Sexuality Toolkit for Campus Ministers
The Unitarian Universalist Association and United Church of Christ are offering a free workshop on sexuality for campus ministers before the National Campus Ministry Association’s (NCMA) annual conference this summer. For details on the conference, and why you should attend, read our new blog post on. The conference will be held from Wednesday, July 10th-Friday, July 12th and the pre-conference training “Sexuality Toolkit for Campus Ministers” will be held on Tuesday, July 9th from 2-6pm. This workshop is designed specifically for campus ministers, and will enable you to support healthy sexuality in pastoral counseling with individuals and as a leader in your campus community. It will focus on building knowledge, gaining skills, and taking home…
Be a Bridge Keeper for Youth Faith
SHOW THE WAY ACROSS THE BRIDGE! The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) sponsored Bridge Connections Program helps keep youth transitioning (“bridging”) into young adulthood connected to Unitarian Universalist (UU) faith communities and campus groups when they go off to college, get their own apartment, or start a new job. A Timeless Connection Each spring, the UUA Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries sends brochures to every certified congregation with a link to the online Bridge Connections Form. Bridging youth provide the contact-information of their new location on this form. Every fall, the UUA notifies local congregations and campus ministries of recently bridged young adults moving to their area, so that they may welcome them and…
Healing Trauma
This is a collection of resources developed by the UUA, Unitarian Universalists and others to help minister and heal in the aftermath of trauma. – Ed. Overcome Trauma with Compassion and Love Trauma response resources from the UUA. Resources for helping children, families, and communities process trauma, disaster, and violence from the UUA Resource Development Office. The Unitarian Universalist Trauma Response Ministry. The UUTRM provides culturally sensitive spiritual care to survivors of mass disasters and other significant trauma. Trauma response video. By Lara Campbell, Ministerial Intern, Church of the Larger Fellowship. Coping With a Disaster or Traumatic Event. From the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Coping with Violence and Traumatic Events…
Lifting Up Our OWL
This is a re-post of a story of the Our Whole Lives curriculum in action from The Christian Century. You’ll find links at the end of the re-post for more information about OWL – Ed. When Nicole Chaisson teaches fifth- and sixth-graders about sexuality at Macalester Plymouth United Church in St. Paul, she doesn’t have to worry about what the state legislature might say. She is not relying on federal funding, and no organization will ask her to demonstrate the results. But her relative freedom doesn’t make her task simple. On this Sunday evening, the session is about puberty, and the six girls and five boys in attendance are giggling nervously. They seem both comfortable…
Strawberries for the Soul
Meditations by and for Unitarian Universalists Citing a Zen parable Abhimanyu Janamanchi, former Youth Observer to the UUA Board of Trustees, and the Rev. Abhi Janamanchi, Minister at Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater, Florida, write that as Unitarian Universalsits it is when the tigers are circling that we mustn’t forget to savor the present moment, and “taste the strawberries”. With Falling Into the Sky, the new meditation anthology from Skinner House Books, Janamanchi son and father have callected 43 meditations by Unitarian Universalists to, “appreciate and savor the preciousness of each moment as if it were our last,” providing, “a sanctuary of the spirit where we can find strength and hope to face the daily challenge…
March Call: Bridging
Our March call is open to anyone who is interested in having a discussion about the Bridging process and what we can all do to enhance this. The bridging process in this context refers to youth who are bridging to young adulthood. The Unitarian Universalist Association provides resources and a bridge connections program nationally, and most regions/districts also provide programming. Whether you are a UU youth approaching bridging, young adult, campus student, youth advisor, lay leader working with youth or young adults, religious educator, minister, campus ministry leader, college chaplain, or any other role involved in this bridging process, we welcome you on this call. We will be meeting on Sunday, March 3rd at 8:30pm Eastern time. Content Details:…
UU-UNO Led Talk on Sexual Orientation Change
Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE) is the innocent enough sounding term for practices that are designed to force people to give-up same sex orientation. The techniques employed to force individuals to renounce their freely chosen sexual identity can be psychological or physical, and include sexual violence (“corrective rape“). In the Unitarian Universalist (UU) tradition of spearheading, cutting edge advocacy and standing up for vulnerable populations, the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office (UU-UNO) organized one of the first-ever panels on Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE) and its International Human Rights consequences. You can find a complete program recap of the event, including summaries of panelist’s presentations, quotes, and pictures here.You can read a companion article about “Gay Conversion Therapy”…
New Slogan of Campus Ministry!
We’re getting a new set of UU campus ministry promotional materials! I know you all loved the flare-legged pants of our shadow folk that told everyone we are definitely in with the times and oh-so-fashionable – but we’ve run out and think it’s time for some new materials. ; -) This means new banners to buy, posters to download, and the opportunity to re-imagine our slogan! What’s your new slogan or vote? Cast your vote on our Campus UUs Facebook page at Facebook.com/Campus UUs, or send Kayla an email at ya-cm@uua.org with your ideas, thoughts and vote! Current options online (though folks might have added some since time of post): Spiritually Alive, Radically Inclusive &…
Roe v Wade: Primer
On January 22, 1973 the U.S. Supreme Court issued an opinion on Roe v Wade establishing the link between a woman’s fundamental right to privacy and her ability to obtain a safe and legal abortion. In a subsequent decision the Court determined that a woman has the right to an abortion until viability. While the Supreme Court’s decisions disallowed many state and federal restrictions on abortion, they neither ended the debate nor efforts to limit access to abortion in the United States. Blue Boat has compiled a primer on the history, effects and current opinion of this landmark decision. – Ed. Recalling the world before Roe v Wade (The Herald Sun, Jan. 16, 2013)…
Your Guide to 30 Days of Love
Standing on the Side of Love is an interfaith advocacy campaign that is sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Association. This year they are hosting their 2nd annual 30 Days of Love, “a period for intentional action, service, education, and reflection running from January 19 to February 17, 2013.” How can you participate with your young adult or campus ministry group? I’m so glad you asked! I’ve created a guide for young adult and campus ministry groups, with an action or small group ministry session for each of the 4 week themes of the 30 Days of Love. Here’s an outline: Week One: Honor Legacy Adaptations and recommendations for great small group ministry sessions that discuss…
