By Lauren Wyeth

• View the recording (Vimeo) of Kind, Clear and Heartful: Effective Boundaries in Faith Development. 
• Read the captions of the recording.
• Explore the Resources and Slides from this session (Google docs).

By Joy Berry

Siding with Love, Centered in Love

The state-sponsored violence in Minneapolis and around the US is calling UUs, in body and spirit: to side with love, protect each other, and advocate for change, in the face of hate and injustice. Our communities, congregations, and families need the blessings of faith now, more than ever. This month’s resources center LOVE, and encourage learning and action to build the beloved community, even — and especially — when despair, anger, and grief threaten to overwhelm us.

Introducing 30 Days of Love 2026: Reimagining the World as It Could Be

If hope is a discipline, spiritual practice is how we cultivate it — shaping who we are and what we can build together. Includes written reflection; family activity; journal prompts; meditative body practice; and coloring sheet, connected to the weekly theme.

Side With Love’s Minnesota Resource Kit

A continually updated resource kit from UUA’s Organizing Strategy Team, designed to support people in Minnesota and across the country. Want to take action with your neighbors, or ground your community spiritually? This toolkit offers a clear starting point.

Hate, Violence, and Trauma: Supporting Families, Children, Youth, and Congregations

State sponsored violence is impacting us all. You want to help our children, youth, and families to emotionally and spiritually process what is happening — in and beyond our communities. Tips for grounding and creating a plan, with other resources to look to.

Love and Help: Paper Chain Resistance (whole church activity)

Amy Peterson, religious educator near Minneapolis, invited her whole church to create a paper chain, sharing their acts of resistance and care: helping with bus stop and school drop-off patrols, bringing meals to people, holding space for community joy, and more. She said: “Watching this chain grow is a visual representation of our solidarity and power, and a reminder that we are not in this alone. We are surrounded by helpers, and centered in love.”
The invitation: create a paper chain of your own in your congregation, and share your pictures and stories. Amy will include in her worship service on Sunday, February 15.

Creative Lament Activity — Resources from Side With Love

Community rituals are essential for collective healing and resistance. This zine-making activity helps name our grief and ground in faith, and ngages the whole church RE embodied practices of “community making” and “sacred stories.”

Liberation for Littles: Navigating Rising Fascism Together

Monday | February 9 | 12 — 2:30 PM EST 

This FREE workshop, hosted by Sudanese artist and writer Rania El Mugammar, is for parents, caregivers, and all who want to be in liberatory community with children. We will discuss how to explain our current conditions to little ones, how to equip them (and ourselves) and how to organize alongside them to resist and transform our realities. Registration required.

Suggested Additional Resources

Love at the Center (book)
A testimony to love’s theological power — from UU religious history, to lessons drawn from the natural world, the justice rally, and the quiet moment before worship begins. MayLove at the Center deepen your own understanding and practices of love.

We Care (board book, ages 2-4) Research says challenging topics should be discussed early and often with kids. This book introduces the idea of justice within the responsibilities and benefits of being part of a healthy, loving community.

We’re Not Alone — Sesame Workshop (video, ages 3-6) Being a good community member means remembering that what you say and do matters to others. A music video on the power of community connections, particularly in the face of violence.

Share Your Love (book, ages 3-7) This book teaches children how to wish others happiness, good health, peace, and safety. A great daily ritual of lovingkindness — and if a child is struggling after witnessing harm, repeating the metta can help.

Safe Crossing (book, ages 5-8) Want to develop love-centered civic engagement in young children? An empowering story shows how even the youngest citizens can raise awareness about a cause they love, drive change, and unite people locally and globally.

Love and Help (workbook, ages 7-11) Helps kids actively deepen their lived UU identity. Includes stories, activities, and thoughtful questions to help children better understand themselves, their family, their community, and their faith.
Signs of Our Faith: Being UU Every Day (curriculum, ages 8-11) Signs of Our Faith guides children to live faithfully. Focuses on ideals, values and rituals centering love and justice — including public witness.Note: Use with care. Overall, very good, but is no longer being updated; may need targeted adaptation for this moment.

Black History Month

Black Lives Matter Worship Collection (reflections, prayers, readings, and more)

Black UU Ancestors: Three short videos on the life and work of Rev. Ethelred Brown,Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, and Lewis Hayden.

Rooting for Us: Celebrating the Centennial of Black History Month (reflection) Anti-Blackness is deeply rooted in American culture. Celebrating Black people and affirming their accomplishments is a way to build unity, and doesn’t take away from anyone else’s joy.

Let My People Go! (story for all ages) A powerful pairing of the biblical story and the work of Rosa Parks, whose meaning is amplified in this moment of injustice and violence.

The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks (book, young readers’ edition) Illustrates the effort to expose and eradicate racism in jobs, housing, schools, and public services, as well as police brutality — and how Rosa Parks was a key player throughout.

Poemhood: Our Black Revival (book, ages 13+) Thirty-seven powerful poetic voices reflecting the diversity of the Black experience. A conversation about race, faith, heritage, and resilience between fresh poets and the literary ancestors that came before them.

This is Not a Small Voice (book, ages 8-12) Collection of poems about hope and struggle, joy and pride, home and food, music and family. Each is paired with vibrant, inviting illustrations.

Professional Development

OWL online training for grades 7/9, 10/12 and K/1 are upcoming, in February and March. All trainings are posted on the UUA OWL calendar — see details, dates and how to register there.

Threshold Conversation Panel: Trauma-Informed Ministry

Join us for the Threshold Conversations’ final topic, with virtual panel discussion followed by a Q&A with panelists, on February 24, 11-1 ET. Learn more and register in the links above.

Dimensions of Faith Development: Sparks Module

Online — Tuesdays in March, 3-5 ET. Develop a method for dismantling white supremacy through Lifespan Faith Development; learn how it is central to congregational work. Registration fee is $200 — limit of 20 participants.Register by March 3.

UU Youth Ministry: Sparks Module

Online — Tuesdays, February 24 — March 3, 6:30-9 ET. Explore aspects of UU youth ministry including history, youth empowerment, and spiritual lives of teens in today’s world. Registration fee is $300 — limit of 15.Register by February 17.

Kind, Clear and Heartful: Effective Boundaries in Faith Development
Boundaries are part of the soil that nurtures our relationships and helps our ministry thrive. Missed the last meetup? The link above includes recording, slides, and the resources shared.

By Joy Berry

With the rush of the holiday season behind us, you may be looking for plug and play options that make the little decisions in Religious Education easier now — especially if you are gearing up for new trainings and programs soon. This month’s round up includes resources for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and UU justice learning, ideas to help you plan ahead for Chinese New Year, and a collection of youth ministry content to deepen and strengthen your understanding of that vital work.

Seasonal Resources: Activities, Stories, Articles and Books

Jan 16: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

• Celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday
• Adult books on/by MLK Jr. from Beacon Press
• I Have a Dream: collaborative mural activity

Whole Church Faith Development Goal: Justice Learning

• Justice & Inclusion — All about the UUA’s justice initiatives, in one place.

• Mosaic Anti-racism Curriculum — Cultivate UU identity and share the work of becoming anti-racist with this lifespan learning curriculum.

• Group Rhythm and Social Justice Stretch — All-ages activities from Deeper Joy. Build shared spiritual muscles for the work of community organizing and collective solidarity.

• “On This Day” — The Zinn Education Project supports the teaching of people’s history. The website offers free lessons and articles by theme for middle and high schoolers.

• A Protest History of the United States — This book for adults reminds us that dissent is an essential tool for eliciting long lasting change.

• Rise Up! — Learn about 25 moments of resistance and revolution in American history. Protest is American by definition! Ages 6-8.

• A Change is Gonna Come — Sam Cooke’s legendary and beloved civil rights anthem is brought to life for the first time with stunning illustrations by Nikkolas Smith. Ages 4-8.

• We Are the Builders! (Connected to this year’s UU Common Read)
  Welcome to our Community Day! Ready to find your role to play? An intro to community organizing and finding your place in a movement. Ages 3-7.

February 17: Lunar New Year (Fire Horse)

• Crafts, printable and activities to support RE and whole church learning for the Lunar New Year.

• Learn how to make space for cultural variations on the Lunar New Year.

• All Are Welcome — When the whole community gathers for a New Year’s party, they learn and grow from each other’s traditions. Book for ages 4-8.

Youth Ministry Round Up

• Youth Engagement: What We’re Learning (Feb 2025)
• Rethinking Youth Leadership (Apr 2025)
• BIPOC Youth Ministry Report Recommendations (Jan 2025)
• Needs and Opportunities as Identified by UU High School Youth 2025
• 50 Years of UU Youth Ministry — a Timeline (May 2025)

Upcoming Events/Trainings for Religious Educators

• UUA Faith Development Co-Lab’s Winter RE Meet-Up

“Kind, Clear and Heartful: Effective Boundaries in Faith Development”: REPs explore the topic with presentations, breakout groups, and interactive activities. Register by date of event — January 20.

• Peer Study Group: Facilitation for Transformation
  A discussion group for those who want to take the Facilitation for Transformation course together. This course prepares facilitators for the Mosaic Anti-racism curriculum.
• Philosophy of RE Sparks Module
  Learn about the influential ideas that have shaped UU RE — and better articulate YOUR personal RE philosophy. Register by January 13.
• Ministry with Youth Sparks Module
  Explore aspects of UU youth ministry including history, youth empowerment, and resources. Register by February 17.

By Joy Berry

Resources for Faith Development, December 2025 

In this busy time at year’s end, religious educators and volunteers may be stretched thin by the abundance of “holy days and holidays”: so many congregational events, pageants, ceremonies, and celebrations happening! We hope the resources offered here can make some part of it just a little easier — and support you in finding ways to rest now, and center your spirit for the year ahead.

Worship Web offers seasonal resources for most holidays, with links to relevant articles, activities and stories. Here are some ideas for the weeks ahead:

• Opening Words: Celebrating the Darkness
• Celebrating Advent
• Celebrating Winter Solstice / Yule
• Celebrating Christmas Eve / Christmas
• Celebrating Hanukkah
• Celebrating Kwanzaa
• Questions about Chalica?
• Fire Communion / Burning Bowl

Stories, Activities, and Readings for the Season

Chalice Snowflake Instructions
This timeless activity is an easy way to encourage multigenerational connections. The shared making — and meaning making! — makes this a low-input, high-return offering.

The Christmas Story (As Best We Can Remember It)
Tony Bianca, religious educator at First UU San Diego, helped kids tell the tale via zoom in 2020. Consider sharing the clip as an all ages story (potentially with volunteers acting it out).

Snow Kid
A “gentle, reassuring” wintery picture book about a kid snowman finding out what it means to truly be ourselves — even when we, or things around us, change.

Aisha’s Moonlit Walk 
A pagan family celebrates 8 special days around the wheel of the year. Includes activities and discussion guide for each.

A Treasury of African American Christmas Stories 
Historical stories and poems reflecting the Christmas experiences of everyday African-Americans; includes deeper topics.

Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times
An invitation to change how we relate to our own fallow times.Wintering models an active acceptance of sadness, and the nourishment of the deep retreat of winter.

Give Me a Word:The Promise of an Ancient Practice to Guide Your Year

Thirty contemplative and creative practices invite you to slow down and listen for a word to guide you through the year ahead.

Sacred Bow: An Intentional Way to Close Out the Year & Start the New Year
A practice guide to learning from and letting go of the past; looking forward mindfully; and creating a plan to be intentional in how we spend the next year.

Sabbath Practices for Wintertime
What would it look like to not just accept and survive our times of rest, but to delight in them?

New Curricula from UUA

Journeys of Deeper Joy A roleplaying curriculum for all ages, with young people in mind.

Religious Education Study Guide: Love at the Center – Defending Trans Lives and Democracy. Framing quotes, discussion questions, and actionable steps to help congregations learn how to practice love and interdependence.

Timely Professional Development

New Religious Education Professional Orientation - Fridays in January and February

Organizing to Make a Difference in Our Communities

The examples below demonstrate the Whole Church embodied practice of Public Witness. Sharing and discussing these examples can support faith formation in congregations — especially UU Identity Development.

• Helping Hands, Full Plates: With Looming Halt to SNAP Benefits, UUs Prep Emergency Food Support (UU World, October 31)
• People Power: UUs in Georgia are Energized for Utility Justice (UU World, October 30)
• UUs Are Helping During the SNAP Crisis (In Good Faith Blog, October 29)
• Rev. Sofía Betancourt at No Kings with UUA Board of Trustees (Facebook, October 23)
• Unitarian Universalists from Across the Country Say “No Kings!” (In Good Faith Blog, October 20)

The Side with Love Action Center has resources for immediate action and sustainable resistance, helping leaders stay grounded in justice, wisdom, and collective strength.

By Erica Baron, Lauren Wyeth, Melissa James

Introduction

In Spring 2025, the UUA Wave Cohort called “Caring for Parents as Whole Beings” gathered UUs who

 are parents currently raising children to learn more about the challenges their families face and what kinds of support they want from their congregations.

We invited a diverse group of parents to join us for three gatherings. We also worked with a BIPOC facilitator to convene a conversation focused specifically on the experiences of BIPOC parents. Recruiting participants was a challenge because parents are overwhelmed and overscheduled. Eventually, we talked to 12 parents in the course of four conversations and a written survey.

 As facilitators, we came into this experience already knowing something about the disconnect between the expectations of congregations and the lived reality of families in 2025. We were also informed by the 2024 Surgeon General’s Advisory, “Parents Under Pressure.”

Here is what we learned from our conversations with the parents in our cohort in response to the three big questions that Meet the Moment waves are considering.

1. What is the moment we are in?

It is hard to be a parent/caregiver raising children right now. This was confirmed and made much more concrete and present through our wave cohort.

The degree of economic precarity that our families are living with was striking. About half of our families reported struggling to pay for housing (rent or mortgage). One of our families has two adults and a young child. Both adults work two jobs in order to afford housing. One of our participants mentioned how helpful it would be for congregations to serve enough food at coffee hour for it to be lunch because going out to lunch after worship is a hardship.

This aligns with the findings in the Surgeon General’s advisory, which reports that 66% of parents feel “consumed by worries” about money compared to 39% of other adults; 1 in 4 parents report that there were times in the last year when they did not have enough money for basic needs.

This is a very different reality from most Unitarian Universalist congregations 30-40 years ago. Our communities have often thought of “us” as well-off – or at least comfortable – and so our work to provide people with the basic necessities of life is usually directed “out there.” Now, our families are struggling (and many of them have been struggling beneath the radar all along).

The Surgeon General’s advisory tells us that parents in the 2020s are working more. Compared to parents in the 1980s, fathers work 4% more hours and mothers work 28% more hours. But more significantly, parents are parenting more. Compared to parents in the 1980s, mothers spend 40% more time directly parenting, while fathers spend 154% more time directly parenting. (Sadly, the gender binary built into the data from the report is reflected in these statistics.)

This time crunch was definitely a theme in our cohort. Parents agreed that they – and their kids – generally have too many obligations. UU community gatherings that require extra effort and expense might sound helpful, but can actually add to their feeling of overwhelm. The most inviting offerings are free and low-stress, with a “come-as-you-are” vibe. For example, one parent talked about how their congregation was hosting a parents’ night out, but they were the only family who signed up, so the event was cancelled. They felt that really deeply because they were really counting on that time.

Our cohort also had some experiences that are not quite as widely shared among all US parents. Parents of neurodivergent kids were overrepresented in our cohort compared to the general US population. One of our participants pointed out that this is likely not a coincidence. Rather, neurodiverse/neurodivergent families may be drawn to UU communities because of our stated commitments to inclusion. Time and money challenges were greater for these families. For example, several participants cited not having the money for the extensive testing recommended for their child. Another talked about how caring for their child’s needs sometimes takes more time than anticipated, making it harder to get places on time.

2. What are the most important and urgent needs of this moment?

Our cohort participants lifted up a need for practical support. Picking up on themes from the previous question, our families need (but are hesitant to ask for) financial assistance. Many need support with housing, healthcare and other basic necessities.

And our parents need more time. They need time alone or with their partners and friends without kids. They need time to attend to logistical tasks, such as arranging carpools, signing up for summer camp, cooking dinner, etc. They need time with other parents currently raising children for support, commiseration, and collaboration. And they need time for rest and sleep.

Although our cohort included both kids and parents who are trans/nonbinary, our cohort participants didn’t talk about the particular needs of trans families very much. But it feels important to say a couple things here. First, families with trans and nonbinary kids are disproportionately represented in UU congregations – again, likely due to our commitment to inclusion. Second, this is a very difficult time to be trans/nonbinary or to parent someone who is trans/nonbinary in the US. Support, care, and practical assistance for these families is critically important and urgent.

Finally, every parent in our cohort expressed a deep longing for understanding. They need their fellow congregants to understand the level of struggle they are living with. This includes understanding that parenting really is harder (on average) than it used to be. They need congregations to understand that there is very little that individual families can do about those challenges, so blaming these parents for their lack of availability to volunteer or the resources to donate in high amounts is not helpful.

In other words, the people currently raising children are not able to come and save our congregations. They need us to save them.

3. How do our UU values call us to respond to the urgent needs of parents and families in this moment?

The Surgeon General’s report offers three recommendations that congregations are well positioned to act on:

The first is, “Elevate the voices of parents and caregivers to shape community programs and investments.” In other words, ask them what they need. 

You can learn from this report, but don’t forget to ask your own families about their specific needs on a regular basis.

It is difficult for many of us to acknowledge our needs or to ask for help. The dominant culture tells parents that if they’re working hard and in the right kind of family and parenting the way they should, everything will be fine. So parents who are admitting they’re not fine need validation and support – definitely not doubt or blame. Believe them. Normalize their experience. Empathize. Reassure them they are not alone. Thank them for their courage and honesty.

Once you have heard these needs, be willing to reimagine how you provide ministry to children, youth, and families. For example, could you provide programming on different days of the week or at different times? How could you structure programming to meet the specific needs parents are raising?

The second recommendation from the Surgeon General’s report is, “Create opportunities to cultivate supportive social connections among parents and caregivers.”

In other words, parents need time together to build community.

For example, they want ways to quickly check in with the wisdom of other parents/caregivers, such as a chat group where they can ask things like, “Are you letting your kid(s) watch that new show everyone is talking about?” Parents in our cohort and in other conversations often express a desire for relatively unstructured or unprogrammed time with other families where the kids can keep each other busy, allowing the parents to talk to each other.

The third recommendation is, “Equip parents and caregivers with resources to address parental stressors and connect to crucial support services.” 

In other words, help them find resources in the larger community, and offer some resources yourselves.

What do you already do to support your members that you could extend to parents? For example, if you already provide meals to members of the congregation who are struggling, maybe you could provide dinner to your families sometimes. Maybe offerings to support those struggling financially in your larger community could also include financial support to the families in your congregation who are struggling.

We recommend that a whole meal be offered every time you invite families to show up in person at the congregation. That might mean breakfast before and/or lunch after Sunday worship or dinner at evening events. This helps both financially and time-wise by providing food they neither have to purchase nor prepare. (Potlucks where parents are expected to bring something are generally not experienced as helpful; they can actually be more expensive and more time consuming than regular family meals.)

Finally, if we step back from the details of each family’s day to day challenges, we can see that many of the stresses parents are experiencing come from larger systems and structures. 

Parents are working multiple jobs or worried about money because the cost of living keeps increasing, and incomes for all but the very wealthy are not keeping up. Compared to parents in the 1980s, parents in the 2020s have much higher debt on average, driven by the massive increases in the costs of higher education and housing. These conditions continue to get harder and harder for an increasing number of American households, both those raising kids and others.

The current social and political climate is exacting a huge toll, particularly on families with targeted identities. And every parent in our cohort is worried about their child(ren)’s future, given the violence, instability, and uncertainty we are experiencing locally, nationally and around the globe.

If we really want our parents/caregivers and families to thrive, we need to take an active role in healing the context of their lives. Let us keep this in mind as one more reason we do the work to make our values real in our congregations and in the larger world.

By Joy Berry

As the last leaves fall and we wake to frosty mornings, we know colder, shorter days and longer, darker nights are on their way. This month’s resources remind us that humans have always created special ways to gather, share, tell stories, and strengthen community bonds, to help each other through the most challenging times.

November’s Concepts, Values and Practices for Religious Education

Consider engaging these themes in your programming and communications this month; see more info on each in the links.

Key UU Values: Interdependence, Generosity, Pluralism
Key Concepts: Covenant, Community, Connection, Gratitude, Care
Key Embodied Practices: Faithful Conversations, Sacred Stories and Joyful Connections

Seasonal Resources on Communion

Thanksgiving is the dominant national seasonal theme in November. It is a special holiday for many Americans, when friends and families make time to travel and prepare for a shared meal and special time together. The holiday’s origin story, however, is more complex and problematic — a colonial project of historic whitewashing that still causes harm today. As such, the holiday reminds us of two opposing realties: our gratitude for human connection and deep interdependence in community — and of the ways we too often dismiss and dehumanize those we do not consider part of it. UUs often plan a “Bread Communion” instead, as a reminder of the promise of beloved community and a recommitment to collective reciprocity.

But what is “communion”, in our humanist faith? Finding out together is a wonderful way to welcome faith development to claim a seat at the table, in upcoming congregational offerings.

For young children or multiage groups, consider this resource: The Ritual of Communion from Tapestry of Faith. It explores communion as a ceremony of sharing that embodies our UU values of generosity, pluralism, and interdependence. It prepares participants for this activity: two versions of the Christian Parable of The Loaves and Fishes (one a UU-themed retelling by Sophia Lyon Fahs) and discussion prompts, to encourage shared meaning-making and UU identity development around how we covenant to be together in community — in ways that help nourish everyone.

Communion and Sustenance is a Braver/Wiser reading from Tania Y Márquez, about how food connects us to both our present and past, in gratitude and love. “Food is nourishment andcultura; it carries the love, wisdom, and stories of survival of a people. When I cook the meals I learned from my mother, I am in communion with life and with my ancestors and I receive sustenance for the body and the spirit.” Consider sharing this reading at the beginning of a shared meal, and asking 2-3 person groups to share their memories of food that shaped their sense of belonging, identity, community, and culture.

Seasonal Resources on Conversation

Coming together to break bread gratefully, and share our stories — in ways that are faithful to our UU Values — is a powerful example of UU communion. Especially in this moment of social crisis, it’s important to build our skills for morally-grounded conversations. Consider these resources to develop and strengthen connections through meaningful conversations with family, friends, faith community, and beyond.

Faithful Conversations is a collection of resources that help us bring covenantal values to our discussions — even the difficult ones! Its activities and resources can be used as prompts for personal reflection, family discussion, or for crafting worship and shared learning. It includes several UUA resources for small group ministry with a focus on conversation, as well as:
Agreements for Meaningful Conversations, by Margaret Wheatley
Core Concepts and Values of Faithful Conversations, by CB Beal

Whole Church Worship Resources

What is worship, anyway? And more importantly, what is it for? The UUA webpage on Worship and Inspiration says:“Worship is our shared Unitarian Universalist practice of exploring, connecting to, and creating the ways that our individual lives fit into a larger whole. Not all UUs share the same beliefs or opinions…but our shared worship forms a vessel for us to find meaning together. By devoting ourselves to a regular time of encountering and engaging that which is greater, wiser, and more compassionate than our individual selves, we create opportunities for transformation and meaning-making.” 

When we worship as a whole church community, we grow closer in faith — and into closer alignment with our UU theology of love at the center. Consider talking ABOUT worship and what its meaning and value is in your community, using the quote above as a starting point. A Tool Kit for Worship Leaders may help leaders ground a shared vision, and develop their congregation’s capacity for great worship. Ready to try something new? The following suggestions support UU faith development in shared worship, by creating a more inclusive and accessible experience for all.

Make this Canva template for a kid-friendly OOS, adapted from one shared by Religious Educator Amanda Alice. It also includes examples for pew card or OOS inserts that encourage congregants of all ages to develop new understandings, habits, and practices for shared worship.

The recent RE Summit on New Models of Religious Education offered resources for a worship service called “A Piece of Fertile Ground”, ready for you to adapt & share with your congregation! Check out the Sunday Worship elements, as well as an Order of Service template (to download and edit).

Story:
One common and beloved part of UU worship is the story for all ages, often led by the religious educator as a multigenerational service element. One way to make whole church worship more accessible and inclusive is to center the message in a powerful story, instead of a sermon. Stories can serve as a homily told in parts, with other worship elements threaded throughout. Want to dig into more great ideas for storytelling in worship? This resource from Worship Lab includes why, how — and lots of suggestions.

The Goddess and the Redbird by Christina Leone Tracy
Redbird learns to let go of sunny days and embrace the season’s blessings of slowing down, rest, and renewal. Its focus can ground conversations about congregational changes: how is letting go of “what was” an essential part of opening up to the blessing of “what will be”.

Song:
Singing together is a beloved part of UU worship, and a powerful way to connect with our community. It’s also an important way to learn about our faith! Worshiping (and singing) together more as a whole church? Consider choosing, with your music professional or committee, a set of kid friendly hymns to be sung while children and teachers are present in worship. There may be opportunities to practice those same songs in RE spaces, too. Over time, kids will come to know these songs by heart, and may even be able to share their skills as song leaders in whole church worship.

Come, Sing a Song with Me: A Songbook for All Ages from the UU Musicians Network, includes 25 of the most popular and accessible songs fromSinging the Living Tradition andSinging the Journey, in simple arrangements and a larger 9 x 12 format.

Coloring sheets:
Did you know? Research shows that coloring and doodling are good for all ages — enhancing focus, concentration, and recall, while reducing stress and anxiety. In particular, coloring mandalas can also calm our bodies and help us learn new skills, like being in worship longer. Check out the Doodles and Coloring Pages from Worship Web to try it out in your congregation.

Join the Faith Development Conversation

Our latest Threshold Conversation, on The Theology of Covenant got real about what it means to live in covenant today. We unpacked how covenants differ from rules and contracts, what makes them aspirational instead of just behavioral, and how they’ve shifted from our Judeo-Christian roots to something more liberating and inclusive over time. Folks named how covenants can be weaponized and how to be attuned so that our covenants are not used to replicate or enforce the status quo of white supremacy culture. The Q&A time took us even deeper, with conversation about what it takes to build trust and accountability, ideas for keeping covenants alive on staff teams, making them work across generations and neurotypes, and finding better ways to call each other back to right relationship. You can watch the replay here. Our next topic: Trauma-Informed Faith Development.

JUUst Breathe is a Unitarian Universalist podcast on faith development, hosted by Ember Kelley. This season, we focus on UUs embracing a whole church religious education approach and deepening community connections across generations, guided by the map from Deeper Joy. October’s episode was all about “covenant lighthouse”, and November’s will focus on “opening up harbor” — a good fit for all the holiday gatherings and conversations ahead of us. Prefer video podcasts? Juust Breathe is also on YouTube.

By Joy Berry

With in-gathering behind us, we settle into the rhythm of Autumn and the church year. This month’s round-up includes resources related to this season of harvest as the wheel of the year turns to special days, like All Souls Day, Samhain, and Indigenous People’s Day — and tools to engage the Faith Development goals of Whole Church RE and connect with wider conversations about congregational faith development.

Religious Education and Faith Development

Wondering how to talk about Faith Development Goals in ways that connect Whole Church RE practices and programs to a congregation’s broader goals, mission and ministries? This overview of seven goals describes how we make faith happen in community (through Justice Making, Identity Formation, Spiritual Development, Beloved Community, Multigenerational Connections, Covenantal Leadership, and Pastoral Care) and offers encouragement for faithful flourishing, with a whole church RE approach.

UU World Highlights Religious Education

The latest issue of UU World includes several articles about Religious Education, and a special message from the UUA president: Faith Formation Across the Generations.

• ‘Whole Church’ Approach Can Deepen Intergenerational Spiritual Practices at Your Congregation
• Intentional, All-Ages Faith Engagement More Crucial than Ever for Spiritual Health
• Trying to Revamp Your Congregation’s Religious Education Programs? Here’s Some Helpful Advice
• Regularly Reimagining Religious Education Can Boost Membership, Better Serve Families

Our Common Read: Social Change Now

This year’s UU Common Read, Deepa Iyer’s Social Change Now, is well-suited and supported for multigenerational learning. Register here to explore the UUA’s official resources for learning together.

Check out the Emerging Resources from the Field for more ideas, including DRE Jen Shattuck’s pairing of the Social Change Now roles with her Born to Belong paradigm for multigenerational spiritual community.

Join the Conversations!

Threshold Conversations seeks to understand and attend to the emergent needs of UU communities — and to lift up the essential work of religious education. A panel of religious educators discuss a given topic, followed by a Q&A with a live audience and written response pieces from contributors like you. Previous topics you can explore include Coming of Age; faith formation as an agent of culture change; and Whole Church RE as a solution to the deep need for adult faith development. Want to know more? Check out the UU World article on the project, listen to a podcast about it, and register for the next panel, on the Theology of Covenant (on Oct 14, at 1pm ET).

JUUst Breathe is a Unitarian Universalist podcast exploring whole church and lifespan ministries! Host Ember Kelley from the UUA’s Lifespan Faith Engagement office interviews UUs across the spectrum who hold a vision of liberal religious education that is both life saving and spirit lifting. This season, the focus is on Unitarian Universalists embracing a whole church religious education approach and deepening community connections across generations through the Deeper Joy resource. A total of 36 episodes you can binge on your favorite platform include discussions on Shared Values, COA, Threshold Conversations, and deep dives into youth and young adult ministry. Prefer video podcasts?Juust Breathe is also on YouTube.

Seasonal Resources

Autumn, Harvest and Interdependence

These welcoming, opening and closing words, as well as a harvest-themed coloring page, remind us that gathering, especially in Autumn, is a deeply human form of abundance.

• Welcoming Words: All Growing, All Learning, All Loved

• An Autumnal Welcoming 

• Harvest Basket Chalice Coloring Page 

• Closing Words for Seasonal Transitions

Samhain, Dia de Los Muertos, All Souls, and All Saints Day

These special days arose in different parts of the Western hemisphere, a reflection of how the year’s turning toward the darkness of winter calls us to remember, honor, and learn from our beloved ancestors. Learn more and see collected resources here.

• Welcoming Words: United by Story and Bound by Love 

• All Souls Chalice Lighting

• Time for All Ages Story: Who Loves the Dark?

• Ritual for The Day of the Dead/All Souls

• Names and Tears: An All-Souls/Samhain Ritual

Indigenous Peoples Day

Our Unitarian Universalist faith calls us to fully understand the legacy of Christopher Columbus, just as it calls us to respect and learn from indigenous peoples and support their struggles for social justice and religious freedom.

Learn more here — including suggestions for Ten Ways to Honor Indigenous Peoples Day.

Webinar and Collected Resources: Decentering Whiteness in Worship

Recommended Reading by Indigenous Authors

The Serviceberry

Perfectly paired with this season of harvest and abundance, “Serviceberries show us a model…based upon reciprocity, where wealth comes from the quality of your relationships, not from the illusion of self-sufficiency.”

Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults

With informative sidebars, reflection questions, Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults brings Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the lessons of plant life to a new generation.

An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States for Young People

Adapted for middle-grade and young adult readers to include discussion topics, archival images, original maps, recommendations for further reading, and other materials to encourage students, teachers, and general readers to think critically about their own place in history.

Spirit Wheel 

This collection of more than two hundred meditations introduces us to the Spirit Wheel and the four directions that ground Native spirituality: tradition, kinship, vision, and balance.

Living Resistance 

Our everyday acts of resistance hold us all together. Readers learn to practice embodied ways of belonging and connection, through everyday practices, such as getting more in touch with our bodies, resting, and remembering our ancestors.

By Janice Marie Johnson, Shannon Harper, Nao Bethea

Ancient wisdom offers a powerful way to understand how our congregations and our association really work as a microcosm of the universe. Indra’s Net is a metaphor used in Hindu and Buddhist wisdom stories, described as both a tool which tricked opponents into sustaining human goodness, and a starry expanse teaching us how we’re all interconnected and re-created from each other. The net is described as an infinite web of jewels, each one reflecting all the others. This beautiful image captures how our lives connect and influence each other every day.

Recognizing our interconnectedness can transform the way we approach the charms and challenges that our religious community offers. These invisible connections are part of our daily lives and interactions. Each person’s actions create ripple effects throughout our entire community. Imagine a vast net stretching infinitely in all directions through space. At each intersection hangs a perfectly clear jewel, brilliant and multifaceted. This web includes everything: the physical world, our thoughts, feelings, deeds, and awareness. Each jewel represents every being, every moment, and every particle of existence.

As the Lifespan Faith Engagement team considered how to share our focus and goals for this year with you, we thought this was a fitting metaphor that challenges our typical way of seeing the world as separate, isolated units. Indra’s Net instead reveals a reality where boundaries dissolve and connection becomes the fundamental truth. Even when we feel alone, we are connected to the vast web of other UU religious professionals, congregations, and communities of support. Each of us is growing in our understanding of collective responsibility and shared purpose.

As you do in your congregations, the UUA’s Lifespan Faith Engagement office is reflecting our connections to you and other UUA teams as we thoughtfully develop gifts for our shared community wellbeing. As a group of religious educators, we aim to improve our religious network.

One of our goals this year is to build trust with religious educators and congregations through several means. Firstly, by improving the accessibility and effectiveness of our communications through our newsletter and website, as well as by sharing what resources and other support are in development (coming soon). We’re also creating new means to honor your input and feedback through surveys, Meet the Moment wave cohorts, and Threshold Conversations. We will continue to facilitate and contribute to spaces where religious education leaders and youth and emerging adults can discuss, learn and share tools and wisdom for connection, meaning making, and growth. Our plan is to integrate all of this into a shared vision for a new UU lifespan faith development curricula series by the end of this church year.

Our constant mission is to equip and train congregations for lifespan UU faith engagement. We do this through continuing to develop and update curricula and resources for Our Whole Lives sexuality education, Mosaic anti-racism education, Common Read, Deeper Joy, and Whole Church RE. We are also hosting and creating new trainings for leaders, facilitators, and advisors for religious education, OWL, and youth and emerging adult ministries. LFE continues to support community formation, identity development, mentorship, and pastoral care for marginalized identity groups who have less support in traditional congregational settings. We’re also working to integrate youth safety policies and guidelines into the mainstream safety work within the UUA.

Though each of us on the LFE team brings our own gifts to this work, this shared endeavor is made possible through congregational giving — both monetary and relational. As congregational leaders, the questions, concerns, practical wisdom, time, and skills you bring into our association strengthen our shared web. The ancient wisdom of Indra’s Net reveals something beautiful about how we’re all interconnected. Our web of relationships is simultaneously extremely delicate and incredibly strong. We’re embracing our role this season as educators who are jewels in our treasured Unitarian Universalist network.

By Joy Berry

UUs all over are gathering for a new year of faith development and community building. This month’s round-up responds to suggestions from the field, with curated resources to support RE program planning, worship, and shared values learning, and some non-curricular Our Whole Lives resources to support families and leaders.

Religious Education Programming and Planning

It is a time of great innovation in UU religious education, as RE professsionals and lay leaders adapt and respond to changing congregational needs and culture. These resources can support planning to best serve your community.

• Plan your 2025 Religious Education Kickoff Retreat: Connections and Context for RE Teams
  This easy-to-use Religious Education Kickoff Retreat can be self-facilitated and is a great way for RE leaders to get aligned on your program’s core purposes and priorities.
• Planning Your Whole Church RE Program
  We are taking a lifespan and “whole church” approach to faith development, where the congregation and our covenantal relationships help provide the curriculum. Find planning tools like adaptable mapping templates, activities to explore, and ways to connect WCRE practices with UU shared values, congregational ministries, and faith development goals here.
• Continuum of De-Centering Curriculum
  On one end of the continuum, some congregations are using curriculum that have been in use for years and are still working well. At the other end of the continuum, other congregations are experiencing changes to the religious education program that are clear and dramatic. Where are you in this story?
• Back-to-School Means Back to Justice
  The UUA’s inSpirit Bookstore offers titles for young people returning to school and activism

Worship Resources

Worship is our shared Unitarian Universalist practice of exploring, connecting to, and creating the ways that our individual lives fit into a larger whole. These resources support a “whole church” approach to the worship experience.

• Unite! Ignite!(pdf)
  This printer-friendly set of pdfs support at-home and in-worship engagement and can be used to develop childrens’ Orders of Service. Includes shared values coloring pages and activity sheets, definitions in kid-friendly language, and even an invitation to write a letter to UUA president Sofía Betancourt.

• Faith Development is All We Do
  This story for multigenerational worship asks congregants “what do we teach and learn in this church?” Congregations receive a custom word cloud from their answers. Introduces Whole Church thinking around “Faith development is all we do. All we teach is Unitarian Universalism. The congregation is the curriculum.”

Shared Values Learning

Help your congregation develop and deepen their Unitarian Universalist identity and covenantal community through the Shared Values of our faith.

• UUA’s Shared Values faith development materials
  This collection, for all ages, includes curricula, stories, graphics, workshops, music, and more.
• Shared Values Collaborative Art Mosaics
  This group activity can be used in a worship service, as a community building activity, as a project in a religious education class, as a bonding activity at a leadership retreat — anywhere UUs are gathered.
• Exploring Our Shared Values through Hymns
  Shared identity and theology grows in us through music, especially group singing. A guide to 14 popular hymns that reflect our shared values.
• Theological Reflection on UU Shared Values
  This article from UU World includes a discussion of each of the values, to ground and inform our congregational communication and engagement around them.

Our Whole Lives (OWL) Resources

Did you know? Beyond its signature curricula series, OWL offers a variety of resources for educators, facilitators and families.

• Under Your Wing (in Spanish, Bajo Su Ala)
  Short videos that support parents and caregivers as the primary sexuality educators of their children ages 5-7.
• Parents and Caregivers as Sexuality Educators
  This is a free, downloadable UU small group ministry program. Twelve 90-minute sessions invite parents and caregivers to explore their role as the primary sexuality educators of their elementary through teenage children. Use online or in-person; no facilitator training needed.
• OWL Taking Flight webinars
  Free one-hour webinars offer sexuality education and curriculum updates relevant for Our Whole Lives Sexuality Education facilitators, trainers, religious educators, clergy, and parents/guardians.
• Our Whole Lives coloring pages (PDF) created by the United Church of Christ include designs centering OWL core values (PDF).