Is this an adult RE curriculum?

Faith Forward is more than a curriculum. It is a program that bridges faith development and your membership process by offering an integrated path. The path guides people from being a visitor, to becoming a member, to serving in leadership in your church. Faith Forward combines relationship building, experiential learning, direct instruction, and practical guidance on how to get connected and involved. Unlike traditional curricula, Faith Forward focuses on building relationships among participants, and between participants and other members and leaders of the church, by introducing them to a variety of different presenters and facilitators.

What is the difference between the Intro package and the Path?

The Intro package includes just the first three classes on the Path. It is a starting place, which the rest of the Path builds on. When people complete all eight sessions of the Inquirers Series, they will often ask “what’s next?” The Path offers a next step for them to deepen their understanding of and engagement in your church and Unitarian Universalism.

What does the Intro package include?

The Faith Forward Intro package includes online access to facilitator guides, the Roots and Beyond Inquirers videos, the Inquirers name tag template, customizable promotional materials, the Inquirers Series Implementation Guide, templates for sign-in sheets and evaluation forms, and support from Faith Forward staff. 

How does the subscription payment work?

Pricing is tiered based on the size categories developed by the UUA. When you sign-up for Faith Forward, you pay the first-year fee. You will receive an invoice toward the end of the year for the annual renewal fee, with a link to make your payment online.

How long is each session?

Each session is no longer than 1 hour, with the exception of Roots which is designed to be 90 minutes.

How are the sessions offered throughout the year?

The Inquirers Series is designed to be offered on an ongoing basis, with the 9 sessions repeating throughout the year. Roots can be offered a couple times per year. Beyond Inquirers can be offered at any point in the church year. The CORE Path, of which the Intro package is a piece, includes enough material to fill an entire program or calendar year. Classes can be offered once or twice a year, depending on your numbers. The goal is to always have a “next step” available when someone completes the Inquirers Series or one of the other steps along the CORE Path.

What level of volunteer and professional staffing is needed to implement this?

The ideal model for Faith Forward is one in which church staff offer logistical support and the structure in which the classes take place, and lay volunteers are the speakers and facilitators. The largest investment of staff time will be up front, setting up the infrastructure, recruiting facilitators, and spreading awareness about Faith Forward throughout your church. Once this is in place, you fill find yourself falling into the rhythm of the year as the path continues and repeats itself. The Inquirers Series Implementation Guide and CORE Path Implementation Guide offer more guidance on facilitator recruitment.