Coming of Age, a program for 9th and 10th grade youth, runs from January through May every other year. Program leaders, Marci Beaudoin (Director of Faith Formation) and Carl Anderson, guide youth through ten workshops, one overnight gathering, a service project, and a team building day. The program is structured to help youth discover their place within the congregation, communicate their religious and social beliefs, and renew commitment to the Unitarian Universalist principles and ideals, such as a lifelong search for truth and meaning, commitment to service, justice, peace, and environmental stewardship.
Program Goals
- For youth to get to know themselves better
- Strengthen connections between youth and adults in our community
- Make Unitarian Universalism relevant to youths’ lives
- Build a foundation of lifelong search for truth and meaning
- Strengthen commitment to service, justice, and peace in our world
- Examine youths’ values and how they relate to their actions
- Investigate and learn how to live their beliefs
- Identify our UU rituals
- Understand the role of worship in our community
Mentors
The youth are also paired with adult mentors in the congregation. Studies have shown that youth are more successful in life if they have relationships with adults who care for their wellbeing. To read more about the importance of relationships in youth’s lives, read this article by the Parent Cue. Youth meet their mentors at a kick-off picnic, and then meet independently on a monthly basis.
Credos
The youth present their beliefs at an evening banquet for family and mentors, and at a Sunday morning service, which the youth take full responsibility for creating. In place of a sermon, youth present their credos, which is always a highlight for the congregation.
Heritage Trip
The culmination of the program is a heritage trip to Boston to visit some important places to the UU faith. Several fundraisers, which youth are required to participate in, are held throughout the program to help fund the trip, including T-shirt sales, and a pancake breakfast for Easter.
Sample Heritage Trip Itinerary
Sunday, June 11
- Walk through Public Gardens Statues to see Edward Everette Hale and William Ellery Channing
- Beacon Hill
- Arlington St Church, which has one of the largest collections of Tiffany stained glass windows in any one location, and the Channing pulpit preserved from Federal St Church
- Mapparium Tour, Mary Baker Eddy Museum
- Lyrical Theatre of Boston
Monday, June 12
- Tour UU Urban Ministry
- Tour United First Parish Church (UU Church of Presidents)
- Ghosts & Gravestones tour
Tuesday, June 13
- Freedom trail – begin in Boston Commons
- Tour King’s Chapel to see the first Unitarian church that experimented with how not to be Anglican
- Faneuil Hall & Quincy Market
- Holocaust Memorial
- Haymarket Square
Wednesday, June 14
- Duck Tour
- Hahvahd tour
- Tea Party Museum (just down the street from UUA)
Coming of Age will next be held in 2025. Contact the Director of Faith Formation to indicate your interest of participation as youth or mentor.