Blue Boat of Youth and Young Adult MinistriesAll of the Things: YA@GA 2015 Edition
Your one stop guide to all YA@GA programming
This post is brought to you by your senior YA@GA co-facilitator Rev. Jonathan Rogers – ed.
GA is coming! “It won’t be long now…” said the monkey as he backed into the fan.
Let’s make a list of what precisely is going on at General Assembly for Young Adults at General Assembly (YA@GA) programming.
YA@GA 2015: as epic as the 1999 Women’s World Cup
There is no truth to the rumors that the occurrence of certain Friday programs are pending the USWNT World Cup quarterfinals match timing, and although all bets would be off in the case of a Supreme Court ruling on same sex marriage during GA, we have compromising pictures of Justice Roberts that ensure the announcement won’t come during any major YA programming.
On to the details:
Our YA@GA space is room A107-108 and much of our programming happens there. But we do have one program called GA Talks that are being held in other spaces. GA Talks were started last year by YA@GA and we’re so excited to bring them to GA again this year. Based on the famous TED Talks, these short engaging talks will provoke and inspire. They’re happening in three workshop slots and we’ll have four official YA@GA sponsored GA talks during General Session!
Wednesday
Young Adult Orientation, 1:00-2:30, YA@GA space: Come find our home base, meet the friendly YA@GA staff and make some new young adult friends.
Young Religious Professionals Reception, 6:00 – 7:30, YA@GA space: All young adults who serve our faith professionally are invited to join the UUA’s Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, UU Ministers’ Association, Liberal Religious Educators Association, UU Musicians Network and UU Association of Membership Professionals for appetizers and conversation.
Young Adult Worship, 9:15 – 10:30, YA@GA space: All ages are welcome to come together with young adults from far and wide. Let’s start GA with worship and togetherness.
Thursday
GA Talks: Becoming a UU young adult, 9:50, Hall CD: Ruth Hinkle speaks on growing up UU, the challenges of crossing the bridge and the Faith Architects project during General Session II
Young Adults of Color Caucus, 10:45-12:00, YA@GA space: Kenny Wiley and Ranwa Hammamy will lead a time for young adults of color to build community and caucus.
Let’s Take a Break! 12:00 – 1:00, Bring your lunch to the YA@GA space and enjoy games with other young adults! A great way to make new GA friends.
GA Talks: Multigenerational Worship and Community Ministry, 1:15- 2:30, B 117-119: Rev. Christine Leone Tracy on Middle Hour and Lincoln W. Statler on Community Ministries.
Sexuality Education: Multigenerational Perspectives, 3:00-4:15, YA@GA space: The creators of the Trans Youth Channel and The Good Sex Project join others to talk about sexuality education and how views on it have changed over the generations.
The Feminist “Him”: A Panel of Male Perspectives, 4:45-6:00, YA@GA space: This lay and clergy, multigenerational, multiracial, GBTQ, female-moderated panel will provide a spectrum of answers to questions about how the male-identified individuals on it came to identify as feminists.
Chat and Chew, 6:15-7:15, Bring your dinner to the YA@GA space and connect with other young adults! A great way to make new GA friends.
Friday
GA Talks: Black Lives Matter, 10:55, Hall CD: Kenny Wiley and Amanda Weatherspoon discuss the intersection of Unitarian Universalism and the Black Lives Matter movements during General Session III
Young Adult Worship 101, 1:15-2:30, YA@GA space: Join us to learn innovative, participatory worship techniques to engage and include not only young adults, but folks of all generations!
GA Talks: Identity and Political Activism, 3:00-4:15, Portland Ballroom 254: Lay leaders Karin Lin and Kat Liu present on identity and beyond, and activist Chris Crass delivers “On the Spiritual Journey of Collective Liberation,” his visions of political activism and collective action for social justice.
Why Are You a UU? 4:45 – 6:00, YA@GA space: We all have our own stories of why we are UU. Come explore your religious identity with other young adults in this interactive workshop.
Synergy Bridging Worship 7:30 – 9:00, Hall CD: This year’s Synergy service will look at who is at “the welcome table”, and how our youth and young adults are part of a faithful revolution. Please join us as we celebrate these young leaders’ transition into adulthood!
Worshipful Welcome to Young Adulthood 9:00 – 10:30, YA@GA space: Join us in extending our worship and celebration after Synergy by welcoming the newly bridged youth! Come eat cake and be merry.
Saturday
GA Talks: Stewardship and Generosity, 10:40, Hall CD: Rev. Daniel Kanter gives us a good word on what strong financial stewardship can mean in today’s landscape during General Session IV
Campus Ministry: Levels of Engagement 1:15 – 2:30PM, YA@GA space: Thinking about starting or intensifying your UU outreach on a local campus? There are many levels of engagement for all kinds of congregations and communities. Attend this informal workshop and learn more about what you can do to get our life-saving faith to students!
GA Talks: Visions of Community, 3:00 – 4:15, Portland Ballroom 254: Hear Revs. Catie Scudera and Molly Housh Gordon’s talk “Mary Safford is My Homegirl,” where they’ll connect dots of women in ministry from the Iowa Sisterhood to visions of community today. Rev. Marisol Caballero’s “Real-izing God’s Kin-dom on Earth” draws from the work of mujerista theologian, Ada Maria Isasi-Diaz.
Sunday
GA Talks: Anger and Activism, 3:44, Hall CD: Rev. Elizabeth Nguyen on Audre Lorde and the ways we can use our righteous rage during General Session VI
In my experience, GA can be a deeply spiritually enriching experience, and my advice is to let it be that foremost as you plan. We very much look forward to sharing that experience with you in the YA@GA community. May it be a blessing.
Rev. Jonathan Rogers is a lifelong UU and a minister at the UU congregation in Atlanta where he’s been doing youth ministry. He loves ultimate frisbee, women’s soccer and bad jokes. Last year he served YA@GA as our GA Talks specialist and this year he’s our senior co-facilitator!
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