Coming of age May 3, 2020
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Kai lives with her parents and older brother and has been coming to All Souls for as long as she can remember. She is a freshman in High School, majoring in Illustration. From fourth through eighth grades she danced with the National Dance Institute. She enjoys drawing, watching TV and is currently learning to cook with the help of TikTok videos. Her birthday is July 5th, and the entire country celebrates by shooting off fireworks the night before.
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Nathalie is 15 years old and lives with her 13 year old sister Claudia and Mom and Dad. She has been coming to All Souls since she was about two years old. Nathalie is finishing up 9th grade in High School. She is a member of the junior varsity and LHVA Black 15 volleyball teams and the high school band where she plays the tenor sax. Her favorite subject is math. In her spare time you can find her biking, watching Netflix, and baking. She is looking forward to what the future holds.
Welcome to the Coming of Age Program at All Souls! This program was designed on several models used by other congregations in the Unitarian Universalist Association. It has ten sessions plus some fun activities, too. You will meet new people and connect even more to those you know. Most importantly it will help you figure out who you are as a Unitarian Universalist. Here are the goals for COA Youth:
Youth will clarify their personal values and beliefs by exploring the “big questions” in class as well as with their mentors and by attending classes on different topics such as worship and ritual, social action, and theology and beliefs.
Youth will be encouraged to “live” their UU principles (putting their beliefs into practice, “soul-searching”) by completing assignments listed in the COA workbook and by completing three hours in a service projects.
Youth will learn more about Unitarian Universalism (beyond the 7 principles) by reading the UU Pocket Guide, completing assignments listed in the COA workbook and journal, and by participating in class discussions
Included in the program will be the selection of a mentor, meetings with various members of the church including the minister and the religious education minister, a service project in the congregation, attendance at 7 of the 10 COA classes, and participating in the life of the congregation in various ways.
Youth will have a workbook (see file below) and journal to record their thoughts, observations and dates of completion of various activities. Each participant will write a credo statement expressing some of their personal beliefs.
The COA program will culminate with the Coming of Age Service on May 3, 2020. Each participant will share their credo statement as part of the program that morning. We hope that the Coming of Age program will be meaningful to all who participate in it and that it will facilitate continued exploration on life’s spiritual journey.
Teachers this year: Cadell Hornbuckle, Shivani Singh, David Jenks, and Rev. Tracy
Youth will clarify their personal values and beliefs by exploring the “big questions” in class as well as with their mentors and by attending classes on different topics such as worship and ritual, social action, and theology and beliefs.
Youth will be encouraged to “live” their UU principles (putting their beliefs into practice, “soul-searching”) by completing assignments listed in the COA workbook and by completing three hours in a service projects.
Youth will learn more about Unitarian Universalism (beyond the 7 principles) by reading the UU Pocket Guide, completing assignments listed in the COA workbook and journal, and by participating in class discussions
Included in the program will be the selection of a mentor, meetings with various members of the church including the minister and the religious education minister, a service project in the congregation, attendance at 7 of the 10 COA classes, and participating in the life of the congregation in various ways.
Youth will have a workbook (see file below) and journal to record their thoughts, observations and dates of completion of various activities. Each participant will write a credo statement expressing some of their personal beliefs.
The COA program will culminate with the Coming of Age Service on May 3, 2020. Each participant will share their credo statement as part of the program that morning. We hope that the Coming of Age program will be meaningful to all who participate in it and that it will facilitate continued exploration on life’s spiritual journey.
Teachers this year: Cadell Hornbuckle, Shivani Singh, David Jenks, and Rev. Tracy
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Click the image for the coming of age manual each teen uses as their road map for completing the COA program.
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A new program for adults- Coming of Age, Again. This program will run in conjunction with the teen program. Begins in January and runs through July.
What is Coming of Age? Traditionally, it has been a time for our 9th graders to explore their theology and beliefs and then share them during a service in May. It is a time for our teens to come to a greater understanding of Unitarian Universalism. Coming of Age does not transition our teenagers into adulthood in the eyes of their faith, like the Bar Mitzvah, but it does welcome the teen into a different faith stage in their journey to adulthood.
Did you know, that only about 12% of adults in our congregations grew up Unitarian Universalist? Doesn’t it make sense, then, that adults in the congregation could learn more about Unitarian Universalism, just like our children and youth?
This past year, we introduced a Coming of Age Program for adults facilitated by Rev. Tracy. We met on the third Sunday of each month for What Moves Us? - a program exploring Unitarian Universalism and various theologies and then met January through July for the COA, Again class. In addition, we met with the youth doing Coming of Age to share some multi-generational events together.
On August 18th, five adults shared their credo statements.
Starting in January 2020, we will offer the Coming of Age, Again class for adults.
Want to know more or sign up? Please email me at tracy@allsoulsnyc.org
What is Coming of Age? Traditionally, it has been a time for our 9th graders to explore their theology and beliefs and then share them during a service in May. It is a time for our teens to come to a greater understanding of Unitarian Universalism. Coming of Age does not transition our teenagers into adulthood in the eyes of their faith, like the Bar Mitzvah, but it does welcome the teen into a different faith stage in their journey to adulthood.
Did you know, that only about 12% of adults in our congregations grew up Unitarian Universalist? Doesn’t it make sense, then, that adults in the congregation could learn more about Unitarian Universalism, just like our children and youth?
This past year, we introduced a Coming of Age Program for adults facilitated by Rev. Tracy. We met on the third Sunday of each month for What Moves Us? - a program exploring Unitarian Universalism and various theologies and then met January through July for the COA, Again class. In addition, we met with the youth doing Coming of Age to share some multi-generational events together.
On August 18th, five adults shared their credo statements.
Starting in January 2020, we will offer the Coming of Age, Again class for adults.
Want to know more or sign up? Please email me at tracy@allsoulsnyc.org