Ask the Question - How does Unitarian Universalism DO Youth Ministry?
What would happen if you put a bunch of adult and youth institutional leaders, parents, religious educators, ministers, youth advisors and youth who are disconnected from the Unitarian Universalist Association and YRUU (Young Religious Unitarian Universalists) in one room and told them to work together for forty-eight hours? Well, a lot.In October, the Unitarian Universalist Association’s (UUA's) Board of Trustees asked that a consultation be held to discuss ministry to and with youth. Shortly after, President Bill Sinkford asked me (Megan Dowdell, the UUA Board’s Youth Trustee-at-Large) to co-convene this meeting. With support from staff, Bill and I identified the attendees of the consultation and located an outside facilitator to lead us in asking the question: How does Unitarian Universalism DO youth ministry and how might it do it better?
On February 25th, thirty youth and adults arrived in Essex, MA. Our facilitator, U.T. Saunders, led us through a dialogue to outline a process that will help Unitarian Universalism redefine and recommit to youth ministry. Some participants represented stakeholder groups, including YRUU, the UUA Board, LREDA (Liberal Religious Educators Association), DRUUMM (Diverse & Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries ) and the UUMA (Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association). Some represented UUA staff, including the Youth Office, the Lifespan Faith Development staff group, and district staff. Others represented parents, youth advisors, and youth who were based in local congregations but disconnected from YRUU—the voices who you (reading this summary) may also represent, and which we as leaders have not heard enough.
After spending fourty-eight hours together we identified five priorities encompassing what Unitarian Universalists must address in order to better minister to and with youth. In no particular order, they state that:
- Youth Ministry needs to be served on a more robust, flexible, diverse level than YRUU currently offers.
- Denominational youth work needs to serve local congregations and their youth ministry.
- YRUU and UUA administration need to define an authority structure that respects the rightful role of institutional youth and adult leadership at the same time that it supports the growth and empowerment of all Unitarian Universalist (UU) youth.
- Anti-racism and anti-oppression work is an important part of youth ministry, although there is not only one way of doing it, and the “right” way depends on individual identities. We need to move this work ahead.
- There needs to be more and better communication among continental, district/regional, and local levels, and within congregations.
A smaller group was identified and empowered by the meeting participants to create a draft plan for how to address these priorities. After this group meets to take action around the five priorities, key stakeholder groups will be able to respond to the proposal before it is finalized and implemented.
Ministry to and with youth is a vital component of each Principle and Purpose of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. In order to become an intentionally intergenerational religious community, we must always question the structures that define our relationships and how we are together as youth and adults. The Consultation on Ministry to and with Youth put us one step closer to living our faith, but there is so much more to do.
I promise that you will continue to hear more about this project and will be invited to provide feedback, ideas and concerns at each stage of development and change.
Megan
Dowdell is a former Youth Office Summer Intern
and the outgoing
Youth Trustee on the UUA Board of Trustees.
For more information contact youth @ uua.org.
Last updated on Friday, April 18, 2008.
