Youth Ministry Newsletter – Summer 2015

COA Retreat 2015
COA Solo Journey 2015

Hey Youth and Parents!

As we approach the very end of the year, we have an opportunity for celebration at Youth Sunday on May 17th! Please make it a priority and even consider attending both services!

The OWL youth had a blast at the condom workshop! I want to thank Luis Uribe and Scott McCollom for stepping up to facilitate Our Whole Lives once again. Their commitment to our youth and sexuality education is incredible.

Coming of Age folks had a wonderful, rainy retreat and solo journey in Poudre Canyon. We also had a touching Circle of Community with their parents and are looking forward to a fabulous Youth Sunday (details below)! Thank you to the Soders and the Hortons for the use of their rustic cabin for the retreat. And a huge thank you to Laura Murray, Linda Spencer, and Michael Newman for continuing to Guide our youth through life’s big questions.

We’re planning next year already!

I would like to take a moment to introduce you to the next Youth Coordinator! Rachel Stevenson, current SpiritJam teacher and RE Assistant, is excited to be taking on the responsibilities of the youth coordinator position. In addition to OWL and COA, Rachel hopes to create a PeaceJam Ambassadors club, for high-school aged youth, that will focus on learning the about the lives of Nobel Peace Laureates and how we can help to solve the issues facing our community.

Register NOW for OWL and COA! (Details below)

We’re recruiting adult leaders too! Please let me or Rachel know if you are interested in being involved in Youth Ministry (OWL, COA, PeaceJam, or anything else)!

We are especially looking for men to be Coming of Age Guides!

The Youth Coordinator is off for the summer; Rachel will be back in touch in August. I hope you have a restorative summer.

Upcoming events:

BVUUF Youth Sunday

Youth Sunday 2014
Youth Sunday 2014
May 17th is our annual recognition of Youth Ministry. This year we have two special services planned. Consider attending both!

9am Service: Coming of Age is a Unitarian Universalist rite of passage with marks the transition from being children to becoming Youth. This service is the culmination of a year of exploring what they believe to be true and important in the universe. They will share their inspiring thoughts will all of you.

11am Service: A Bridging Ceremony is yet another UU rite of passage where we honor the transition from youth to young adulthood as our high school seniors embark on the next phase of their life journey.

Email me if you are (or are related to) a high school senior who would like to bridge.

At both services, we will recognize our youth ministry volunteers and welcome the incoming Youth Coordinator.

Register now for the BVUUF Fall OWL and COA Classes!

COA God Paintings 2014-15
COA God Paintings 2014-15
Condom balloon on Rev. Lydia’s ceiling

7th/8th Grade Our Whole Lives, Sundays 10:45am-12:15pm

OWL presents a comprehensive approach to human sexuality in an age-appropriate manner and is based firmly on the values of respect, responsibility, justice and inclusivity. See the BVUUF OWL page for more information.

8th/9th Grade Coming of AgeSundays 12:30-2:00pm

Coming of Age celebrates the transition from childhood to youth – the time when people come of age. The teenage years are a time of tremendous growth and change. Throughout history, many cultures marked this human passage with rituals, learning, testing, and celebration; we’ll do the same. We will have two retreats to bookend the program and have classes where we’ll help the youth tackle the “big questions” and develop their credo statements. These credo statements are presented to the Fellowship on Youth Sunday, each spring. See the BVUUF COA page for more information.

UU Summer Camp: Quuest/Spirit Quuest

QUUest 2014
Quuest 2014
What: Gather with UU youth from around the Mountain Desert District to deepen your faith through worship and spiritual practices, explore social change and the big questions about life, and reunite with friends and nature.
Dance! Coffee House! Human foosball! Rock climbing! Hiking! Storytelling! Bonfires! S’mores! Worship! Labyrinth building! Outdoors! Cabins! Could there be anything better?

When:

QUUest Camp (upcoming 9th – summer after graduation): 
July 19 – 25, 2015
Spirit QUUest (upcoming 6th-8th graders): 
July 12 – 18, 2015

Where: Our location is changing to the awesome Buckhorn Camp. It is in Bellvue Colorado. This shift benefits the campers and staff in many ways.

Registration: QUUest or Spirit Quuest  – All 5 steps are due by June 3rd

Questions? Email Beth Chronister, camp director, at mddcampdirector@gmail.com 
Need some financial help to get to camp? Available online at http://register.mdduua.org/forms/register.aspx?fid=19

___________________________________

If you would like more information about or would like to be involved in this vibrant ministry, please fill out the Boulder Youth Contact Form.

Thanks!Conger Emily

Emily Conger, Youth Coordinator
School of the Spirit
Boulder Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Email Me
~)<