Spirituality & Theology, Practice & Voice

Back to Boston




Each Spring the All Souls Youth program, Coming of Age, embark on the annual Boston Pilgrimage. Our 9th/10th graders learned about modern Unitarian Universalism, our religious heritage, and how our history is intertwined with American history, including our country’s founding.  

Our Boston Pilgrimage was especially poignant this year because we had to cancel our annual trip in 2020 and 2021. However, our Coming of Age program stayed the course and the youth of All Souls continued to learn, grow and bond over Zoom. The dedication of these young adults is unmatched! So, we dubbed this year BACK TO BOSTON because we took 3 classes with us on our adventure.  

Our 9th/10th graders spent all year exploring their values and their beliefs. During our recent Boston Pilgrimage, they brought all their experiences and understanding together to articulate their individual credos. We spent Sunday visiting the historic Arlington Street Church and taking that inspiration to Walden Pond. Being in the natural sanctuary where Henry David Thoreau lived in solitude for two years and wrote some of his most famous works is still an inspiration to Unitarian Universalists today. These kids get the opportunity to hike around Walden Pond and find a sacred space to work on their credo. Over the years, many credos have come together at Walden. 

We hope you were able to join us on Sunday, April 3rd. You can find the service here. These brave young adults shared their statements of belief from the pulpit. Even our senior minister, Marlin Lavanhar, calls Coming of Age Sunday the BEST SUNDAY OF THE YEAR!  

Reflections on the Journey

Here are few photos and reflections that highlight this year’s pilgrimage to Boston. 

Lachlan Bulmer  

“The Boston pilgrimage helped me develop my beliefs gave me a different perspective on religion. Learning about the deep religious and American history in Boston was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the COA program and the relationships it allowed me to make.” 

Chaz Hall 

“The Boston pilgrimage gave me a chance to take a step away from my life and think about what is important to me. I really enjoyed being able to walk around the city and see what it was like there. It was also so great to get to know everybody in our group so much more and, make memories that I will never forget.” 

A picture containing person

Description automatically generated

Sophia Cross 

“The Boston pilgrimage was an amazing way for me to truly understand the importance of community. It brought me inspiration for my credo and knowledge on myself and the world. It was an unforgettable experience filled with having fun with the people in our group.” 

A group of people standing in front of a sign

Description automatically generated with medium confidence

Zane Ricketts 

“I loved my trip to Boston. Hanging out with everyone in the hostel and walking everywhere was such a fun experience. Not to forget the rich history of the UU faith. It was truly an unforgettable experience.” 

A person sitting at a desk writing on a book

Description automatically generated with medium confidence

Eliana Peluso-Verdand  

“The Boston pilgrimage gave me time to figure out what I believed in and it also helped me create a stronger bond with my friends. Being able to see all the cool places and learning about them helper me understand the history about the UU principles. I also enjoyed being able to talk about random things with the others.” 

A group of people sitting at a table

Description automatically generated with medium confidence
A picture containing text

Description automatically generated
A picture containing text, outdoor

Description automatically generated