1. www.cuc.ca/lifespan Canadian unitarian council Lifespan Learning community Copyright Canadian Unitarian Council Please credit accordingly when using these materials

2. www.cuc.ca/lifespan Lifespan Learning Community “For Unitarian-Universalists, learning is the fundamental spiritual practice” - Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker

3. www.cuc.ca/lifespan Lifespan Learning Community On Learning… “Learning is a centrifugal force in the life of a congregation” Rev. Larry Peers

4. www.cuc.ca/lifespan Lifespan Learning Community Rev. Peter Steinke (Healthy Congregations) says, “Organizations that will survive and thrive are learning organizations” where: They create their future. They imagine the possibilities. Imagination offers resiliency and flexibility.

5. www.cuc.ca/lifespan The CUC Lifespan Learning Community Program 12 Keys To Becoming A Thriving, Learning, Growing Congregation

6. www.cuc.ca/lifespan What is a Lifespan Learning Community? A Lifespan Learning Community is a community which intentionally encourages and creates opportunity for spiritual growth and learning at all ages of our lives and all stages of our faith development.

7. www.cuc.ca/lifespan Our principles inform our approach Our principles inform our approach. What we offer demonstrates that we affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person.

8. www.cuc.ca/lifespan Our principles inform our approach MULTIGENERATIONAL COMMUNITY as we envision it is one where… Every age group is, as they so choose, welcomed as a participant, a leader and a recipient of every part of their Unitarian Universalist community.

9. www.cuc.ca/lifespan Our principles inform our approach It is a community offering worship for ALL ages, pastoral care of ALL ages, social justice for ALL ages, learning for ALL ages, and where governance includes ALL ages.

10. www.cuc.ca/lifespan Our principles inform our approach What shift in thinking is needed? What might we move toward? A time when the norm of UU community is a room filled with all ages AND space where each generation is honoured and its unique needs are met. We will still engage fully in developmentally-appropriate and age-specific ministries and programs.

11. www.cuc.ca/lifespan Our principles inform our approach Within community different needs will be served in different ways - not everyone together all the time, but looking with intention and vision at each area of our lifespan shared ministry within and as part of the whole. Lifespan community Community building Stewardship Faith development Worship Social Justice Outreach Right relations Polity

12. www.cuc.ca/lifespan Lifespan Learning Community The Lifespan Learning Community Program, endorsed by the CUC Board, offers a framework to first gather then hold for easy access the scope of what it means to support vital and growing faith community of all ages. CUC Board 2007/2008

13. www.cuc.ca/lifespan Lifespan Learning Community This is not a pre-scripted program, nor something that will look the same in other congregations. It is designed so that the particular identity and vision of your faith community can come alive and flourish.

14. www.cuc.ca/lifespan Lifespan Learning Community This is an intentional process similar to Welcoming Congregation or the Green Sanctuary where you may work for 1 or 2 years or more - to meet the criteria you’ve named in order to become a lifespan learning community. It is a cycle of visioning, assessing, planning, doing, re-assessing, revising, re-visioning.

15. www.cuc.ca/lifespan Lifespan Learning Community The 12 keys are presented together as a comprehensive list, because the effectiveness of each key is not only reinforced but amplified by successes in the other areas. The first three keys are foundational, and keys 4-11 enliven and build on that foundation. Key 9, addressing safe congregations issues, is a requirement for recognition. Key 12 brings the “program” full circle.

16. www.cuc.ca/lifespan Lifespan Learning Community The Twelve Keys …and how you’re likely already meeting parts of several!

17. www.cuc.ca/lifespan The Twelve Keys 1. Articulate your vision of Lifespan Learning as it relates to the mission of your community.

18. www.cuc.ca/lifespan What does this mean? This means that your community has a clearly articulated, congregationally “owned” written vision statement addressing what life-long learning means to the congregation. Vision must be clear. If the vision is vague, people lose interest. Vision of Religious Education (whether lifespan or addressed in age-specific components) is well-connected to the overall congregational mission and vision. Vision offers meaning. Vision instils hope. Vision directs energy.

19. www.cuc.ca/lifespan The Twelve Keys 2. Assess current reality – the opportunities for learning at every age of life and every stage of faith development that you have in place RIGHT NOW.

20. www.cuc.ca/lifespan What does this mean? This means that a lifespan learning community knows what it is currently doing to meet its lifespan learning mission and vision. It understands where and how the various ages and stages of its members find opportunities for growth and learning in the whole congregation. The whole of the congregation includes its children, youth and young adults; its programs, worship, work and play, celebrations, outreach, staff, building, governance and property. Wholeness is relational, and involves the parts coming together and interacting.

21. www.cuc.ca/lifespan The Twelve Keys 3. Create a long range plan to maintain current lifespan learning opportunities and create desired new opportunities.

22. www.cuc.ca/lifespan What does this mean? This means that once a congregation knows its vision and its current faith development opportunities, it needs to create a plan for the future. A lifespan learning community has intentional long range plans and a timeline outlining regularly occurring ministry programs, rotating programs, and those that will be initiated in the future. “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten”

23. www.cuc.ca/lifespan The Twelve Keys 4. Provide opportunities for people to learn and grow at all ages of their life.

24. www.cuc.ca/lifespan What does this mean? This means that our community offers a variety of developmentally appropriate opportunities to ensure that every member can learn and grow ethically, spiritually and in their Unitarian or Unitarian Universalist identity no matter their age. Challenge the Mind Nourish the Spirit Act in the World

25. www.cuc.ca/lifespan What does this mean? Every member of your community needs opportunities to learn and grow – to stretch their minds and nurture their spirits, to make friends and deepen relationships within community.

26. www.cuc.ca/lifespan The Twelve Keys 5. Provide opportunities for people to learn and grow at all stages of their faith development.

27. www.cuc.ca/lifespan What does this mean? Ours is a living tradition. As we continue to discover our own UU identity and find our purpose in modern society within our congregations, so too each member will change and grow over time. Our birthright UUs have different needs to our new members. We all have different needs at different stages along the membership journey in faith community. Let’s plan to meet the needs of ALL those who seek to come together in faith.

28. www.cuc.ca/lifespan The Twelve Keys 6. Assist members through life- stage transitions with programs and ceremonies of transition.

29. www.cuc.ca/lifespan What does this mean? This means that a lifespan learning community celebrates its member’s rites of passage. A community recognizes its members’ transitions and helps its members prepare for and honour the many changes in their lives.

30. www.cuc.ca/lifespan The Twelve Keys 7. Provide opportunities for members of different generations to form relationships and learn from one another.

31. www.cuc.ca/lifespan What does this mean? This means that a lifespan learning community finds ways for people of different ages to meet and learn from each other, not just children and adults, but young adults and seniors, children and youth, elders and young parents.

32. www.cuc.ca/lifespan The Twelve Keys 8. Support and inspire members to teach and lead others.

33. www.cuc.ca/lifespan What does this mean? This means that a lifespan learning community understands that we are all teachers and learners in faith community. We offer opportunities for trying on new roles in the safety of trusted community, and seek methods for people who wish to become better leaders to do so.

34. www.cuc.ca/lifespan The Twelve Keys 9. Nurture safe and respectful relationships among members and safeguard against abuse.

35. www.cuc.ca/lifespan What does this mean? This means that a lifespan learning community takes seriously the necessity of healthy, responsible community. This means that it will do all it can to create respectful relationships amongst its members, protect those most vulnerable, prevent abuse and misuse of power, and respond appropriately to violations of trust.

36. www.cuc.ca/lifespan The Twelve Keys 10. Allocate adequate resources including space and funds to create quality thriving ministries and programs.

37. www.cuc.ca/lifespan What does this mean? This means that a lifespan learning community needs to invest sufficient resources into its all of its programs as informed by the vision. ‘Resources’ means more than money, although financial resources are also important. ‘Thriving’ means growing, but not always in numbers of people – this means creating a healthy, meaningful community that is reaching for its goals and broadening its impact for all ages.

38. www.cuc.ca/lifespan The Twelve Keys 11. Provide encouragement, opportunity, and financial support for lay and professional leaders to continue their own spiritual growth.

39. www.cuc.ca/lifespan What does this mean? This means that a lifespan learning community is committed to support all of its leadership - volunteers, staff and clergy alike. Leaders serving our faith communities need to know they’ll be encouraged and nurtured on their own spiritual path so that they can serve others in return. From you I receive, To you I give, Together we share, And by this we live.

40. www.cuc.ca/lifespan The Twelve Keys 12. Regularly re-assess vision, goals and plans for lifespan learning.

41. www.cuc.ca/lifespan What does this mean? This means that each program and ministry is valued and an expression of that value is intentionally setting up systems for assessing, revising, and appreciating the efforts made.

42. www.cuc.ca/lifespan The Program Through the program your community will: – Have a framework to work within and to hold the multiple aspects of learning community for easy access for planning and review. – Recognize and appreciate your current successes and look to areas you hope to develop

43. www.cuc.ca/lifespan The Program Through the program your community will: – Learn about the key areas necessary for growth and learning across your congregation – As a CUC member congregation, access resources, consultants and staff that can help you strengthen your lifespan learning programs

44. www.cuc.ca/lifespan The Program Through the program your community will: – Connect with peer congregations undertaking the same process in Canada – Receive national recognition for your success at the CUC Annual Conference and Meeting held each May.

45. www.cuc.ca/lifespan How to get started Read the Guidebook and Assessment available on web at www.cuc.ca/lifespan Form a Working Group – recommend 5 – 7 people – strong leaders and organizers – of different ages, at different stages PLEASE honour the work we’ve done and credit the Canadian Unitarian Council when using this framework Go 4 It!

46. www.cuc.ca/lifespan Multigenerational Community in Worship, in service and and at Play

47. www.cuc.ca/lifespan Ottawa First “Our work with the 12 Keys continues to be a revealing process, shining a light on areas that need support, as well as on those that are thriving. Our development as a Lifespan Learning Community in process unfolds with much thoughtful discussion and we benefit from both the big picture thinking that our vision statement inspires and the attention to practical detail that its implementation requires. We are making connections and seeing patterns, finding varied approaches to cultivate our multigenerational community and to create the structures that will allow it to grow.” Susan McEwen DRE First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa