Blue Boat of Youth and Young Adult MinistriesReflections on Service in New Orleans 5
Confronting the Work My Privilege Means I Must Do The following is the first of five reflections on a service trip that members of the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara YRUU group made to New Orleans, LA. The group spent three days in New Orleans and six on the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain, working with local organizations through the Center for Ethical Living and Social Justice Renewal. The youth group’s work focused on the issues of racism and privilege with an eye toward taking what they learned to foment positive change in their home community. This trip was made possible by the industrious fundraising of the youth group (who we are told sold lots…
Reflections on Service in New Orleans 4
Learning How to do Anti-Racism Work at Home The following is the first of five reflections on a service trip that members of the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara YRUU group made to New Orleans, LA. The group spent three days in New Orleans and six on the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain, working with local organizations through the Center for Ethical Living and Social Justice Renewal. The youth group’s work focused on the issues of racism and privilege with an eye toward taking what they learned to foment positive change in their home community. This trip was made possible by the industrious fundraising of the youth group (who we are told sold lots and…
Reflections on Service in New Orleans 3
The Right to Joy – to Combat Injustice The following is the first of five reflections on a service trip that members of the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara YRUU group made to New Orleans, LA. The group spent three days in New Orleans and six on the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain, working with local organizations through the Center for Ethical Living and Social Justice Renewal. The youth group’s work focused on the issues of racism and privilege with an eye toward taking what they learned to foment positive change in their home community. This trip was made possible by the industrious fundraising of the youth group (who we are told sold lots and…
Reflections on Service in New Orleans 2
Broadening My Morality The following is the first of five reflections on a service trip that members of the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara YRUU group made to New Orleans, LA. The group spent three days in New Orleans and six on the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain, working with local organizations through the Center for Ethical Living and Social Justice Renewal. The youth group’s work focused on the issues of racism and privilege with an eye toward taking what they learned to foment positive change in their home community. This trip was made possible by the industrious fundraising of the youth group (who we are told sold lots and lots of quiche), YRUU families,…
Reflections on Service in New Orleans 1
Facing the Legacy of Slavery The following is the first of five reflections on a service trip that members of the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara YRUU group made to New Orleans, LA. The group spent three days in New Orleans and six on the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain, working with local organizations through the Center for Ethical Living and Social Justice Renewal. The youth group’s work focused on the issues of racism and privilege with an eye toward taking what they learned to foment positive change in their home community. This trip was made possible by the industrious fundraising of the youth group (who we are told sold lots and lots of quiche),…
Multicultural Support Team Moves Toward Justice
In honor of the Standing on the Side of Love 30 Days of Love 2016 campaign, Steven Ballesteros speaks up about the important work of supporting Youth of Color. As a Unitarian Universalist young adult of color I have at times lacked a sense of belonging and of being in right relationship in this faith. I know I am not alone in this feeling. Luckily, there are places in which I can feel safe and ways in which I can apply myself. I currently live near Seattle, Washington, which places me in the Pacific North West District of the Unitarian Universalist Association. There I have helped create and serve on the PNWD Multicultural Support Team for…
Love 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…
Youth Ministry Project Grants
We Want to Give Your Great Idea a Kickstart! Are you a youth starting a service project to serve your congregation or community? Do you have an innovative idea for youth ministry? Are you starting a new program or project that will be useful to share with other congregations and youth groups? Do you have a way to incorporate the UUA’s Common Read into a project for your youth group? You should apply for a Youth Ministry Project Grant! Youth Ministry Project Grants support local projects that offer Unitarian Universalist high-school aged youth opportunities to grow in faith, deepen in spirit, and engage in service and justice work. Projects should support a vision of multigenerational…
Challenge Your Bias
DAY 19: Practice Radical Love for our Troops Seek the stories you don’t usually hear I can count on one hand the number of people I know who are veterans of the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I can count them on one hand and still have three fingers left over. One is the cousin of my childhood best friend and the other is a guy I met at church through young adult gatherings. This means I don’t hear the stories of military members or veterans very often. Sometimes I would hear a report on the radio, read a news article, about veterans returning with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), veterans who can’t…
Why Military Chaplaincy Calls to Me
We re-post an excerpt of this reflection by Sarah Caine from Le Flame.– Ed. I grew up in a non-political, liberal-ish, secular house that followed the major Christian holidays in the way that department stores do–we put up decorations but didn’t strive to ask questions or discuss the reasons behind any of the traditions or ornamentation. We started informally attending a Unitarian Universalist church when I was nine and I started to loosely apply the principles to my mindset. I’ve always felt a very strong sense that all people are to be treated with respect and dignity, that we all have the right to live a fulfilling life. Injustices raised so many questions and heralded…
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