At Beacon Unitarian Church in Coquitlam, religious education is designed to foster independent thinking, to give kids the tools they need to make up their own minds about life's big questions. Exposure to the stories, beliefs, theologies, and practices of the world's religions is an important aspect of Unitarian Universalist children's religious education. Today’s parents face some unprecedented challenges, among them teaching children to lead full lives in a diverse, multicultural society. It's hard for parents to do this kind of training alone, so being a part of the church community is invaluable.

Parents need the ongoing support and encouragement of others who share their values. Unitarian Universalist children's programs provide an opportunity for children to learn strong values. Like all parents, Unitarian Universalist parents want their children to develop a reliable sense of integrity, be compassionate members of their society and family. We want them to learn to trust themselves, the environment we bring them into, and ultimately to take responsibility for making their world more trustworthy. We want them to grow up knowing that it matters that they are alive; that they make a difference.

Children need structure and feedback to develop these values. And the structure needs to be consistent with the way their role models live their lives. We need to model for them respect for self and others, tolerance for others' views, and the importance of using their minds and hearts to determine what is right. Unitarians don't give children absolutes -- ours is a religion that embraces paradox, complexity, and diversity. If we have primary guiding principles, they might be love, the context of life, and hope, the creativity of life, and, of course, respect. Often people don’t even think about attending a church until their children ask, "What is God?" Most of us are, in fact, struck dumb by these questions and filled with awe about the unanswerables in life. We know however we respond to this young human being will have a lasting impact on how she perceives her world and her place in it. It is in moments like this that concerned parents wonder if there is a circle of wise spiritual teachers out there somewhere that would provide support.

The Unitarian Universalist faith doesn't pretend to give children all the answers to the big questions. Unitarian Universalism puts its faith in people's ability to explore the unknown together. It doesn't pretend to take away the mystery. Unitarian Universalist churches uphold liberal values of freedom of belief and conscience, unrestricted use of reason in religious inquiry, and tolerance for theological diversity. Because respect and acceptance of differences top their list of values, Unitarian Universalist congregations actively promote a hate free society. They seek to live in accordance with values that include respect for the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and they believe that we are all a part of an interconnected web that includes the earth. These values form the common ground upon which more than a thousand Unitarian Universalist congregations in North America stand.