Religious Exploration (RE) at the AUUF

What We Offer Through the Lifespan

We warmly welcome children, youth, young adults, and adults to explore, reflect, and grow in a caring spiritual community. Our Religious Exploration (RE) programs offer opportunities for all ages to discover and connect through:

Ethical Growth: Embracing values like justice, equity, and compassion, and learning how to live them out in everyday life.

Social Growth: Forming meaningful relationships with people of all ages in a community that values genuine connection over appearances.

Spiritual Growth: Finding a sense of the sacred within ourselves, in our relationships, and in the world around us.

RE is about much more than classes. On any given Sunday, you might find preschoolers joyfully singing about kindness, 2nd graders discussing how to cope with loss, 5th graders learning about Islam from a Muslim couple, 7th graders diving into lessons about responsibility through our progressive sexuality education program, or high schoolers raising funds for a local homeless shelter. Our programs are woven with social justice activities, worship, service trips, community building, and lots of fun.

Children with RE Facilitators in an RE classroom

Our volunteer RE facilitators and Minister, along with parents and congregation members, guide these vibrant programs. Volunteering as an RE facilitator is a wonderful way to deepen your own spiritual journey while helping to nurture the growth of our community. Our children’s and youth RE programs are typically offered on Sunday mornings at 11:15 AM, while adult programs are usually held in the afternoons or evenings.

We invite you to join us on this path of discovery, connection, and growth!

The safety and well-being of our children and youth are our top priorities. We take special care to seek parental consent for programs covering sensitive topics, such as sexuality, as part of our commitment to fostering a respectful and supportive environment. We also recognize that parents and legal guardians are children’s primary religious educators, and we are here to affirm, equip, and accompany you on that important journey.

We invite you to explore these pages and reach out to our Director of Religious Exploration (DRE) to learn more and get connected with our community.

RE Teens at a sampling location with AL Water Watch.

AUUF RE Mission Statement

The Religious Exploration Program (RE) at the AUUF is dedicated to fostering a sense of wholeness in our children and youth and enriching their spiritual lives as they explore faith traditions and religious and ethical questions within a supportive UU community.  Guided by the AUUF Mission Statement and the UUA principles, and leading by example, those involved with the RE program empower young people to respect the inherent worth and dignity of themselves and others, search for individual spiritual meaning, make responsible decisions, and understand what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist in a world of religious diversity. We strengthen the bonds between AUUF young people and adults, and help our children and youth understand the importance of working with the larger community to care for the earth and to bring about a safe and just world.