Welcome to 7th grade Neighboring Faiths
We have a fun and challenging year ahead! Our 7th graders can expect to have their world-view expanded, curiosity peaked, hearts opened, and connections with friends at church deepened as we share this life-changing journey. Families are invited to (literally) come along for the ride, as we need drivers and chaperones for our many adventures!
Find the complete, printable Neighboring Faiths Class & Event Schedule on the Schedule and Calendars page
Neighboring Faiths Camp Edenwood Overnight: May 27-28
- Click HERE for the trip handout (details, schedule, packing list)
- Head to the Sign Up Genius page to register your youth for the overnight.
Click here for the Sign Up Genius calendar, where you will sign up youth for upcoming faith community visits and/or sign up a parent/caregiver as a visit driver and chaperone
- The times listed on the Sign Up Genius calendar indicate when we will gather (in our classroom at church) and when youth should be picked up after the visit (from church). See the Visit Guidelines below for additional notes on our beginning and ending times.
- Each family is asked to sign up for a couple of Driver/Chaperone spots, if possible. You are welcome to sign up for more, too!
Each youth attending a visit must have a signed Youth Participation Release & Authorization for Emergency Medical Treatment form on file.
If you have not yet completed the form, you can find it at the bottom of the 7th-12th grade Families page, print and sign it, and turn it into a 7th grade teacher.
Our Goals
In Neighboring Faiths, youth will be learning about the faith traditions that are practiced around the world and in our Twin Cities community. The general structure of the class will be to learn about a particular faith (like Judaism, Buddhism, or Hinduism), and then visit a local place of worship. This is a class that is taught in Religious Education classes at UU churches across the country, and UU kids have been doing variations on this same curriculum since 1947.
In Neighboring Faiths, our 7th grade youth:
In Neighboring Faiths, our 7th grade youth:
- Participate personally in the faith traditions of others
- Reflect on the unique and universal of religious experience
- Explore their own values as they relate to many other faith traditions
- Become aware of the many connections between UU and other faith traditions
- Strengthen their commitment to the UU faith and community
- Increase their understanding and appreciation of religious diversity
- Build relationships with peers, adult leaders, and our congregation and community
Visit Guidelines
- Show up to visits with a respectful and open attitude. We are guests and, as such, are indebted to the hospitality of our hosts. Behave in a way that is appropriate to the setting and does not detract from the experience of others in their place of gathering/worship.
- Attend the entire service/visit with the group. Youth must start together at church, and return with the group to church. Families may not drive their youth directly to the visit location, arrive late to the visit, or pick up their youth from the visit early. This is an issue of respect (reducing interruptions), clear communication (ensuring all youth receive the same information and instructions before arriving at the site), and safety (so Chaperones do not need to track who has come or gone in the middle of the visit).
- In many communities, dress communicates respect, and so we have a dress code for visits. Youth and adult participants must honor our dress code; if someone is not dressed appropriately they will not be permitted to go on the visit.
Dress code for all visits:
- No jeans, track pants, sweat pants, or flip flops.
- No bare shoulders or knees.
- In addition, we will honor any norms around head coverings -- these will be communicated in advance by email.
All Drivers/Chaperones must:
- Sign up for the visit in advance on the SignUp Genius calendar
- Provide a copy of a valid driver's license and vehicle insurance
- Be able to carry 3+ youth in your vehicle with a safety belt for each passenger
- Be willing to guide youth on the visit, enforcing the dress code, encouraging appropriate behavior, and intervening if a youth needs help or redirection