The Continuum of De-Centering Curriculum

By Lifespan Faith Engagement, Congregational Life

January 6, 2025

You may have heard curriculum isn’t “working” in faith formation. The reality is much more nuanced. Yes and no and everything in between.

A child's hand holds a crayon above a geometric coloring page. A glass jar holds more crayons.

Whole Church RE is a broad vision that offers support for sharing the uniquely powerful practices of RE in new ways, places, and times — connecting the whole community with opportunities for creative faith development.

Within this broader vision, this collection of resources has been created to expand and contextualize conversations about “curriculum” in UU congregations’ programs with children and youth. Some congregations are using curriculum and it’s working well across all ages! Other congregations are finding that the constellation of needs, skills, schedules, children in their congregation needs something else. And congregations exist all along this continuum.

What do we mean by curriculum? The word implies a series of structured lesson plans to teach a particular skill or knowledge base.

UU curricula provide ways to engage in faith formation, including reflection on one’s own values and beliefs about how to live, being human, and however and whatever we each name holy.
Many UU curricula provide ways to learn explicitly about UU history, UU values, and skills to navigate life in alignment with our own and UU values.
Some curriculum are much more experiential than others. Some curriculum make the lessons much more explicit than others.

For the purpose of this set of resources we are exploring how structured, pre-planned programs are – and are not – serving UU congregations now. This is an invitation to explore what is meeting the needs of your children, youth, and families and where you might want to experiment with something different.

Included are interviews done by Rev. Tandi Rogers for a fall 2024 workshop with Jennica Davis-Hockett at the LREDA Fall Con. In these interviews you’ll witness the continuum and some really wonderful ways congregations are ministering to and with young people. We are so grateful to have these resources available.

The Continuum of De-Centering Curriculum
From RE-sources

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.
Curriculum That Works
From RE-sources

As UUA staff we sometimes speak with congregations where an age-divided, curriculum-based religious education program is working well. And why should it not? There are some truly great UU curricula bringing together some of the best of experiential and play-based pedagogy.Here are some things…
Post-Curricular Faith Formation
From RE-sources

More emergent faith formation spaces feel very different from structured classroom experiences. Hear some example stories and consider if your congregation is ready to move in this direction.
Making Space for Emergence
From RE-sources

If your curriculum-based program is thriving, you don’t need to throw out your curriculum! You can make space for emergence without sweeping changes.
Interview with Calisse Weidner
From RE-sources

Conversation between Rev. Tandi Rogers and Calisse Weidner, DRE at Prairie UU Church (Parker, CO) talks about the Brunch Bunch. Bunch Bunch is a way that the congregation is serving youth.
Interview with Gail DeSomer
From RE-sources

Rev. Tandi Rogers Gail DeSomer is part of the DREAM Team at First Unitarian in South Bend Indiana that supports an all-volunteer run small congregation program for children and youth responsive to the needs of the children and families.
Interview with Allison Connelly Vetter
From RE-sources

Rev. Tandi Rogers. & Allison Connelly Vetter, Interim Director of Children, Youth, and Families Ministries at First Universalist Church of Minneapolis exploring shifts in programming for children and youth in a large congregation.
Interview with Ginger Yoder & Rev. Elizabeth Stevens
From RE-sources

Rev. Tandi Rogers interviews Ginger Yoder (Director of Faith Formation/Family Ministry) & Rev. Elizabeth Stevens (minister) of the UU Church of the Palouse in Moscow Idaho on following the lead of young people.
Interview with Perry Montrose
From RE-sources

Conversation between Rev. Tandi Rogers and Perry Montrose the Director of Faith Formation at All Souls in New London CT in a wide ranging conversation from saying “yes” and the kids’ summer leadership meeting to so much more.
Interview with Rev. Meagan Henry
From RE-sources

Conversation between Rev. Tandi Rogers and Rev. Meagan Henry. Meagan sees participating in the congregation as experiential faith formation. This conversation explores belonging, welcome, and Meagan’s experience at First UU Brooklyn NY.
Interview with Sadie Kahn-Greene and Rev. Allison Palm
From RE-sources

Rev. Tandi Rogers talk with Sadie Kahn-Greene and Rev. Allison Palm who serve the UU Church of Nashua NH in a wide ranging conversation including children in worship, collaboration, their program which includes children’s chapel, UU themed workshops, all ages worship, and “switch it up” Sundays.