Still Doin' That UU Thang...
After you answer these questions, you should be able to roughly define which things would fit your present needs. For example, if you wanted to take on a leadership role, then a passive, once a week, milk ‘n’ cookies group formed by a church probably wouldn’t be for you.Of course, these questions are only intended to help you define your needs, so you can recognize what things will work for you and what won’t. There may be a group that at the moment doesn’t appeal to you, but is definitely screaming for the help you can give. Go out and find something that fits you. One more suggestion you can take or dump. Go church shopping. You wouldn’t buy the first car you clapped eyes on, so why would you go to the first church you ever entered? Find a church that fits your needs and beliefs. This is going to be a lot easier if you live in a city (say, Boston), but don’t feel tied to a church because your parents went there. Don’t go every Sunday if all you really want to do is join the women’s book forum. This church isn’t going to drop into your lap unless you live in the land of Oz. Make it happen for yourself. If you prefer not to reconnect with the Unitarian Universalist (UU) church by yourself, you might look around campus for a campus ministry. Campus ministries come and go quickly and they don’t always advertise well. Check at your student union or with Young Adult/Campus Ministries office at the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) to see if there is a young adult group at your university. You just might find a few other UUs and then you can go to church together, hang out, and become life-long friends. If there are absolutely no alternatives that you find suitable to your needs, consider starting a campus ministry. YAMs (Young Adult Ministries) offers an incredible guide called “A UU Campus Ministry Manual” by Mary Ann Macklin. One of things that has proved most beneficial to youth programming is the sense of ownership that is felt and encouraged; founding a program gives you ownership and an outlet. The following pages list organizations you can call and groups you can join. And while the initial step is yours and yours alone, there are a lot of people who want to work with you. It’s up to you. And, there’s nothing you can’t do. Life is full in front of you, let Unitarian Universalism be a part of it. Go in peace.
For more information contact youth @ uua.org.
Last updated on Friday, April 18, 2008.
