Everyone is welcome to engage with our community in spiritual growth and education. The Unitarian Church of Harrisburg offers religious exploration programming for all ages in addition to lay-led opportunities for growth and learning.
VISION STATEMENT
“To awaken the soul, excite and cherish spiritual life”* in guiding and supporting individuals, families, and children on their journey as lifelong Unitarian Universalists.
*Excerpt from The Great End in Religious Instruction by William Ellery Channing, 18th Century Unitarian Minister
MISSION STATEMENT
We realize our Vision by:
- Embracing religious exploration to awaken the soul;
- Building and celebrating beloved community with shared Unitarian Universalist values;
- Supporting growth through ritual and worship to excite and cherish spiritual life; and
- Ministering to all individuals, families, and children
Faith Development Goals
- to Nurture unapologetic U.U.s;
- to Increase children, youth and family participation on Sundays and beyond through support and opportunities;
- to Provide inclusivity at all ages (educate and challenge -isms & biases)
- to Recruit, support and sustain FD volunteers (leaders, helpers and behind-the-scenes)
Adult Faith Development
Covenant Groups (CG)
Covenant Groups meet monthly September to June. Sessions are 60-90 minutes long, with discussion on a different theme each month. This is a wonderful way to get to know other like-minded folks outside Sunday morning coffee hour. There are in-person and Zoom options.
This year’s themes were chosen from The Revolutionary Love Project. The Revolutionary Love project draws on various
spiritual and philosophical traditions, advocating for love as a way to combat hate and violence and as a means to bridge divides
and build inclusive communities. The curriculum draws on Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Islamic, Hindu, and Indigenous spiritual
traditions as well as feminist and queer theory.
Registration for Covenant groups is now closed. Please contact Bart Carpenter if you wish to join but missed signing up.
Stitchers Group- Contact Cory to be added to the group
Join us every 2nd Friday of the month at 10 a.m. for our Stitchers Group, needle arts group for knitters/crocheter’s/quilters/cross stitchers/weavers and more, where we can all gather with our projects to stitch & chat.
No agenda – just building connections.
Children and Youth Faith Development
Includes children 6 months through 12th grade.
The Unitarian Church of Harrisburg offers children and youth faith development (FD) programming most Sunday mornings.
Please try to arrive about 15 minutes before the service. Greeters in the lobby will welcome you, get name-tags for your family, and ask you to fill out a visitor registration form. Arriving a bit early allows you time to look around; to meet other families, the FD Leaders, and/or the Director of Lifespan Faith Development to ask questions. Please include any special needs or allergies on the visitor registration form to best provide a positive experience for your child.
Members and guests should sit where they are most comfortable and move around as needed. Joyful noises and movements are the signs of a living, thriving church. We welcome them!
All ages start together in the sanctuary. Some Sundays, families remain together in the service. Other Sundays, children, youth, and FD Leaders will recess to their FD session downstairs during a song (about 15 minutes into the service.) We encourage you to go with your children to help them find their way and settle in. If you do not arrive early, just go with the rest of the children and leaders, let them know you are new, and they will accompany you to the FD room. Please stay in the session or activity with your child if you would like.
After their third visit, families should complete the UCH FD registration form. This helps our Director of Lifespan Faith Development monitor attendance, communicate with families, and tailor activities for their children & youth.
We are offering three classes this year:
- Nursery (6 mo. – K)
- Elementary (1st – 5th)
- Youth Group (6th – 12th)
Children and youth information is confidential and only shared with staff and class leaders.
Questions/Concerns: Contact our Director of Lifespan Faith Development, Cory Ness.
Registration for 2025-2026 Faith Development classes in now open. Clink the link to register now!
