GROW FAMILIES

In 1873 this church was founded as a Sunday School for children and adults. Since those early days, religious education for all ages has held a central place in the life of this congregation. Our programs for children, youth, and adults are based on the belief that the search for truth and meaning is a lifelong search. We believe that one of the roles of a faith community is to offer opportunities to grow deep roots connecting us to our heritage as Unitarian Universalists and to provide experiences that allow us each to stretch and grow spiritually and personally.

Today we are a home for many different types of families. In fact, some people seek out this liberal haven as a place to start, nurture, or enhance their family experience. We regularly celebrate our many diverse families in our Wholly Family Worship Service. Here, people live out what it means to be part of a wider family of humanity. In its most ready definition, “family” is thought of as a group of individuals living under one roof or a group of persons of common ancestry or common stock (clan or race.) A family is also recognized as a group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation, as in fellowship. Here is where we flourish.

First UU Church of San Diego is home to a rainbow of families, perhaps more types than anywhere else in San Diego. Here you’ll find a community built of single parent families, blended families, multi-racial families, adoptive families, families without children, families with two moms or two dads, couples seeking to birth, foster, or adopt children, surrogate mothers, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender families, bi-national families, mom-dad-two-kids-and-a-dog families, elder families, displaced families, intentional families, families of friends, and families of one person.

There are many ways to grow and enhance your own family. Here are just a few ways:

Intergenerational Services & Activities
Our Sunday worship services begin in our Meeting House with all ages together. Children are welcome and expected to participate in the opening, chalice lighting, church hymn and affirmation. Often there is a Story for All Ages told at the opening of the service where children are invited to the front of the sanctuary by the storyteller. Each week, at the start of the worship, the children are invited to the chancel to lead the congregation in the words and gestures of the children’s affirmation:

“We are a People of Open Minds,
Loving Hearts,
And
Welcome Hands.”

After the children’s affirmation, the children leave the Meeting House to meet with their religious education teachers on the church patio. The children then have their classes filled with activities, programs, music, art, craft, and sometimes food. Parents pick up the children at the end of the children’s program, after worship service.

Throughout the year, we celebrate several worship services which are intentionally intergenerational, and children are invited (and expected!) to stay for the whole service. Such examples are: Flower Communion, Thanksgiving, Wholly Family, Coming of Age, Christmas Vespers, and Children’s Day.

Additionally, we have regular intergenerational activities that are designed to engage the entire church community. There is our annual Easter Egg Hunt, United Nations Sunday, Halloween Carnival, and Holiday Tree Trimming Party to name a few.

Lifespan Religious Education
Our programs aim to assist each individual to understand our Unitarian Universalist heritage and to develop a “UU” Identity. It is also our goal to provide the context for individuals to develop a knowledge of and respect for other religions as well as and understanding of the place of religion in our culture. We must also challenge ourselves and each other to live out our values in our lives. This inevitably leads us to reach beyond ourselves and our doors and into the world at large.

These are challenging goals. It forces us to stretch and grow. We work hard at First Church to offer such challenges to individuals at all ages. Understanding how to provide these challenges while being realistic about the abilities and developmental process of each age is critical to helping every person develop their own sense of Unitarian Universalist identity. I encourage you to share your ideas for and concerns about our programs so that together we can help each other grow as religious beings and into a deeper sense of ourselves as Unitarian Universalists.

Our programs and classes for all ages are designed to nurture spiritual growth; to add to our knowledge of our own faith and the faith of others; and to inspire us to put our faith into action in our lives and the in the world. If you would like more information than you find on the following pages, please call Liz Jones, Director of Religious Education, at 619-298-9978 or e-mail her at liz@firstuusandiego.org.

Neighborhood Groups
These groups strive to deepen the bonds among members and friends of the church, and help newcomers connect with others in our church community. Church members and those friendly to UU principles meet in their neighborhood area for social mixing, conversation, food and activities. Currently there are active neighborhood groups the following areas.
• Inland North County
• El Cajon/ La Mesa/East County
• Pacific Beach
• University City
• Mission Hills/Presidio Park/Hillcrest
• Tierrasanta/Serra Mesa
• Point Loma
• South Bay
To connect with your closest group, contact our Director of Community Life, Suzette Southfox at 619-298-9978 or 
e-mail suzette@firstuusandiego.org.