About Faith Forward
Faith Forward From Visitor to Leader is a guided path for Unitarian Universalists to follow in their congregations, helping them navigate from building connections early on, to finding their sense of belonging as a member, to serving as a leader and boldly living their faith. Faith Forward teaches how we “do” church and what it really means to be a member of a religious community. This is a valuable message for those coming to Unitarian Universalism from other religious backgrounds as well as the “nones” or the un-churched.
Faith Forward is made up of three paths: CORE, ADVANCED, and LEADERSHIP. Check out this visual overview of Faith Forward.
CORE Path
OBJECTIVE To shorten the visitor to member cycle; to help new and existing church members understand and explain our faith with confidence, to strengthen UU identity, and to encourage members to engage in daily practice, weekly worship, monthly service, annual retreat, and once-in-lifetime pilgrimage.
Inquirers Series (9 weeks)
Roots (1 class)
Beyond Inquirers (5 weeks)
Spiritual Practice (12 weeks)
UU History 101 (7 weeks)
UU Elevator Speech (3 weeks)
ADVANCED Path
OBJECTIVE To deepen understanding of our faith, connection to the church, and continued spiritual development.
UU Theology (6 weeks)
Coming of Age for Adults (6 weeks)
Turning Points in UU History (6 weeks)
Deepening Spiritual Practice (9 weeks)
Biblical Literacy for Unitarian Universalists (11 weeks)
Spiritual LEADERSHIP Path
OBJECTIVE To develop well-rounded Unitarian Universalist leaders. Participants are invited into reflection and service, discern their gifts and where they can be of service, deepen their service to Unitarian Universalism, and embrace their role as stewards of their congregation. The Leadership Path includes the spectrum of leadership - from development, to support, to stepping away from leadership roles and serving as mentors to those who come next.
Additional Resources
In addition to the extensive curricula described above, Faith Forward includes:
Faith Forward as Coming of Age - A detailed program guide for using the Faith Forward materials as your COA program for teens. The program guide contains a suggested schedule for the year, a detailed opening retreat plan, session outlines for additional minister-led content, and resources for the teens’ spiritual reflection project.
Adult Heritage Trip to Boston Program Guide - A planning guide and detailed itinerary for a Heritage Trip for adults who have participated in Faith Forward.
Talking with your congregation about Faith Forward...
We recognize that before signing up for Faith Forward, you must get the support of key leaders in your congregation. We have two resources to help facilitate information sharing and commitment building:
A visual overview of Faith Forward, plus details about the subscription packages available.
A one-page resource that addresses the questions: What is Faith Forward? How can it impact our congregation? What is required to get started?
A one-page overview of the Spiritual Leadership Path
Wondering how Faith Forward compares to other resources out there? We are part of Roots & Wings, a collaborative of faith formation and ministry resources for UU congregations. Check out our partners, to see what each of us can bring to your congregation.
Videos
See what members and leaders of First Unitarian Church of Dallas have to say about their Faith Forward experience...
