All of our youth-oriented programs are primarily focused on building meaningful interpersonal connection.  As the world has shifted away from in-person gatherings, regular church attendance, and Sunday ‘rest’, we aim to create fluid, adaptive gatherings that have an open-door policy, encouraging engagement when possible and honoring the complexities of modern life.  

Sunday Seekers

(Sunday mornings, roughly 10:45 – 11:45am)

We offer a separate mixed-age program most Sundays during our church service, what many might call “Sunday School”.  This program is geared mostly for ages 3 – 11, but we are open to children of all ages and will do our best to accommodate and adapt so everyone can be included and flourish.  Our Director of Faith Development leads Sunday Seekers with help from volunteers from our congregation.

Sunday Seekers happens downstairs in our classroom spaces, and we travel there together from the sanctuary after the Time for All Ages (there is an elevator that can be used to access this space as well).

We treat Sunday Seekers as a sacred space to connect, be curious and play together. Our program is semi-structured with planned activities, rituals and child-led play.  Our deepest goal is to create connection; with each other, between families, and with the world at whatever scale is developmentally appropriate. While we approach each month with a theme, and we plan activities focused on learning about UU values we acknowledge that we must respond directly to the needs of the children in front of us.  This means that the program is flexible and responsive as opposed to rigid.

We follow a mixture of curriculums; borrowing from LEGO ValUUes and SOUL Matters amongst others. 

Youth Groups

Middle School

Our Middle School Youth Group is focused on kids in 6th – 9th grade, and will meet roughly twice a month on Sunday afternoons, from 1:30 – 3pm.  This group is led by two volunteer congregants, Brad Willenbrock and Eric Knudson, with support from our DFD.

Like our other programs, Youth Group is a sacred space that will be semi-structured with a chalice lighting, sharing, activity and chalice extinguishing.  We focus on inspiring and encouraging autonomy and social skills in this group.  The middle school youth are encouraged to bring their own interests and curiosities, and will be involved in the creation of the groups activities, agreements and guidelines.  This is a space where boundaries and trust are formed through action, commitment and communication; there will be opportunities to explore nature, play games, share and learn.  There will be an overlying self-selected curriculum that we loosely follow with a focus on deepening our UU Values and understanding the multitude of ways the value of pluralism can be honored in our daily lives.

High School

Our High School Youth Group is focused on kids in 10th – 12th grade, and will likely meet bi-weekly at a mutually agreed upon time.  This group is facilitated by volunteer congregants and supported by our DFD.

Our High School Youth Group is focused on celebrating autonomy; encouraging deeper connections and finding purpose.  Our youth are trusted with primary leadership of their own group structure, agreements and guidelines.   Our High School group is as self-guided as possible, with a focus on deepening our understanding of UU Values and the practical application of them in the real world.  We will explore our purposes, our place in the world, and our connections to each other.  

OWL – Sexuality Education

Our Whole Lives (OWL): Lifespan Sexuality Education provides honest, accurate information about how sexuality changes lives. It dismantles stereotypes and assumptions, builds self-acceptance and self-esteem, fosters healthy relationships, improves decision making, and has the potential to save lives. Unlike many other sexuality curricula currently available, this program is comprehensive and progressive. In an inclusive and developmentally appropriate manner, it addresses sensitive topics that are typically excluded. Although the curriculum was developed by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ, this curriculum is completely secular and free of specific religious doctrine or reference. However, the underlying values of the program reflect the justice-oriented traditions of both denominations.  

There are seven distinct OWL programs for different ages along the life span: grades K-1, grades 4-6, grades 7-9, grades 10-12, young adults (ages 18-35), adults, and older adults (ages 55 +). Our congregation is proud to offer OWL regularly for a rotating age group. 

This year (2025-2026) we will be running OWL for a 7th – 9th grade cohort.  This program is entirely secular, and is open to any age-eligible youth on the North Shore that would like to participate. This version of OWL models and teaches caring, compassion, respect, and justice through the lens of sexual education. It is a holistic program that moves beyond the intellect to address the attitudes, values, and feelings that youth have about themselves and the world.  

If you have a 7th, 8th or 9th grader who might be interested in participating, please email faithdevelopment@firstparishbeverly.org!  More information will be available soon.

If you would like to learn more about OWL in general, click here.