#CongBeyond - Good for Campus Ministry

By Kayla Parker

Hands holding the sunrise
President Peter Morales’ paper Congregations and Beyond spurred many conversations about what it will mean for our denomination to transform from an association of congregations into a religious movement. If you haven’t been involved in the conversation online, please join the group Unitarian Universalists exploring Congregations and Beyond and share your insights with others. Ensure there are many voices representing college students and groups and that each one is heard! As folks involved in campus ministry, we knew this was good news for us from the get-go; so often thinking limited to congregational walls has stunted the growth of individual campus ministry groups and the Unitarian Universalist campus ministry movement. By framing how congregations “count” who they serve in a new way, campus ministry groups made of members who are not technically “members” will be able to be more valued at an institutional and congregational level. I was thrilled to be a part of the physical consultation on Congregations and Beyond that occurred earlier this month, and honored to be able to bring campus concerns and accomplishments to the table. At one point, someone suggested doing more work with Our Whole Lives (OWL) sexuality education curriculum, especially on college campuses. It was great to be able to say, “actually, that’s a project we’re working on right now.” Lifting up other stories, such as our outreach to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, increased interfaith collaborations, and the development of “Campus Ministry for One” resources were all projects I was able to bring to the conversation. It was wonderful being able to discuss our great work with others who are also doing wall-breaking (pun intended) work, and see how it can inform a new model for our faith. Let us join others in building a Unitarian Universalist movement that could not possibly be constrained within walls. Join the conversation on Facebook. Not on Facebook? Comment here or send me an email at youngadults@uua.org and I’ll send your thoughts along.