visions of ministry

GA

2010-06-29T17:06:00.000-04:00

So I essentially stopped blogging because I got so overwhelmed with GA planning.

So here are some thoughts on GA 2010, from the perspective of the Young Adult Caucus Co-Moderator:

I am so, so, so excited for Justice GA 2012 in Phoenix. I came into GA supporting boycott and pulling out to make an economic statement. However, the transformation that the original business resolution underwent convinced and inspired me. I had many conversations with folks from congregations in Phoenix, Allies for Racial Equity, DRUUMM (Diverse Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries), and other stakeholders and it is deeply exhilarates me as to what can become possible when groups with differing perspectives commit to finding a solution we can all stand behind.
I am not sure what factors made Young Adult Caucus so successful this year. I am referring to 'success' in terms of turnout as I still have to go through feedback surveys, though the consistent high turnout allows me to discern it as a generally 'successful' year for us. We had more flyers, outreach via email and facebook, workshops, and worship services this year. So those are elements I will want to repeat for next year. The 50th anniversary of the UUA is a daunting GA to plan for, but I'm looking forward to the challenge!
It was a privilege to be on the other side of the bridge during the Synergy worship service on Friday night. Two of the bridgers were from Eliot Unitarian Chapel in St. Louis, so I was especially excited to hug and greet them into young adulthood.
Kimberlee Carlson winning the Donna DiScullo Award for Young Adult and Campus Minisry was a highlight. Kimberlee absolutely deserves this honour and I was so happy to get to briefly speak at the Bridging Welcome Celebration, where it was presented. I support this award receiving greater visibility at future GAs.

These are immediate thoughts. I still have other parts and pieces that require further reflection before I feel comfortable speaking to and about them in a public setting.

the epidemic, the future

2010-04-27T15:03:00.001-04:00

So I just had a fantastic rant/brainstorm/conversation with a good UU friend of mine, and he brought up this reality: Why is it that out of bridged youth, the small minority who choose to stay in our faith all want to become ministers and denominational leaders while the vast majority don't sustain a connection and choose to leave our faith?

I attempted to give an explanation wherein I described how those bridged youth who choose to stay are often those who managed to access or make a connection into adult leadership structures (districts, regions, UUA, CUC), like I did. I talked about how I've put in so much time and energy and it has become such a big part of who I am and what I do that it is a viable course of action and career.

But on second thought, while that may be a part of it, that certainly isn't the primary reason.

When you're young and there is (what I do not hesitate to call) an epidemic going on in your religious movement where your peers are spiritually unfulfilled, have little interest in congregational life because they find it stifling, lacking community, and unable to act on issues they care about, and not living up to or even listening to the Unitarian Universalism they imagine - it's a reality that most people are going to leave. And for those of us who are left, we are attempting to induce a shift in whatever ways we possibly can. There's something about this faith that is keeping us interested, involved, and invested. But for it to become a faith we can have faith in and not be consistently frustrated by, a faith that moves and is not rigidly attached to its traditions that have amounted to staggering loss and very little growth, then many things need to change. And I will definitely have to keep on praying that my peers who are also in that small minority continue to choose to stay.

"Spirit of the Future, present now but often unnoticed, wake me up to your potential, that I might have the courage to change."

The title quote and devotional are from today's entry in 'Awakening the Soul: A Book of Daily Devotionals' by John C. Morgan.

joining the UU blogosphere

2010-04-16T16:19:00.007-04:00

So I've decided to join the UU blogosphere. This spurred from completing a survey (that I've linked to this post) regarding "Young Adults and Church" in order to "to help a group of Unitarian Universalist churches (uua.org) envision what a spiritual community for young adults (18 - 35 year olds) might look like."

In taking it, I realized I had way more to say than could be contained in a survey.

I intend to use this blog to explore my visions of ministry in Unitarian Universalism. By ministry I do not just mean religious professionals with a title attached to their names...I mean how as religious communities and individuals we minister to and with each other. I feel and fear that this denomination is headed in a limited, confined, and ultimately paralyzing direction. It is imperative to think and speak frankly about what works, what doesn't work, what we envision, and what we do not want to see happen. Since I only see most Unitarian Universalist folks once a year at General Assembly, this will be my avenue and media for speaking to these issues.

I'm looking forward to what is ahead!