Dear FUUSN Community,

The monthly theme for March is Belief. This can be an interesting one for Unitarian Universalists parents to grapple with. As Unitarian Universalists we don’t belong to a credal faith. One is not required to take on a particular set of beliefs to be UU. We are a faith that covenants around a set of common values expressed through the 7 Principles. These Principles tie us together in Beloved Community, and make room for a variety of beliefs to exist among us.

As Unitarian Universalists we value each individual’s right to a free and responsible search for truth and meaning (our 4th principle). As Unitarian Universalist parents, when we share our deeply held and hard won beliefs with our children we help to lay a solid foundation for their own free and responsible searching. Children benefit from knowing and understanding what it is their parents believe, and something about the journey that got them there. They also learn from us that what people believe can change as we age and grow.

Belief is a powerful and important idea to explore with children. It is one of our fundamental rights as human beings to choose what we believe. It’s not always easy to figure it out, and the more we can share this journey with our children, the less they are likely to feel they are traveling alone.

                                              In Faith and Community, Amanda Graff, Director of Lifespan Religious Education