Coming+of+Age

** The Community Church of Chapel Hill Unitarian Universalist **
 * 2012-2013 Coming of Age Program**

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=**Description:**= Coming of Age (COA) is primarily for 9th graders. COA is similar to confirmation or a bar/bat mitzvah. The youth spend 8 months learning about the great religious questions and exploring their own beliefs or "credos". Each is assigned a mentor from the congregation who partners with them for the year. The year culminates with a service where the youth share their "credos" with the congregation. The service is followed by a party. Then in June the youth take a "UU pilgrimage" trip to Boston. Youth commit to attending Sunday services at least once a month, attending one retreat to start off the year and doing a service project on the MLK Holiday. It is a true commitment but the rewards of the program come from full participation. It is an optional program and youth need to actually want to do the class for it to work. So we don't recommend "making" very reluctant kids do it.

=**Calendar and Time Commitment:**=   = Cost: = Coming of Age is an expensive program. We ask for a $100 donation at the beginning to pay for retreat, supplies, and celebration. If you can not afford this, just let me know. We don't want cost to be an impediment.
 * ** Opening Coming of Age Retreat -- September 7th 6-9 PM **
 * ** Class -- twice a month meetings (Sundays 4:30-5:45) ** 9/16, 9/23, 10/7, 10/21, 11/4, 11/18, 12/2, 12/16, 1/6, 1/20, 2/3, 2/10, 3/3, 3/17, 4/7, 4/21, 5/5
 * ** Service Rehearsal -- Early May **
 * ** Service--5/19 at 9:30 or 11:15 **
 * ** Party--5/19, 6-8 PM **
 * ** Heritage Trip--June 11-17 2013 **
 * ** Attending Sunday Worship Service at least once a month with Mentor **
 * ** Fundraising: ** See Boston Trip below.

=**Boston Trip:**= The youth have an amazing time on this wonderful culmination to the year.
 * Cost:** $250 per youth, plus $150 for food on the trip. (this is based on what we did this year). If you can not afford this then let Marion Hirsch know. We do not want cost to be an impediment.
 * Fund raising**: Obviously $250 does not begin to cover the cost of a week long trip to a major city. The rest of the cost of the trip is covered by fund raising. The youth and families have to participate in fund raising. Of course all fund raising is dependent on Church Board permission so this is all tentative. Fall Football parking usually raises about $3000. And then we will have some other fund raising event in the spring.
 * Fall:** We expect both youth and parents to sell parking at 2 football games. Dates are: 9/18, 10/2, 10/9, 10/30, 11/13, 11/20
 * Spring:** TBA

=**Mentors:**= Each youth will have an adult mentor from the church who will attend some of the Coming of Age Sunday meetings and will attend service once a month with the youth. The mentors are carefully selected adults from the congregation who have a long and established relationship with Unitarian Universalism and are comfortable with youth. This part of the program is a highlight for youth and mentors alike. If you and your youth know of particular adults in the congregation you would like for your youth's mentor, please let Marion Hirsch know.

=**Leadership of Class:**= Marion Hirsch will be leading the class again this year. Maj-Britt Johnson will be attending part of the opening retreat, leading 2 of the classes, leading the rehearsal and the service.