Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix

Edith Hunt, a Unitarian Universalist religious educator, wrote:

"Perhaps we should realize that our need is not to find 'something to believe'—but rather to discover what our lives indicate that we believe right now. This is the place to start. ... To bring our attitudes, our convictions, our practices, out into the open and to look at them systemically is to find out what we actually believe."

This is the purpose of a liberal religious education. We hope to
encourage in both adults and children a path that not only leads to
constant discovery of their own beliefs so that each may develop as
spiritual beings, but that also increases the humanity of all: "to
create a faith that makes us responsive to men and women as people, not
en masse, not in the abstract, but as individuals. Such a faith will...
add to our capacity for kindness and sympathy." (George N. Marshall, Challenge of a Liberal Faith). Our Lifespan Religious Education program,
therefore, defines "religious" quite broadly to include opportunities
within and beyond a traditional Sunday school setting, with a
combinition of classes, social action projects, experiences with
nature, worship, and music.

Adult Religious Education (ARE)
is a cooperative program based on the interests and needs of the
congregation. We offer both weeknight and Sunday classes that are a
great opportunity to meet and get to know the people who make up our
congregation. The scope of the classes spans from an orientation series
on Unitarian Universalism ('The New UU') to a class exploring the
goddess mythologies and one on Hinduism.

To meet the religious education needs of college students, the UUCP is developing a Young Adult/Campus Ministry (YACM)
program to provide outreach and ministry to campuses, and to provide a
safe space for community, worship, and social action for young adults.

A progression of Children's Ministry Religious Education (CM)
programs for three-year-olds through high school age youth encourages
religious growth and ethical decision making,, while focusing on such
content areas as nature, human relationships, comparative religion, and
Unitarian Universalism. Children 0-3 years old participate in a unique
program based on the UU philosophy of respect for individual
differences. Both adult and children's classes are taught by teams of
dedicated volunteers—men, women, and youth from our congregation.

In faith,
Kim St. Clair
Lifespan Director of Religious Education