Milestones & Celebrations

At North Parish we believe in making room in our lives for observing life passages, change, and the seasons.

At North Parish we love to celebrate! At specific times during our church year, our Sunday service includes a celebration for our children and youth milestones. Other celebrations mark the changing seasons or significant events in our church and community history.

Milestones for our Elementary Programs

Milestone gifts for children - "A Cup of Light" book, chalices, framed Sources and PrinciplesKindergarteners, Second Graders, Fifth Graders, Eighth Graders as they transition from Middle School/Junior Youth to High School/Senior Youth – During these celebrations, children and their families are invited forward, introduced to the congregation and presented with a small gift. These gifts are intended to remind the child and family of their UU identity and the important place they have in our wider congregation. They also support UU practices at home.

No one misses out! If your child began participating in the Faith Formation program after one of these milestones in their own life or missed a particular UU milestone celebration, please email our Director of Faith Formation.

 

Some of our Coming of Age (COA) quilts, hang in the corridor outside the officesMilestones for our Youth Programs

Ninth Graders – Those participating in our Coming of Age program create a special service where they share statements about their beliefs. They also present the congregation a fabric art/quilt banner – of their design, constructed by a church member. The most recent quilts hang in the hall corridor outside the offices (some are shown in the image above). A scrapbook of all quilts is located on the bookshelf in the Parlor).
Twelfth Graders – during a special Bridging ceremony pre-graduation, they have an opportunity to share their thoughts and plans. They are given a rose – but, unlike the thornless rose used for child dedications, this one has thorns, symbolizing their passage into Young Adulthood.

 

Song in celebration of LOVE 20th anniversarySpecial Event Celebrations

Markers of significant times in our community and church history, such as seasonal transitions (solstice, equinox), our North Parish birthday (celebrating our founding in 1645), and more…

For information on our other rites of passage, see Child Dedications and Weddings & Memorials.