General Assembly 2007 Event 4066

Presenters the Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUUs), General Assembly (GA) Youth Caucus.

The youth service was led with poise by six members of the GA youth caucus, Flo Dickerson, Alison Krause, Emily Krause, Josh Mayes, Sofie Sherman-Burton, and Garner Takahashi-Morris. As a prelude, we were greeted with lively piano playing by Harrison Beck. The energetic postlude was played by Benjamin Krejci.

The opening words and chalice lighting set the tone and announced the theme, "choices that matter" taking a risk and choosing to act.

One of the youth held us spellbound with a story from her own life. "We are defined by the choices we make," she told us. She told of a friend whose mother was starving her. When she phoned, the friend's brother said his sister was in trouble and was not allowed to talk on the phone. "Is she really starving?" she asked. "Yes!" came the reply. Finally she got to speak with her friend, who was almost in tears. That day, she had eaten only a bag of chips and a bottle of water.

So she chose to do something. She called the Department of Children and Families and her friend was taken to a safe place.

May we always make such choices that matter.

Audience participation is an important part of youth services and this service was no exception. We in the congregation were invited to turn to someone sitting nearby and share a story of how we chose to act; then we were asked: "Did you regret it?" Next, we were asked to share a story of an occasion when we did not act, and again we were asked: "Did you regret it?"

The youth led us in the familiar song "We know this rose will open" accompanied by a talented young Unitarian Universalist on the piano.

In closing, the youth invited us to continue our conversations on risks we choose to take. The extinguishing of the chalice was accompanied by a prayer: "God of our mixed up lives, help us to be as good in our hearts as we have always wanted to be."

Reported by Mike McNaughton, edited by Jone Johnson Lewis.