Blue Boat of Youth and Young Adult MinistriesRegister for General Assembly Now!
Registration for General Assembly 2017 in New Orleans, LA, June 21-25 is in full-swing. It’s not too late to join fellow Unitarian Universalists in worship, learning and action! Learn more here.
Humanist Voices in Unitarian Universalism
The Many Faiths within Unitarian Universalism The latest addition to the Skinner House Books (SHB) series exploring the many faith traditions that also find a home in Unitarian Universalism (UU) has just been published. “Humanist Voices in Unitarian Universalism” explores Religious Humanism – which is founded upon the belief that human beings are of great worth and dignity (echoing the Unitarian Universalist 1st Principle), and in the importance of coming together in community to share feelings and emotions (much like the Unitarian Universalist 3rd Principle). These similarities are no surprise, as Religious Humanism has deep roots in Unitarian Universalism, and became a significant part of the Unitarian faith in the 1920’s. Whether you are a…
Spiritual Practices for Privileged Fragility
The great safety pin debate. The epic pussy hat debacle. These are just two examples of an ongoing trend in liberal circles: people (often with relative privilege) respond poorly when their well meaning actions are critiqued by others on the left (often by folks with relatively less privilege). While some lament that divisive critique is destroying the left I know that we who believe in liberation have the spiritual resources to respond well to critical feedback and move forward together. How do I know this? Because I’m an able bodied cis white woman from a middle class liberal background who has learned to respond less defensively to critique from the left over time, using spiritual practices….
Fiercely UU: Rethinking Normativity
Fiercely UU is a blog series where Unitarian Universalist young adults tell stories about what our faith requires of us and how they follow that call. To be fiercely UU is to proclaim human worth and interdependence. In an individualist, greed-based, shame and fear fueled white supremacist patriarchy, we say no to isolation and oppression and yes to radical love and covenanted connection. Rethinking Normativity by Jaime Jarrett I came out to my parents when I was seventeen while they were watching an episode of Glee – a famously queer television show. They didn’t make a big deal out of it, and since then have been intensely supportive of all my relationships. I came out as…
Fiercely UU: Resisting Evil
Fiercely UU is a blog series where Unitarian Universalist young adults tell stories about what our faith requires of us and how they follow that call. To be fiercely UU is to proclaim human worth and interdependence. In an individualist, greed-based, shame and fear fueled white supremacist patriarchy, we say no to isolation and oppression and yes to radical love and covenanted connection. Cultivate Love, Resist Evil by Cir L’Bert Jr. On August 9, 2014 Michael Brown, was killed by Darren Wilson of the Ferguson Police Department within view of the home he shared with his mother. His unattended body laid in the street for eight hours before it was removed, like “he didn’t belong to nobody” as…
Fiercely UU: Showing Up in Full
Fiercely UU is a new blog series where Unitarian Universalist young adults tell stories about what our faith requires of us and how they follow that call. To be fiercely UU is to proclaim human worth and interdependence. In an individualist, greed-based, shame and fear fueled white supremacist patriarchy, we say no to isolation and oppression and yes to radical love and covenanted connection. – Ed. Showing Up in Full by KC Slack I’m what you might call a 1st & 7th principle Unitarian Universalist. Don’t get me wrong, principles two through six matter immensely to me, but the first and seventh are the ones I come back to over and over again in my…
Where Were You on Good Friday?
Today is Good Friday, a day where those in the Christian tradition tell the story of Jesus’ trial and crucifixion, his brutal death at the hands of an Empire that crucified routinely as one means of maintaining their power. This story about Jesus’ death is about one particular person, but as Christian scripture tells us, it is also about many other people. “…Truly I tell you, whatever you did unto the least of my siblings you did unto me.” (Matthew 25:40) And when we pass laws making it a crime to be trans in North Carolina, and when suicide rates for trans folks, already way too high, go up, we crucify Jesus again. And when trans…
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…
APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MARCH 1!
THRIVE HERE Save the dates! Thrive Youth West is July 9-13, 2016 at First Unitarian Society of Denver and Thrive Youth East is July 27-31, 2016 at Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church in Bethesda, Maryland! “Being able to bond with other people of color within the UU faith was honestly something that brought joy and hope to my heart, and makes me feel much more connected in my faith.” — Rhea, alum ’15 “I am grateful for you and the UUA for giving him the space to openly discuss and gain insight with other UUs of color. I think this experience has changed his perspective on whether he fits in this faith. He is now ‘one of many’ instead of being…
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