Emily Conger, Youth Coordinator, here! I’m excited to start up another amazing year of Youth Ministry! We have a dynamic program for middle- and high-schoolers to engage minds, bodies, and spirits.

In order to make this year even better, there will be a couple enhancements! We’ll be working more closely with the Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder to maximize resources and help build a local youth community. The Our Whole Lives sexuality class and Coming of Age class will now be offered before and after Sunday services to help families attend services together. Youth Group for grades 7-12 will meet at 11am on Sundays and rotate through key areas: social justice, team building, and spiritual practices. In addition, there will still be youth CONs, social nights, and the 9th Grade Trip!

Interested in shaping lives? Get involved as an adult advisor!

Please check out the below links for details about how your family can be involved!

8th/9th Grade Coming of Age

This is an amazing UU rite of passage from childhood. Youth go on two retreats and engage with tough questions about their place in life, spirituality, and the universe. This course has participants and facilitators from BVUUF and UUCB!

Parent Orientation: September 8th from 12:30-1:30pm in Pauling

For more information: BVUUF Information and Registration; Calendar

7th/8th Grade OWL

We will soon be launching this year’s middle school Our Whole Lives comprehensive sexuality course with participants from BVUUF and UUCB!

Parent Orientation: September 8th from 12:30-1:30pm in Barnum

Note: If we do not have at least one more registrant, the course will be postponed until next year. Please convince your friends and neighbors to join us!

For more information: BVUUF OWL website and Registration; 7th/8th OWL Calendar

9th Grade Trip

The 50th Ninth Grade Trip is a UU educational trip to the Hopi and Navajo reservations. It starts with a series of overnights and classes, and culminates in a 10-day trip in mid-April.

Boulder Youth and Parent Orientation: September 22nd at 12:15 at BVUUF in Barnum

For more information: UU9gt.org or contact Mitch Pingel.

Youth Leadership Opportunity – Sound Board Operator

Sam is running a Sound Board Training for anyone interested in helping out during the service. It’s a great opportunity if you’re interested in being a music producer.

Sunday, September 15 from 1 – 3 p.m.

Contact: Sam Welsh, Music Director

Standing on the Side of Love service

The whole congregation is invited to attend the annual Standing on the Side of Love service on the Denver Capitol steps! This is a service dedicated to the cause of Marriage Equality in Colorado.

Sunday, September 29th, 10am

Denver Capitol Steps – West

Guardian-free youth, please RSVP and meet at BVUUF in Barnum (with a permission slip) at 9am to carpool.

Boulder Youth Social Nights

Would your family like to help plan or host a Youth Social Night!?

I can help come up with ideas and plan them as well, but your homes and/or your youth’s input are important! Here are some popular examples from last year:

Family coordinated night out at Jump Street and Pizza Hut

Other families had youth come to their house to play games, play sports, and/or watch movies and they ordered pizza.

High School Youth Cons

Each year, the Mountain Desert District hosts a series of conferences, or cons, for youth. These are amazing immersion experiences that build an inclusive community, deepen UU spirituality, and change lives.

Here is a quick look at the district youth ministry calendar for 2013-14. More details on each event to come!

November 1st-3rd: Central Cluster Gathering, Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder, CO. Youth and adults. Theme: Covenant
January 24th-26th: Building Beloved Community, First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque, NM. Adults and youth. Theme: Who Are Our Neighbors
February 7th-9th: Winter Con, Foothills Unitarian Universalist Church, Fort Collins, CO. Youth and sponsors. Theme: Standing on the Side of Love.
April 11th-13th or 25th-27th (TBD): Bridging Con, Jefferson Unitarian Church, Golden, CO. Youth and sponsors with young adult participation. Theme: TBD!
July 6th-12th (tentative): QUUest and Spirit Quest Camps.

The registration link will be up in time for the November event.

Communication

Please use my new email address youthcoordinator@bvuuf.org to contact me. I have limited hours so I may not respond immediately. If there is an urgent issue, please list that in the subject.

To ensure that I have the most up-to-date information about your youth and family, please fill out this Boulder Youth Contact Form.

I will be posting the Youth Ministry Newsletter on this BVUUF blog. Please subscribe to get regular updates. I will also be starting a Google Group for youth and their parents so you can continue to receive regular updates about events and program happenings.

Check out the BVUUF Youth Facebook Group for event updates.

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I am hopeful that there’s something in here for your family to engage in! Please let me know what questions you have.

Thanks!

emily

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Emily Conger, Youth Coordinator

School of the Spirit

Boulder Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

youthcoordinator@gmail.com

http://www.bvuuf.org/religious-education/youth/

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The Boulder Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship