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Young Adult News
A monthly newsletter of the UUA Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries December 2009
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| Update Your Campus Ministry Listing! |
The Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries will be creating an interactive online map of all active UU campus ministries. If you are currently leading a campus ministry group, please send the following information to Nancy DiGiovanni to be listed in our database and included on the map:
- School Name
- Group Name
- City and state
- Contact name
- email address
- phone number
- Name of the closest or sponsoring congregation
Alternatively, you can create or update your listing yourself online at ConnectUU.com. Either way, drop Nancy an email that you've updated your info! |
| Leadership Roles for Youth and Adults at General Assembly! |
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The December 15 deadline for applying for General Assembly 2010 Youth Caucus Staff positions is fast approaching.
This is a great opportunity to strengthen your leadership skills, participate in the shaping of GA youth caucus programming, support and empower youth, and have a great time at GA! Staff and Program Facilitators will have their registration, lodging, and transportation paid, and will receive a stipend for food. Find out more and APPLY NOW! Contact Jeremie Giacoia with questions. | |
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| Greetings from the Director |
| Greetings all,
In this season of celebration and community, there is much to share and much for which to be grateful. I have three news items I especially want to raise up for you this month:
- For those of you who contact our office regularly, we will welcome our new Office Administrator, Deborah Neisel-Sanders, on Monday, December 14. Deborah is a Unitarian Universalist who comes to us with a wealth of administrative experience and commitment and we are excited for her to join our team!
- Applications are now being accepted for those wishing to serve on the Youth Ministry Advisory Committee. This committee, as recommended by the Youth Ministry Working Group, will advise the UUA Administration on issues related to youth ministry and help guide our Association's progress in this area. Applicants of all ages are encouraged to apply... see details later in the newsletter.
- I had the privilege of experiencing Rev. Dr. Thandeka present part of the keynote address at this year's Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA) Fall Conference. It was inspiring beyond belief. I'm thrilled to share that the UUA just published--free and online--a new curriculum by Rev. Dr. Thandeka entitled What Moves Us: Unitarian Universalist Theology. I think it is an outstanding program for young adults and I encourage you to use this curriculum in your congregation (now is the time to plan for spring small group ministries and programming). More details follow below.
I hope you enjoy this issue of Young Adult News. Happy holidays to all!
In faith,
 Erik B. Kesting
Youth and Young Adult Ministries Director |
From the Associate for Ministry to Youth and Young Adults of Color
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Hello Family,
Happy Holydays! In the month of December, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Christmas and Kwanzaa will be celebrated. The diversity of traditions celebrated in the month of December is truly amazing. What is diversity? Is it as simple as being open to celebrating the holiday tradition of a friend? Perhaps, educating people of different religious traditions and ethnicities to better understand each other? Or, does it go deeper into all aspects and areas of our lives? According to William Chase,
Diversity, generally understood and embraced,
is not casual liberal tolerance of anything
and everything not yourself.
It is not polite accommodation.
Instead, diversity is, in action, the sometimes painful
Awareness that other people, other races, other voices,
Other habits of mind, have as much integrity of being,
as much claim on the world as you do...
And I urge you, amid all the differences present
to the eye and mind, to reach out to create the bond that
...will protect us all.
We are meant to be here together.
I encourage you to make a special effort to learn and embrace a holiday tradition that is unfamiliar to you. I also encourage you to reach out to family and friends who may be struggling to be joyful during a time of year when we are expected to be jolly. For Youth and Young Adults of Color who are interested, I have a list of UU ministers and religious professionals of color who are willing to provide chaplain support during the holidays. Please contact me for a list of their names. I wish you all a safe, serene and happy holiday season. Living My Faith, Rev. Monica mcummings@uua.org http://uuyayaoc.blogs.uua.org/ | |
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| Campus Ministry Shout-out! |
This month's campus ministry shout-out goes to Margaret Sequeira, DRE for the Williamsburg Unitarian Universalists, who had the great idea for a monthly shout out in Young Adult News!
Here's what the Williamsburg Unitarian Universalists are up to this month:
We are sending our exam care packages. I just have to lift up the generosity of Williamsburg Unitarian Universalists. They donated sixty-eight $5 WaWa cards (a convenience store near campus), apples, baked goods, candy and bottles of bubbles. I have four people coming this afternoon to package them all up and then I will take them to the campus on Monday where if all goes well - the campus post office will notify the students that they have a package waiting for them! One person actually looked up all the box numbers for me. All of the items were donated or money was donated for this particular purpose! [In addition to] the letter that I am including in each package, I will also put my business card.
Thank you, Margaret, for sharing what Williamsburg Unitarian Universalists are doing for their local campus students at William and Mary! Send good news about how your congregation supports campus ministry to Nancy DiGiovanni and you might be next month's shout-out! |
| Advise the UUA President: Youth Ministry Advisory Committee |
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Application forms are now available for those interested in serving on the UUA Youth Ministry Advisory Committee (YMAC). The Youth Ministry Advisory Committee will support Unitarian Universalist youth ministry by:
- serving in an advisory capacity to the UUA President on Associational progress in implementing the recommendations of the Youth Ministry
- Working Group, the future needs of Unitarian Universalist youth ministry, and becoming a truly multigenerational faith;
communicating a vision of vibrant youth ministry to our congregations and leaders; and
- researching current best practices in youth ministry and faith identity development within and outside of Unitarian Universalism.
The following individuals are encouraged to apply:
- High school aged youth with leadership experience and a commitment to Unitarian Universalist youth ministry.
- Religious professionals who have led successful youth ministries and are familiar with the developmental and spiritual needs of adolescents.
- Adult lay leaders with academic or professional experience in mental health, adolescent development, working with youth, education, theology, or other relevant fields.
For more information or to apply, visit UUA.org/YMAC. Applications are due January 15, 2010.
Questions: Contact Erik Kesting, UUA Youth and Young Adult Ministries Director at ekesting@uua.org or 617-948-4359. |
| New Tapestry of Faith Program by Rev. Dr. Thandeka |
What Moves Us: Unitarian Universalist Theology by the Rev. Dr. Thandeka.
Now free and online! This unique program provides a framework for Unitarian Universalists to engage in theological reflection as a process of meaning-making that equips one for living in the world as a Unitarian Universalist person of faith.
In ten, 90-minute sessions, What Moves Us explores the life experiences and theological writings of historic and contemporary Unitarian Universalist theologians, highlighting that which caused in them a change of heart, a new direction, new hope, and a deeper understanding of their own liberal faith.
Rich with primary source documents, each workshop engages with a particular theologian: Channing, Ballou, Fuller, DeBenneville, Chauncy, Adams, Fahs, Church, Schulz, and Thandeka. Participants bring their own personal experiences to bear on the very questions explored by each theologian, in turn. The program offers a pathway for developing a personal theology while enhancing one's deep understanding of the theological strands of our Unitarian, Universalist, and Unitarian Universalist heritage.
Anyone can download and use this new curriculum. If you choose to use this resource, consider being a field-testing congregation by contacting Alicia LeBlanc, aleblanc@uua.org.
See all Tapestry of Faith programs for children, youth, adults, and multigenerational groups: www.uua.org/tapestryoffaith. | |
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| Contact the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries |
Erik B. Kesting, Youth and Young Adult Ministries Director (617) 948-4359 ekesting@uua.orgRev. Dr. Monica L. Cummings, Associate for Ministry to Youth and Young Adults of Color (262) 705-5786 mcummings@uua.orgNancy DiGiovanni, Campus Ministry and Bridging Associate (617) 948-4629 ndigiovanni@uua.orgJeremie Giacoia, Leadership Development Associate (617) 948-4352 jgiacoia@uua.org
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