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Unitarian Universalist Association Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries
January 2011 Youth Newsletter
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 Letter from the Editor
Community Ties
Dear Friends,
On January 5 as the 112th United States Congress was sworn in control of the House of Representatives passed peacefully from the Democratic to the Republican Party. We take for granted that democratically elected governments respect the will of the people as expressed at the voting urn, but this is hardly universal. Nearly six weeks after elections in Ivory Coast the defeated incumbent refuses to cede power and the newly-elected President has called for military action to oust him. In Iraq parliamentary elections were held last March, but it was not until June 14 - after several attempts to nullify the results of the vote - that parliament was seated, and it was not until November 11 - and after much back-room negotiation - that a new government was finally formed. In each instance the sitting government challenged the will of its citizens by exploiting weak community ties between its people. In Ivory Coast the major divide is between Christian south and Muslim in North while in Iraq religious and ethnic factions number in the dozens.
Here it is the binding ties of community and shared values that give us reason to respect electoral results: though some of us might lose a little as power shifts from the party we support to the opposition, we all know we lose much more should the freedom to express our views publicly and when voting not be respected. But this and other freedoms are at risk when allow what binds in community to be cheapened as civility in public discourse comes under attack. Sometimes when confronting difference or witnessing intolerance, injustice and hate we may want feel like dismissing those with whom we do not agree it is with rough language and insensitive treatment, but we must not, and the results of when we do are in acts such as the shooting of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords while she was meeting with constituents in her district. While the shooting is most probably the act of one troubled individual we are all responsible for creating the the climate in which it occurred. And now that it has happened our government is contemplating protecting its members by restricting the public's access to its elected representatives.
An obvious problem is when public figures "target" the people with whom they don't agree, or express their difference of opinion in terms that are demeaning or disrespectful of others, but we must also speak up and insist that if we can not accept the differences among us we at least speak lovingly and with compassion for all. There are many ways as Unitarian Universalists to do this: Pacific Northwest District spearheading congregations all over the country sponsoring screenings of The Laramie Project film while the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry publishes videos and resources raising awareness and funding for organizations that support gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered youth; congregations participate in Common Read and individuals join the Common Read Facebook group, to create awareness of the inhumane treatment of illegal immigrants to this country, but probably the best is to live according to our Principles and values with steadfast determination to "be the change you want to see in the world!"
Happy reading!
UUA Youth and Young Adult Ministries
Read more:
Ivory Coast Presidential Stand-Off
Ivory Coast Political-Ethnic DivideIraqi 2010 Parliamentary Election
Iraqi Ethnic-Religious FactionsGiffords ShootingPalin "Target" List |
 | | Rev. Dr. Monica Cummings |
Pastoral Message
Gratitude
Hi Family,
Happy New Year! I took time during the Holiday season to drive from Wisconsin to Central Texas to spend time with members of my family. When I told people I was going to drive instead of fly, the most common response I heard was, "do you think it is safe to drive that far this time of year?" I assured them that I would follow regional weather reports and cut my trip short if necessary. As it turned out, I left Texas a day early to avoid projected bad weather. When I arrived at home and pulled into my driveway, I said a silent prayer of thanks for my safe travels.
Two days later en route to the YMCA, my car stalled and the engine light came on. I found myself getting angry and then the following question crossed my mind. "What would have happened if the car stalled and the engine light came on during my multi-state road trip?" That simple question shifted my attitude from anger to gratitude because I was only four blocks instead of four hundred miles from home.
How often do we think about what we do not have instead of what we have? How many times a day does our thoughts focus on what's lacking in our lives as opposed to the abundance that surrounds us? How different would life be if an attitude of gratitude was cultivated and we were mindful to say thank you to others, our selves and to life? As we settle into a new year, consider cultivating an attitude of gratitude. I encourage you to be alert to thanking others for the significant and mundane things done for you each day.
As for my car, there was a crack in the ignition coil and it and the spark plugs needed to be replaced. Following my own advice, I thanked the service techs, grateful that I had the resources to pay for the repairs.
I would love to hear from you. You can message me on Facebook at Monica Cummings, email me at mcummings@uua.org or leave a comment for me on the YaYA of Color blog, "UU Living Mosaic" at http://uuyayaoc.blogs.uua.org/.
Living My Faith,
Rev. Monica
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 What's your message?
YouthResource is a Web site created by and for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (GLBTQ) young people. YouthResource takes a holistic approach to sexual health and exploring issues of concern to GLBTQ youth, by providing information and offer support on sexual and reproductive health issues through education and advocacy. Through monthly features, message boards, and online peer education, GLBTQ youth receive information on activism, culture, sexual health, and other issues that are important to them.
YouthResource is hosted by Advocates for Youth, a champion of efforts to help young people make informed and responsible decisions about their reproductive and sexual health. Advocates believes it can best serve the field by boldly advocating for a more positive and realistic approach to adolescent sexual health.
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SB1070 + Prop 8
Update 01: No freeze
(source for graphic: http://colorlines.com)
SB1070
With the release of the 2010 United States Census results questions are being asked as to the wisdom of targeting illegal resident aliens for arrest or deportation. Census results in Arizona showed a significantly smaller number of residents than predicted, costing the state millions in Federal aid and other subsidies, and it is widely surmised that illegal resident aliens avoided being counted for fear of being targeted by authorities. The DREAM Act was not passed by the Senate during the "lame duck" session of the U.S. 111th Congress. Experts predict it will not be brought up for a vote until after the 2012 Congressional election.
Prop 8
In a procedural move the Federal 9th District Court of Appeals sent the appeal by supporters of California Prop 8 banning marriage equality to be heard by the California Supreme Court in the issue of standing: Did the plaintiff have the right, or "standing" to appeal the Federal Court injunction against implementation of the law? Read more here, and stay tuned for the California State Supreme Court decision as to whether the appeal will move forward.
The court is expected to give its opinion in a few months. Experts expect the Appeals Court opinion to be challenged and that the earliest the United States Supreme Court would hear the case is in 2012.
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Youth View
Make yourself heard!
Speak Up! is a collection of stories written and compiled by high school students in independent schools of their experience with race, racism, whiteness, ethnicity and identity. Packed with testimonials, poetry, artwork, quotations and definitions that underscore how comples the issues are, it invites readers - whever they are - into deeper consideration of their own experience through suggested follow up questions and strategies for making social transformation. This volume offers young people, parents and educators a wealth of resources to spark discussion and action. Discounted prices avaialble for bulk orders. 
SPEAK UP!
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Events
Opportunities
Trainings
Gatherings
Youth Program Testers Needed! Become a field test congregation for new youth programs. A Chorus of Faiths is an eight-workshop program for high school youth on interfaith leadership. Heeding the Call is twelve workshops devoted to developing qualities of a justicemaker in junior high aged youth. Apply even if you plan to use the programs in non-traditional settings: add a workshop of curricula once a month to your regular youth group meetings, use them to launch weeknight programming, or as the basis of a retreat. If your congregation has a relationship with youth groups from other religions, use A Chorus of Faiths to spark interest in doing service work together. Some congregations already envision using A Chorus of Faiths with a cluster of youth from several congregations. For applications email fieldtest@uua.org. Direct questions to Jessica York, Youth Programs Director, at jyork@uua.org. The Laramie Project UU Youth Fundraising Event. Join thousands of Unitarian Universalist youth throughout the continent by hosting a benefit screening of the film version of the Laramie Project during February 2011, in partnership with and to benefit local charities dedicated to reducing hate and intolerance. Open your congregation to your community to declare that you Stand on the Side of Love! (Read about it on Facebook.)
Common Read "The Death of Josseline: Immigration Stories from the Arizona Borderlands"
Participate in the UUA the Common Read project by reading and discussing the same book with your congregation. Common Read builds community within congregations and among Unitarian Universalists by giving diverse people a shared experience, a shared language and a basis for deep and meaningful conversations. Purchase Margaret Regan's book in
hardcover or paperback from the UUA Bookstore. The book is available in hardcover at public libraries.
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Announcements
Association-wide
International
Regional
Local
Interfaith Leadership Training More than 40 youth/adult interfaith teams have applied for Interfaith Leader training and ten teams have been selected to attend the training in February - but the story does not end there! The UUA is training teams to lead additional trainings in districts and regions all over the country, so look for future opportunities to gain skills leading interfaith service work. If youth in your congregation are eager to become interfaith leaders consider offering workshops from A Chorus of Faiths which includes guidance on planning an interfaith service project now! UUA Youth Project Grant Program - Apply Now! As called for in the Youth Ministry Working Group Recommendations, the UUA has established a grant program for local youth-led projects giving Unitarian Universalist high school age youth opportunities to grow in faith, deepen in spirit, develop skills and offer leadership and service to Unitarian Universalist communities. Grants up to $2,000 will be awarded to youth who pair with an adult advisor in a sponsoring congregation, district or Unitarian Universalist organization. We are accepting applications now, so apply immediately! Learn how to apply, including sample project ideas, at Youth Project Grants.
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 Resources
Books
Videos
Website
Organizations
UU World Winter 2010 Issue -"Reclaiming Krypton: Why a generation that grew up with Buffy and the Power Rangers will demand a different Unitarian Universalism." Doug Muder discusses why a generation that grew up with Buffy and the Power Rangers demands a different Unitarian Universalism.
Resource - "Standing on the Side of Love Activist Toolkit" - download application for your FREE memory stick! This toolkit gives you the tools to further the Standing on the Side of Love campaign in your community and it comes on a cool memory stick!
Video - "A Religion for Our Time, Episode 13:Opening the Doors to Diversity" The thirteenth episode in the "A Religion for Our Time" series illustrates how First Parish in Cambridge, MA, has begun the process of transforming into a multiracial and multicultural congregation. For years, the congregation talked about becoming more diverse, especially as their surrounding neighborhood became home to more and more immigrants. "The most difficult part is the preconceptions, the prejudices that people have..." explains Rev. Lilia Cuervo, "We try to open to other cultures, to appreciate other cultures. Not to 'tolerate,' but to really understand, get to love, and get to embrace other cultures."
Grants - Youth Project Grants
Grants are available ranging in value from $200-$2,000 to help support congregations and districts by creating opportunities for youth, including service and spirituality projects. |
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Evolution
We are working on making your newsletter more fun to read and use, with more opportunities to get involved, connect with other UUs and deepen your faith.
Let us know what you think! What's missing? What are you tired of seeing?
E-mail us at youth@uua.org
Keep reading - let's evolve together! 
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