreats.  We are indebted to the dedicated teaching team, led by Gavin Mason and Deborah Wotring, for preparing curriculum and guided activities during the retreats, assisted by Rob Little and Leo Vandermeulen.  Thanks also to substitute teachers, Sarah Boyd, Bill Hammons, Alejandra Posada, and Rob Little.

 

With heartfelt thanks to our teachers, mentors, and retreat volunteers, we invite you to celebrate our youth as they lead the May 18th service and share their journeys.