Blue Boat of Youth and Young Adult MinistriesLove set Ablaze
In honor of the Standing on the Side of Love 30 Days of Love 2016 campaign, Phebe Hawes speaks up about being a light of love in a time of hate. In order to love alike, we need not think alike ~Francis David. This quote got me thinking. I come from a suburban, mostly white, community. For the most part, we look alike. But we certainly do not think alike. And there’s not a whole lot of love either. So I turn to social media. Like many millennials, I spend most of my time online. I, however, spend a majority of that time defending my beliefs to people who don’t agree. I get the feeling…
Beginning Conversations about Race with Youth
Sheila Schuh, Director of Religious Education at First Unitarian Church of Rochester, NY recently told us about an innovative idea to bring people together across congregations to start a dialogue about racial justice. The youth in your congregation could be a catalyst for a multigenerational conversation to explore their and their neighbors’ identities and experiences with racism. Here’s what Sheila has to say about this youth group experience: On a Sunday in November, First Unitarian Church of Rochester hosted youth groups from ten area churches in a viewing of I’m Not Racist… Am I? If you haven’t seen it yet, the film is a feature documentary engaging 12 teenagers from New York City to come together for one…
Here is Why Millennials Are the Worst
And Why This is Great News for Your Congregation by Elizabeth Mount Well, you can’t have missed all the articles about the Millennial generation. I hear we’re entitled, arrogant, narcissistic, selfish, lazy, politically disengaged, gullible, technology absorbed, and isolated… oh, and we talk funny too. Now we’ve grown up and keep coming to church, and what do you know, we want it to be a church that serves our needs! Here’s why having Millennials involved in your church is going to be completely awful: Entitlement. Millennials want the church to be about them. They’ve grown up with the idea that people with many different needs should be included through diverse programming. Sometimes that means changing…
Too Many Holes
Thanks to @KennySWiley for bring to our attention this thoughtful collection of reaction to the spate of violence we have witnessed in recent weeks. We encourage you to read, reflect, and respond (either in the comment section of this post, or by submitting your own thoughts or reflections in a post. UU Voices from Black Friday by Nancy Bentley, Jill Forney, Steve Nye, Marianne Sheldon, Deb Donley, Lori Sly, Robin LaBorde, Sheila McElroy, Rev. Dana Lightsey Within the space of a month this fall, the city of Colorado Springs fell victim to two mass shootings. In the first, four people were killed: a passing bicyclist, two women, and the shooter. In the other incident,…
Plan the Escape of Your Inner Human!
Camp Unirondack Transforms 😐 Into 🙂 If there is one thing that seven years at Camp Unirondack has taught me, it is that camp is not just for kids. I know, I know, camp director rhetoric if you’ve ever heard it right? But let me tell you why it’s true. It stems from a struggle that I think many people share. If there is one thing almost all people on this planet have one thing in common it is that feeling of doubt inside. Am I going to pass this test? Will I graduate? Am I good enough? I have yet to meet someone who hasn’t felt it. Part of that feeling is an ever-present…
Love, Without “But”
“Wow. You may not be ordained, but you’re doing ministry already.” – Rev. Peter Morales, President, Unitarian Universalist Association(UUA). Watch as Eliana Okeson, UUA Summer Seminary 2015 graduate, delivers her “preach-off” sermon at First Universalist Church of Denver. Watch Lou Whiting’s sermon, “You Are Allowed to Say Things Like This”, here Watch Halley Norman’s sermon, “The First Principle”, here Watch Audrey Havelah Laughrey’s sermon, “On the Meaning of Life”, here Watch Nelson Moroukian’s sermon, “We Love in a Community of Constant Change”, here READ THE TRANSCRIPT: ELIANA OKESON: Hello, my name is Eliana Okeson. I attend Jefferson Unitarian Church in Golden, Colorado. Dark night, path of lights, chalices illuminating. Mind by many souls, one by…
You Are Allowed to Say Things Like This
“Wow. You may not be ordained, but you’re doing ministry already.” – Rev. Peter Morales, President, Unitarian Universalist Association(UUA). Watch as Lou Whiting, UUA Summer Seminary 2015 graduate, delivers her “preach-off” sermon at First Universalist Church of Denver. Watch Halley Norman’s sermon, “The First Principle”, here Watch Audrey Havelah Laughrey’s sermon, “On the Meaning of Life”, here Watch Nelson Moroukian’s sermon, “We Love in a Community of Constant Change”, here READ THE TRANSCRIPT: LOU WHITING: Hello. I am Lou. I am from outside of Chicago. And I attend the Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva, Illinois. Two years ago I remember trying to catch a train out to see a friend a couple towns over. Now…
And the Mic Dropped…
Bro! Listen to the kids! On Sunday, August 30th, Kanye West gave a speech at the MTV Video Music Awards. I know, I know, that happened a week ago, but I was listening to his speech the other day and realized Kanye West was talking about and creating church that night. He started that speech with the quote above. “Bro! Listen to the kids!” Listen to the kids. Now, let’s be real, Kanye (and other pop culture icons) make their money by listening to the kids. It’s the truth, listen to them cheer. And yet, what is it that we are called to do? Are we called to stand on the side of love? Are…
The First Principle
“Wow. You may not be ordained, but you’re doing ministry already.” – Rev. Peter Morales, President, Unitarian Universalist Association(UUA). Watch as Halley Norman , UUA Summer Seminary 2015 graduate, delivers her “preach-off” sermon at First Universalist Church of Denver. ; Watch Audrey Havelah Laughrey’s sermon, “On the Meaning of Life”, here Watch Nelson Moroukian’s sermon, “We Love in a Community of Constant Change”, here READ THE TRANSCRIPT: HALLEY NORMAN: Hello. My name is Halley Norman. I’m from Seattle, Washington. I attend the University Unitarian Church. On June 17 when Dylann Roof shot nine innocent people at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, I questioned someone’s inherent worth and dignity for the first time in my…
On the Meaning of Life
“Wow. You may not be ordained, but you’re doing ministry already.” – Rev. Peter Morales, President, Unitarian Universalist Association(UUA). Watch as Audrey Havelah Laughrey, UUA Summer Seminary 2015 graduate, delivers her “preach-off” sermon at First Universalist Church of Denver. Watch Nelson Moroukian’s sermon, “We Love in a Community of Constant Change”, here READ THE TRANSCRIPT: AUDREY HAVELAH LAUGHREY: Hello. My name is Audrey. That will become important. Otherwise, some of this wouldn’t make sense. Yesterday, I was given two things by the Summer Seminary staff. First, I was given a rather simple question. What is the meaning of life? And then I was given three minutes. While the programming of Summer Seminary was very fulfilling,…
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