Junior and Senior High Youth programs occur on certain Sunday evenings throughout the church year, rather than Sunday morning. We encourage all youth who attend in the morning to stay in the service. The following programs are offered on alternating years and are listed in typical sequence they would be taken.

Families / Riddle & Mystery (7th – 9th)

What is a family? What does a family do? Who defines family? This twelve-session program provides avenues for in-depth exploration of the diversity, commonality, and meaning of families. Designed for flexible use by junior and/or senior high school youth, the program combines a photo-documentary project with sessions that engage participants in deconstructing and reconstructing the notion of family.

The purpose of Riddle and Mystery is to assist middle schoolers in their own search for understanding. Each of the 16 sessions introduces and processes a Big Question. The first three echo Paul Gauguin’s famous triptych: Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going? The next ten, including Does God exist? and What happens when you die?, could be found on almost anyone’s list of basic life inquiries. The final three are increasingly Unitarian Universalist: Can we ever solve life’s mystery? How can I know what to believe? What does Unitarian Universalism mean to me?

Our Whole Lives Sexuality Education (7th-9th) *Begins in October, following an info session for parents.

Honest, accurate information about sexuality changes lives. It dismantles stereotypes and assumptions, builds self-acceptance and self-esteem, fosters healthy relationships, improves decision-making, and has the potential to save lives. For these reasons and more, we are proud to offer Our Whole Lives (OWL), a comprehensive, lifespan sexuality education curricula for use in both secular settings and faith communities.

Coming of Age (10th – 12th grade) *Begins on 9/15 with all the Sunday morning programs.

As they prepare to leave childhood, Unitarian Universalist teenagers usually join their congregations with a special “Coming of Age” ceremony. This ceremony is often preceded by a year-long curriculum helping them to learn more about Unitarian Universalism and articulate their own beliefs. Participants will explore theology, spirituality, and history through discussion, drama, music, writing, and art. Field tested by congregations with groups ranging from four to twenty-three participants, this guide will help both congregations and youth to define their beliefs and put their faith into action.

Coming of Age is offered this year, 2024-25 weekly on Sunday mornings. Additional evening sessions may be offered for seniors who wish to write a credo.

*All minors are required to be registered to participate in religious education classes and events; please visit our registration form here.

*Each of these programs operates on its own calendar separate from the Sunday Morning classes.