Unitarian Universalist
...a welcoming spiritual community
190 Academy Rd, North Andover, Massachusetts,
01845-4022 978-687-7948 office@northparish.org
Coming of Age Statements
...three years ago, we Came of Age, each of us speaking before the congregation of who we are and what we trust. It was the first time most of us had spoken our minds in such a public way -- Julia Rohr
Coming of Age, offered to youth in the first year of high school, is a program through which the faith community recognizes that a youth is ready to take on responsibility for his or her own faith journey and moral decision-making. It is a year-long process during which youth spend time reflecting upon spiritual questions, and examining and defining their own beliefs and values. During the Coming of Age year, youth are companioned and supported by an adult mentor who represents the parish. As the final part of the process, youth are honored at a Coming of Age religious ceremony. At the ceremony, each youth presents a statement about his or her own beliefs, values, and experiences.
Congratulations to the 2006 COA gradiuates:
Congratulations to the 2005 COA graduates:
Congratulations to the 2004 COA graduates:
Congratulations to the 2003 COA graduates: Molly Baird, Jeff Bakkensen, Daniel Brosnan, Kate Denison, Joe Fleming, Rob Garron, Andrea Lemire, Erin Letourneau, Oleysa Margolycz, Kayla Parker, and Kirsten Wentzel. It was a wonderful service! Many thanks to mentors, parents and youth programs coordinator Jerrie Hildebrand.
Coming of Age Faith Statement Excerpts 2002
Tom Garron
As many know, I am a very scientific man. I like to intermingle science and the physical world into my religious beliefs. That is why the topic of "God" is a tough one for me. I believe in theories such as evolution, and the big bang. But the way these things happened is through energy. A scientific law states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Then, where did all that energy come from? I believe it came from God. I do not believe God has any shape or form, but resides within energy. I also believe that God is in all emotions, not just love, but hate and anger as well. God affects the way I perceive everything around me. I treat all people, nature, and emotions with respect because I see God in all of them. I also cannot bring myself to hate any person because of this belief. I believe that God is not perfect, and is changing and evolving right along with me.
Lauren Colby
Last but not least was the most difficult journey for me to overcome, and that was the question of what my gifts were. I think I am for the most part understanding, caring, responsible, reliable, patient, supportive, open minded, friendly, respectful, and determined. I am determined to succeed in life and to live a good, yet healthy, life. Like others, I find pride in making others proud of me and my accomplishments. Surprisingly my most important gift is my sister. She and I share a bond no other two human beings could share. I wouldn’t consider us having a sister relationship, she goes under the category of my best friend. We share some fun times along with some sad ones, but they’re all precious to me and have affected the way I live today in many different ways. Gifts aren’t necessarily traits that are given to you; you can earn these gifts by changing the person you are into the person you’d like to become.
David Scanlon
I have learned to be flexible about people’s differences. I really like it that in our faith we can express our true selves and that it is OK to ask questions. For example, because I am Korean, I feel a connection to the Buddhist faith. The peaceful nature of Buddhism and meditation have always interested me. If my family and I went to a different church, I might not be able to express this interest….
Our church teaches us to think about other people, not just about ourselves. We do things like collecting money for UNICEF, cooking and delivering meals for Bread and Roses soup kitchen in Lawrence, and other kinds of community service. We also know how to have fun at our church. Because Halloween is my favorite holiday, I don’t think I’ll ever be too old to participate in the junior youth group haunted house.
Kyle Williams
There is one thought that has continually been in the back of my mind since the events of September eleventh, and that is what exactly is evil?...
I find it very hard to call someone, or something "Evil," because most of the time I believe they are doing what they think is right. Yes the terrorists did harm, and injured people, but did they do it just for fun? No, I believe they did it to help their cause, and they thought this may be the best thing to do to help. this was an act that is very hard to justify, and the terrorists that did it also probably have a hard time creating a justification for their actions...
Do I think they are trying to be evil? For the most part, I believe that if they have a legitimate cause for their actions and are able to justify their actions to a certain extent, they shouldn't be put down, and called evil.
Corinne Disenhof
To me, freedom of belief includes the right to answer the question of what happens after death. Perhaps the person’s own beliefs determine what happens to them or where they go. Maybe there is something that happens to everyone after death, or maybe what people do during life affects that, like the concept of heaven and hell. I don’t know, but I personally do not believe in hell. I don’t think there could be an afterlife of pure torture for anyone. I do think there are people who could be considered eveil and may deserve that fate, but, really, who knows what happens?
Elida Cristaldi
The connection and the communication between others is important to me. I find that through prayer and worship I am able to receive a connection. This connection for me is not so much spiritual in the sense that is planned, or a long complex path, which I must follow. It is more so one that brings out a little voice in me, which allows me to reflect. A meditation called Singing in the Bathtub, by Bruce T. Marshall, best describes my feelings toward spirituality. According to the poet Allen Ginsberg, spirituality should be like singing in the bathtub. He continues to explain that like spirituality, singing in the bathtub is spontaneous. You don’t have to plan for it, study for it, or fit it into your calendar. It just happens. I, too, feel the same way. I used to picture spirituality as a long process, or a path which one would have to follow. This I had trouble understanding and it didn’t work for me. However, now, I view spirituality as an inner connection with one’s deeper self, each other, and that which gives us life. For me, it is simple joy.
Julia Palatine
I've learned that people respect you more if you are yourself, and are proud of it. If people don't accept you for who you are, then that's their problem, and they aren't worth being friends with in the first place. You have to learn to laugh at yourself and your mistakes, and making mistakes is okay, as long as you don't make the same one twice. I've witnessed kids with low self-esteem getting picked on. They thought that it was their fault; that they had done something wrong; that being themselves wasn't good enough. Being yourself says that you feel good about who you are, and, like I said, people respect that. Those who are proud of who they are are so much stronger than those who are insecure enough to make fun of the people who are proud of who they are. The first step to help others accept you is to accept yourself. Be proud of who you are; make the most of it; you're one of a kind.
Richard Smith
I try to live by a few basic rules. the most important is to treat others as you wish to be treated. This is very similar to the "golden rule," and also the first UU principle, "the inherent worth and dignity of every person." I try to treat everyone fairly; as an equal with myself. Secondly, I think that it is necessary to respect the beliefs of others. I try to respect that which other people have faith in, and I am open to other ideas. I think that Unitarian Universalism helped to make me a much more open-minded person, and I am very grateful for that.
I do not yet know what I will do with my life. As a human being, I feel a great responsibility for the earth and its preservation. I would like to do something to make a difference on that matter. Also, I believe that it is my responsibility to look out for other people and to do my best to help others whenever it is needed. The more I help other people, the greater meaning my life takes on.
Alex Disenhof
One thing that is most important to me is the happiness of myself and the people around me. Things that make me happy are good family and friends who I can trust and get along with easily. If I can lead a happy life, and bring joy to others as well, then I will be satisfied. Two more things that help bring joy into my life are rollerblading and snowboarding. These sports allow me to be creative, which is very important to me. They also teach me some valuable lessons that are not so obvious to people that do not participate in these sports. One of the lessons is commitment. In order to land a trick in these sports, you must commit fully to what you are doing, because if you give up in the middle, you will fall, hard. Although this method of learning can be painful at times, it has carried over into the real world for me. I have learned to follow through on things, and work hard to get what I want.
Elise Forcino
Please understand that Unitarian Universalism isn't just a religion to me. It's a way to live my life. It's a community where I belong. I'm not like anyone else in this room or in this town or even in the world, but still no matter how different I am, here is one of the only places I feel I belong. I am becoming y own person; some say an adult. Whatever or whoever I am going to become I know, or at least I hope with all my heart and soul, that being a Unitarian Universalist won't change. Because we al know that things, people, and conditions change constantly in our lives. And it is very lucky if we are able to find something in our lives that truly makes us happy all the time. Well, this religion does that for me. I am proud to call myself a UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST!
Welcoming Congregation
North Parish is a Welcoming Congregation, consistent with the guidelines of the Unitarian Universalist Association. We actively welcome lesbian, gay. bisexual, transgender, and intersex people as full participants in the life of the church. For more information, see our Welcoming Congregation page, or contact our Interweave chapter.