What We Offer Through the Lifespan

We provide children, youth, young adults, and adults an opportunity to explore, reflect, and learn in a nurturing spiritual community. Unitarian Universalist religious education programs offer all ages, inspiring:

• Ethical growth – internalizing enduring values like justice, equity, and compassion, and gaining tools to act on them in everyday life.
• Social growth – connecting with peers and people of all ages on a deeper level. Finding acceptance among people who see beyond the superficial.
• Spiritual growth – feeling a connection with the sacred within, among, and beyond us.

Religious education programs include more than classes. On a Sunday you might find the preschoolers singing songs about kindness, the 2nd graders engaging with a story about loss and bereavement, the 5th graders talking with a Muslim couple about Islam, the 7th graders learning about responsibility in a lesson from our progressive sexuality education program, and the high-school youth raising money for the local homeless shelter. Many programs incorporate social justice activities, worship opportunities, service trips, fellowship, and fun.

Our religious educator and minister lead many of our congregations’ lifespan programs. Parents and other members of the congregation often lead them, too. Teaching can be a very fulfilling way to deepen one’s own faith.

Children’s religious education programs are typically offered on Sunday mornings, and high school youth and adult programs are usually offered on afternoons or evenings.

We invite you to explore these pages and contact Liz McCreless, Director of Lifespan Religious Education, at dlre@firstuchicago.org or 773-324-4100 x112 to get connected.

Our Lifespan Religious Education Council oversees our programming. The chair of the council is elected annually by the congregation.

LRE Annual Report: 2023-2024

Presented by Elizabeth McCreless, Director of Lifespan Religious Education

Key Program Highlights
● Offered Our Whole Lives programs for grades K-1 and 5-6, providing participants with
developmentally appropriate sexuality education that is comprehensive, honest, and accurate.
● Kicked off Open Spark Youth with a series of 3 Friday evenings of fun and community building
for teens ages 13-18.
● Introduced new ongoing adult learning opportunities including the minister’s monthly Good Life
Seminar, our Engaged Buddhism Practice Group led by Linda Cherney, and piloting a drop-in
virtual Journey Group

Thank you! to Daughon Langner and Barbara Randolph for their continued service in the Religious Education Council including supporting this year’s hiring processes for RE staff, and to our dedicated OWL leaders, Virginia Pace, Daughon Langner, and Laura Mulkoff.

Opportunities

This summer we are looking to grow our children and youth RE team with people who can:
● support one of our staff teachers in the Spirit Space (grades 2-6) or Chalice Children (grades
preK-1) classroom on an occasional basis
● pair up with a friend to give our dedicated nursery staff a Sunday off
● take the lead on a special event like apple picking, Easter Egg decorating, Game Nights, etc.
● put your education or facilitation expertise to work by getting trained to lead Our Whole Lives

Adult members who get involved in children and youth ministries promote community and
intergenerational learning, support their own continued spiritual, social, and ethical growth, and most
importantly show our young people the love of the congregation and their belonging here. Plus they
have fun! Speak with Liz to learn about how to get involved.

Contact:
Liz McCreless, Director of Lifespan Religious Education
dlre@firstuchicago.org or 773-324-4100 x112