Religions are made unique through their differentiated sources of authority and resulting grounds for what is believed to be the truth. For some, the authority may be a sacred book or the revelation of a great leader. For Unitarian Universalists, the source of authority is individual experience which is refined through reason and spirit and tested in the community.

Therefore we believe not what we are told to believe, nor what we wish to believe, but what we are compelled by conscience to believe.

Northwoods' Religious Education (RE) programs for all ages reflect the importance that Unitarian Universalism places on the personal, spiritual journey through learning.

RE is a collaboration of staff and volunteers from our congregation.  If you are interested in volunteering to help in this area, please speak with Ryan Hoffland.  

Children's RE is held during First Service (10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.), with all ages gathering first in the Sanctuary for approximately 15 minutes. After the Minister's Children's sermon, children are escorted to their age-appropriate classrooms for the remainder of the hour.
(For more details, please see "A Typical Sunday".)

High School Youth Programming is held in between services (Religious Education) and during the second service (YRUU).

Adult RE is scheduled during a variety of days and times, and is taught by both staff and volunteers, congregation members, and visiting educators.
 

Our Minister, the Reverend Ellen Cooper-Davis, leads Pathways to Membership classes, an introduction to Unitarian Universalism, on a regularly occurring basis. Generally, the class occurs on the third Sunday of each month, from 1-4 p.m. Please contact the church office to confirm the time, and to register. In a liberal faith that has no central creed to which all subscribe, historical information and discussion is essential to understanding our collective theology. The Pathways to Membership series explores liberal theology, historical Unitarian and Universalist theologies, and some possibilities for a Unitarian Universalist theology that would embrace our various beliefs and paths.

More on Northwoods UU's Religious Educational Philosophy

Director of Religious Education, Ryan Hoffland (nuuc.re@sbcglobal.net)