Religious Exploration (RE)
Meet Julie Rigano - our New Religious Educator!
 Four is My Number One: It's hard to pick, but I think the fourth principle is my favorite. I believe that a free and responsible search for truth and meaning is the core of our faith development at all ages. We are blessed with the freedom to explore and find what works for us individually, but more importantly we are charged to search. As children, that responsibility comes in the form of learning our UU principles, sources, and theology and how we live our faith every day.
I was lucky enough to experience that firsthand in my own religious education classes growing up Unitarian Universalist in Westchester, NY. I grew up in a small congregation - 150 members on a good day. Compared to my large public school, the intimacy of my small church community was vibrant. Even before I knew the names of all the adults surrounding me at coffee hour, I knew I could trust the community. I grew up watching volunteer leaders who were dedicated to our congregation and modeled living your faith, including my parents. By the time I was a senior in high school, I was driving myself to church alone on the rare Sundays my parents wanted to sleep in. The same congregation helped me grow after college when I returned as their Religious Education Intern. I am forever grateful to my home congregation in New York for creating that safe place for me to grow into my authentic self. When I started becoming interested in religious education, I wanted to recreate |
that kind of supportive environment for the next generation of Unitarian Universalist children and youth. I know how often a kid growing up UU can hear, "That's not a real religion," or, "That sounds like a cult." Religious education is where we can foster the confidence in our children and youth to be their authentic selves and have pride in all of who they are, including their UU faith. I've seen it happen as a youth leader at my home congregation, as Director of Lifespan Religious Education in at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady, and most recently as a religious education teacher at First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia.
I am grateful to have the opportunity to grow with you here at Mt. Airy. I think it is such a special thing when a congregation charges themselves to grow together in a community. While our spiritual paths are unique, we as Unitarian Universalists share a communal goal of finding that individual truth and meaning. It brings me to our third principle, which is runner up for my favorite- the acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations. A free and responsible search is a wonderful thing, but it is also an incredibly scary task. Having a congregation learn and grow together eases the burden and enhances the potential for growth. No matter what your role is in the religious education program- volunteer, participant, childcare, set up, etc- you are helping the growth and blooming of each child, congregant, and the congregation as a community. I am so excited to meet all of you and start our time together. |
Religious Education Offering
This year, we will be following the Soul Matters curriculum for our religious exploration. The overarching question for the year is "What paths must we lean into and relearn as we travel together into our complex, challenging and hoped for future?" Each monthly theme will lift up a particular spiritual path crucial to helping us birth a new normal worthy of our hopes.
In our time together, we will engage in UU rituals, like lighting the chalice, covenant creation, meditation, and more.
In October, we will explore the challenges and paths of "Courage." Here are the five ways we will explore:
- Exploring the Many Paths of Courage
- Wholehearted Courage: Exploring the Path of Being Yourself
- Personal Courage: Exploring the Path of Doing Hard Things
- Social Courage: Exploring the Path of Taking Action
- Halloween Courage: Exploring the Path of Facing Fear
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What to Expect on Sunday Morning
Families will start together in worship. At some point during worship, generally after a story, the children will be invited to join our Religious Educator, Julie, and a volunteer teacher for religious education time either in Hale Hall upstairs or outside. After worship, families will be able to pick up their children - you can even go get a cup coffee first during our fellowship hour.
If you want to receive the RE Newsletter with tips on how to take the learning from Sunday home and a look ahead to what's coming up, email
| Looking Ahead: October — |
OWL (Our Whole Lives)
Human Sexuality Curriculum for 7th-9th Graders
Starting in October: Spread the Word!
UUs of Mt. Airy will be offering the OWL curriculum for grades 7-9 this coming school year, from mid-October 2022 through mid-June 2023 on Sundays 3pm-5pm, skipping holiday weekends. The exact schedule is available on the registration below. There is also a parent orientation before the programming starts.
We plan to have the meetings mainly in person at our church building, at 6900 Stenton Avenue, but a Zoom option might be available if necessary. We have fully-trained facilitators who will have their clearances for working with kids up to date. If you want more information, you can email our Religious Educator,
For more information about the Our Whole Lives curriculum and program, click HERE.
To register for OWL at Mt. Airy, click HERE.
Day of Service (in part) by marching around the sanctuary and
learning about the weekly vigils hosted by our congregation.
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Some things remain the same: Isabel R. and Jyl S. continue to provide exceptional care in our nursery (Jyl even assists in our classroom when she can!). Our students are still sung out every Sunday after the Story for All Ages. And we continue to explore themes in tandem with adult worship.
You might have noticed, though, one difference in particular: our program has grown ever so slightly. This is true in both our nursery as well as our classroom. It’s exciting and the energy in the room is catching! Together, we’ve explored how we are a people of vision through guided meditation; reimagined our classroom as a sanctuary by making craft stained glass; delved into our own |
memories to write poems; immersed ourselves in UU history and investigated the mystery within scientific discovery by learning the story of Lewis Latimer and making circuit boards; considered the possibilities of our own futures in the light of multicultural stories of miraculous births; and most recently, practiced our trust in each other with a blindfolded partner walk in our outdoor play area.
We’ve also been lucky enough to have some tremendous volunteers helping both during and outside of class time. Big thanks to Chrissy E., Karen S., Darlene S., Linda P., Fern C., Len R., Emlen S., Leslie F., and Kaiyon F. If you are interested in volunteer opportunities, talk to Julie R when she comes on board. Posted: 08/15/2022 |
Bridging Ceremony for Our Graduating Youth: 2018
All Souls Day Celebration
Bridging Ceremony for Our Graduating Youth: 2010
