Oregon: Young Adult & Campus Ministry Anchor Congregations

  • Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis
    Corvallis, Oregon
    Pacific Northwest District
    Part of the Congregation-Campus Connection program, the Unitarian Universalist (UU) Fellowship of Corvallis sponsors a young adult and campus ministry that centers on students at Oregon State University. This mid-sized congregation funds a campus coordinator and has started an endowment fund to pay for their campus ministry activities. The UU Campus Ministry sponsors weekly meetings, with the majority devoted to worship. Regular social action projects are undertaken by the young adults in the group. The congregation hopes to expand their ministry with young adults to include local community college students and to invite more young adults in the community into leadership positions in the congregation.  Read more about UU Corvallis' campus ministry.

    Received Anchor Congregation designation in 2004.
  • First Unitarian Church
    Portland, Oregon

    Pacific Northwest District
    In July 2007, First Unitarian Church of Portland hired a coordinator to direct the newly formed Young Adults Program. Young adults make up one of the largest growing sectors of the church community demographics. The mission of the program is to provide fun, fellowship, learning and social action in a casual, friendly environment to deepen and sustain connections to the church community. During this year, a list serve was created to support communications among young people participants and a table was staffed every Sunday during the social hour. Monthly activities included: potlucks, evening games, bowling and movie events and a community service project. There was also a Young Adults Sustaining Circle, a Young Women’s Group, and three classes through Adult Programs designed specifically for young adults (re: Grad School, A Meaningful Career, and Exploring Relationships). Young adults were responsible for Sunday service in the spring to cap off their year involvement. The most visible success included a fundraising event to underwrite a service project in conjunction with the UU Service Committee, which fully supported eleven young adults to work in New Orleans providing home building, park maintenance, and animal care for those affected by Hurricane Katrina.
    Received Anchor Congregation designation in 2006.