This document describes the lifespan religious exploration program at the Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Church. It emphasizes religious exploration across all ages to support spiritual growth, ethical development, Unitarian Universalist identity and faith development. The program is guided by UUA values of justice, equity and compassion and encourages a free and responsible search for truth through multigenerational and age-specific learning opportunities focused on principles, sources and taking faith into action.

1. Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Church
Lifespan Religious Ex<loration Prog>am

2. We light our chalice in celebration of our communitA
And its commitDent to religious ex<loration.
May our ritHal of enlightenment be a reminder
that just as our chalice must be lit again and again,
So must our commitDent to religious ex<loration
Be renewed again and again if our light is to be shared
And our faith is to be sustained and ex<anded.

3. Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church offers lifespan religious
education prog>amming that holds parNicipants in love,
igOites their passion for justice, and helps them to know more
deeply the diversitA and wholeness of our Unitarian
Universalist faith.
We intentionally have come to call what we do here “religious
ex<loration” to liſt up the imporNance we place on an
individual search for t>Hth and meaning in a supporNive
communitA of connection.

4. Our Values Guide Us-­‐ We AffirD and Promote:
v The inherent worNh and digOitA of everA person
§ Respect all people; they have digOitA & worNh too
v Justice, equitA and compassion in human relations
§ Offer fair and kind t>eatDent to everAone
v Acceptance of one another and encouragement to
spiritHal g>owth in our cong>egations
§ Young & old, g>owing together in communitA-­‐
all through our lives
v A ^ee and responsible search for t>Hth and meaning
§ Grow by searching for your own t>Hth and meaning

5. Our Values Guide Us-­‐ We AffirD and Promote:
v The right of conscience and the use of the democratic
process within our cong>egations and in societA at large
§ Believe in your ideals and voice your vote
v The goal of world communitA with peace, liberNA
and justice for all
§ Insist on justice, ^eedom, and peace for all
v Respect for the interdependent web of all existence
of which we are a parN
§ Value the earNh, our home, and the web of life

6. Our Tradition Draws From Many Sources
v The sense of wonder we all share
v Women and men, long ago and today — people
whose lives remind us to be kind and fair
v Wisdom ^om the world's religions
v Christian and Jewish teachings which tell us to
love all others as we love ourselves
v Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the
gHidance of reason and the results of science
v EarNh-­‐centered t>aditions which celebrate the circle
of life, inspiring us to live in harDony with natHre

7. Our Vision
Building a loving, respectfHl communitA and
supporNing the search for t>Hth and meaning
across the lifespan.

8. UUA Lifespan RE Vision Statement
We envision children, youth and adults who:
• Know that they are lovable beings of infinite worNh, imbued
with powers of the soul, and obligated to use their giſts,
talents, and potentials in the sergice of life;
• AffirD that they are parN of a Unitarian Universalist religious
heritage and communitA of faith that has value and provides
resources for living;
• Accept that they are responsible for the stewardship and
creative t>ansforDation of their religious heritage and
communitA of faith;

9. UUA Lifespan RE Vision Statement
• Realize that they are moral agents, capable of making a
difference in the lives of other people, challenging st>HctHres of
social and political oppression, promoting the health and well-­‐
being of the planet, acting in the sergice of diversitA, justice,
and compassion;
• RecogOize the need for communitA, affirDing the imporNance
of families, relationships and connections betieen and among
the generations;
• Appreciate the value of spiritHal practice as a means of
deepening faith and integ>ating beliefs and values with
everAday life;
• Ex<erience hope, joy, mysterA, healing, and personal
t>ansforDation in the midst of life’s challenges.

10. Why are we here?
To supporN and nurNHre each other throughout
our individual faith development jourOeys

11. Wherever we are on
our jourOey, we have
questions…

12. v What is my faith and how do I live it?
v What is Unitarian Universalism?
v How do I deal with “the big questions”?
v How do I deal with religious ex<eriences?
v How do I develop spiritHalitA?
v How do I fit into this communitA?
v How do we encourage diversitA?

13. v How am I different –How are we the same?
v What responsibilities do I have to the
interdependent web?
v How do I develop my social conscience?
v What role does sexHalitA play in my life?
v How do my values affect my spiritHalitA?

14. What does the Lifespan RE Cur>icula include?
— Views the whole church as the cur>iculum
— Focuses on our principles and sources
— RecogOizes the power of learOing through stories and
the imporNance of supporNing learOing with activitA
— Liſts up faith in action through social justice
— Provides age-­‐level appropriate ex<eriences
— RecogOizes the imporNance of both multigenerational
and generationally specific opporNHnities

15. Lifespan Religious Ex<loration St>ives Toward…
— NurNHring the four foundations of a meaningoHl,
relevant and vibrant faith:
v Unitarian Universalist IdentitA
LearOing about our UU heritage of t>Hth, love, and justice; Understanding our
principles and sources; Being able to ex<lain our beliefs and faith to others
v Ethical Development
Making the world a beper place by living our values. Being in right relationship
with each other, the larger communitA, and the earNh
v SpiritHal Growth
Sensing a connection to something larger than ourselves through worship, prayer
and meditation; Ex<loring the wisdom of the world’s religions
v Faith Development
Finding deeper meaning and pur<ose in life; Ex<loring personal beliefs and
values within a faith contexN

16. Lifespan Religious Ex<loration Liſts Up:
v Stewardship
v Social Justice and Human rights
v ResponsibilitA and Caring
v SpiritHalitA and Faith
v Integ>itA, Ethics, and Values
v Moral Courage
v Traditions

17. What does our Lifespan RE Cur>icula include?
— Enrichment
v Special Events and Sergice OpporNHnities
v OWL SexHalitA Education Prog>am
v Interest Groups
v Choirs
v Chalice Circles
v Open Campus Evening Prog>am

18. What goes on in RE for Children and Youth?
— Develops communitA responsibilitA through
covenanting with other g>oup members
— Mir>ors the ex<erience of the Sunday Sergice
v Chalice Lighting
v Sharing Circle ( Joys and ConcerOs)
v Offering
v Music
v Cur>iculum content serges a similar role to the
minister’s serDon

19. v RE supporNs families in developing the ethical
and spiritHal g>owth of our children.
v RE provides a safe, supporNive environment
v Families make connections betieen home and RE
v Families are present and involved
v Together we practice tio-­‐way communication
RE for Children and Youth is a ParNOership

20. Volunteer OpporNHnities for Adults
— ParNicipation on CYRE Leadership Teams
— CYRE Room Helpers
— Youth Group Advisors
— Coming of Age Mentors for Youth
— MysterA Friends
— Open Campus Class Leaders
— Serge on RE Commipee
— Serge on Adult RE Team

21. Looking Toward the FutHre, We Envision
— A communitA of lifelong learOers that affirDs the
imporNance of individuals, families, relationships and
connections betieen and among generations;
— Prog>aming that is both multigenerational and
generationally specific;
— Evening RE prog>amming that appeals to and engages
our many generations;
— More opporNHnities to put our UU faith into action;
— Greater apention to learOing stAles and creativitA.