From the Minister, Rev. Bill Leggett
I welcome you to the wonderful Religious Education program here at the Unitarian Universalist (UU) Church of Birmingham (UUCB). Our Director of Religious Education (DRE), Sharron Mendel, and I, are eager to share the vision of Beloved Community with you and your family. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about our UU philosophy of religious education.
Many of our present leaders became members after searching for a church which could offer an inclusive and non-doctrinal education for their children. If you are seeking a religious community which offers many wonderful insights from world religions, humanism, as well as our Jewish and Christian traditions, we welcome you to step into the future with us. We will also eagerly anticipate knowing you and honoring what you bring to our community.
The greatest of our UU educators was Sophia Lyon Fahs. Listen to what she says about the philosophy of our UU religious education. I think you'll agree, it is the best we can offer our children. From It Matters What We Believe :
Some beliefs are like walled gardens. They encourage exclusiveness, and the feeling of being especially privileged. Other beliefs are expansive and lead the way into wider and deeper sympathies. Some beliefs are like shadows, clouding children's days with fears of unknown calamities. Other beliefs are like sunshine, blessing children with the warmth of happiness. Some beliefs are divisive, separating the saved from the unsaved, friends from enemies. Other beliefs are bonds in a world community, where sincere differences beautify the pattern. Some beliefs are like blinders, shutting off the power to choose one's own direction. Other beliefs are like gateways opening wide vistas for exploration. Some beliefs weaken a person's selfhood. They blight the growth of resourcefulness. Other beliefs nurture self-confidence and enrich the feeling of personal worth.
As the great Unitarian minister, William Ellery Channing said, “the great end to religious instruction is not to stamp our minds upon the young, but to stir up their own.” We welcome you to this exciting approach to religious education. If you are new to our church and want to know more, please call or email me or our DRE Sharron Mendel. Let's get to know each other. I'd love to discuss the possibility of your deepening engagement with our sacred community. We are delighted that you have chosen us to help with your children's growing and expanding minds.
With Love,
Rev. Bill Leggett
Unitarian Universalist Church of Birmingham
A member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association
Location: 4300 Hampton Heights Drive · Birmingham, Alabama · 35209 · U.S.A
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 19786 · Birmingham, AL 35219
Phone: (205) 945-8109 · Fax: (205) 945-8111
E-mail: office@uucbham.org
Copyright © 2006-2008 Unitarian Universalist Church of Birmingham
All Rights Reserved.