The Lifespan Faith Development Staff Group of the UUA is looking for fieldtest congregations for next year. Here’s the scoop….

The UUA is pleased to introduce the first three online Tapestry of Faith programs for children. We are seeking a group of congregations diverse in size, location, and culture to test these curricula this winter and spring. These all-new, engaging programs in the Living Faith series each offer:

  • 16 sessions to complete between January and June, 2008
  • Informative introductory material to prepare teachers to lead effectively
  • Core stories that teach UU values, principles and religious concepts
  • Clear goals and learning objectives
  • Engaging activities based on a variety of learning styles
  • Parent resources and Taking It Home activities for families
  • Session activity choices to help you tailor the session to your needs
  • Faith in Action activities to engage the group in living our faith within or outside the
  • congregation
  • On-line format that is free, searchable, and adaptable.

The programs:

Creating Home: Grades K-1 by Jessica York and Christy Olson
“Creating Home” takes the concept of “home” that young children understand as a place where families gather, share love, and take care of one another and expands upon it to help children understand their “faith home” in Unitarian Universalism. This program develops a foundational sense of belonging, of trust, of loving community, as well as responsibility and stewardship, towards the faith community in which they will live out their lives. Learning about our faith ancestors, traditions and the blessings of family and friends are a few of the subjects that are explored.

Moral Tales: Grades 2-3 by Elisa Pearmain and Alice Anacheka Naseman
“Moral Tales” engages children in identifying and articulating their own sense of right and wrong. As they interact with a variety of stories from folk and faith traditions and share stories from their own lives, children are encouraged to articulate and apply their own “spiritual compass” to find moral direction. The children generate and sign a group behavior covenant, have opportunities to earn “gems of goodness” for behavior that reflects positive moral choices, and explore why it is not always easy to follow one’s inner voice and choose behaviors that are good and just.

Toolbox of Faith: Grades 4-5 by Kate Tweedie Erslev
“Toolbox of Faith” invites fourth and fifth grade participants to reflect on qualities of our Unitarian Universalist faith such as integrity, courage and love as tools they can use in living their own lives and building their own UU faith. Each of the 16 sessions uses an actual tool as a metaphor for a quality of our faith. These tools include, for example, a hammer (for justice), duct tape (for flexibility), and a mirror (for reflection).

For more information, and to apply to be a fieldtest congregation, contact: fieldtest@uua.org or Adrianne Ross at 617-948-4361

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