Welcome to the thrill of September, a time that holds summer’s end and plunges us headlong into autumn. For many, this season is all about returning—to classrooms and routines, to friends and familiar rhythms, with eager excitement and concern as we imagine everything the coming year might bring. How will we fit it all in, how do we fit into it all, where will we find belonging?
I too share this feeling of intensity, returning to First Church from the first part of my sabbatical this past summer in my new role as Minister of Faith Formation. I am grateful to return and belong to a faith community that centers love, connection, and purpose. Especially at a time when our Unitarian Universalist values call us to resist fascism.
How will we find belonging? Belonging is built together with intention, by practicing being fully human (flaws and all) and doing the next right thing through caring for ourselves and our community. When we share our wisdom at church we create opportunities for love, learning and connection. We know how to do this and we will continue, knowing we can persevere together. Our Faith Formation program, formerly Religious Education and Adult Spiritual Development, is one of the ways we build a path for one another at First Church.
Lifespan Faith Formation supports spiritual growth and faith development for people of all ages, as a lifelong process that offers holistic and diverse ways to nurture journeys of exploration, meaning making, and connection to the sacred. It contrasts with traditional religious education by focusing on integrated programs that foster personal transformation, critical consciousness, and a shared commitment to living out values within a supportive community.
Changing the name from religious education to faith formation more accurately reflects the shifts we have already made over the past few years in our First Church educational offerings. Faith formation encompasses our multigenerational services, shared learning experiences, as well as support for individuals at different stages of life. The goal is to nurture the exploration of spiritual life throughout a lifetime.
That is a lot! As we find our way together, I am eager to hear from you and learn what opportunities of connection you believe we can create together. If you have an idea, share it with me here.
With a heart full of gratitude,
Kimberlee
Rev. Kimberlee Tomczak Carlson, Minister of Faith Formation