We encourage you to submit stories about programs and initiatives to grow young adult faith connection to Unitarian Universalism and participation in Unitarian Universalist congregation. This post was submitted by young adults at First Parish in Cambridge, MA- Ed.

UU Young Adults Coming of Age

As the most recent issue of UU World pointed out, the majority of people in the UU faith were not raised in it. Instead, we came from other religious or cultural backgrounds, and found UUism as adults. I am one such person, and while I love my faith and embrace it wholly, sometimes I feel jealous that I never got to go through OWL or an RE program. I feel like I am missing out on some cultural and religious history that so many other people know. At the same time, there are young adult UU’s who were raised UU, and who realize that the credos they wrote when they came of age in middle or high school no longer apply to them. The years between being a teenager and an adult can have a profound impact on who we are and what we believe. Our beliefs evolve in these years as we have new experiences and are exposed to new ideas and new people. With this in mind, Johanna Seale and I have come up with a program called ‘UU Young Adults Come of Age’. It is an RE program for young adults who identify as UU’s, and it will take place once a month, on Sunday evenings at First Parish Cambridge, MA. It will run through the spring, and is designed for people who were raised UU and for those who are not. We will be following a curriculum, but very roughly, that covers many things such as UU history, sexuality, spirituality, interfaith dialogue, and more. The program will be heavily group-directed and focused. We are holding an information session on September 16th, from 6:30- 8 pm, hosted at First Parish in Cambridge. If you come to this meeting, you do not have to commit to anything, but we will close registration after September 23rd. The class begins on September 30th, and we are asking participants to make a commitment for the whole year, and to try and miss as few classes as possible. (Classes will generally be held the last Sunday of the month with a few exceptions. The full schedule will be explained at the meeting on September 16th.) We will bring in guest speakers throughout the year and hand out readings from outside sources, and we will also appreciate what everyone brings to the table and acknowledge our own gifts. First Parish Cambridge is located in Harvard Square, steps from the MBTA Red line and near many bus routes. One of the advantages of holding the class on Sunday is that on-street parking is free and unlimited, so if you leave yourself time to circle the neighborhood you shouldn’t have a problem finding a spot. First Parish Cambridge is wheelchair accessible, and we are committed to creating as inclusive a class as possible. If you have a disability of any type we are happy to accommodate you and provide you with alternate materials or anything else you need. We hope this will be a diverse class with a minimum of 7 participants and a maximum of 15. The class will be free, but you may be asked to cover costs, such as those of a field trip, along the way. (Of course, if you need financial assistance that will be available.) Please feel free to contact me, Kate Ryan, at kateryan160@gmail.com if you have any questions, and to pass on the word to any young adult UU’s you know.