UU Faithworks

Recent attention has focused on the fact that many youth who grow up in Unitarian Universalist congregations leave our movement between the ages of 14 and 20, most never to return. While exact statistics vary, the resulting gap in our membership between the ages of 14 and 35 is glaring. Outreach to non-UU young adults is an important part of addressing this membership gap, but at least as vital to our success as a movement is working with our youth to ensure that they stay a part of Unitarian Universalism as they cross the bridge into young adulthood. Towards that end, the Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry, working in partnership with the Youth Programs Office, is endeavoring to develop new programs and resources to help congregations with bridging ministry. Following are some ways you can support your youth as they become young adults.

As youth near the time when they will make the transition to young adulthood, it is necessary to prepare them for this transition. Two new curricula are in the process of being published to help congregations with this ministry. Walking Between the Worlds , by Colin Bossen and Dawn Star Borchelt, is a 3-session pre-bridging workshop first offered at the UUA General Assembly. This curriculum focuses on the identification of youth with Unitarian Universalist communities, and the development of a commitment to pursuing UU faith development opportunities as a young adult. More in-depth is the all-new UU Backpacking , by Rev. Donna DiSciullo and Michael Tino. This year-long curriculum partners youth with an adult mentor and asks them to explore pathways of learning, service and leadership in their congregation. We hope to have both curricula available soon for your use.

It is important that we recognize the passage from youth into young adulthood with a ceremony that is quite different from a graduation. As a rite of passage and not a “goodbye,” bridging ceremonies celebrate a passage between two parts of life, both equally affirmed and supported by our congregations. The Bridging Ceremony Resource Guide, available from the UUA Bookstore, can help you put together a bridging ceremony, but the important part is the intentional programming that must be available for people on both sides of the bridge—else your bridge becomes a cliff, over which you are pushing new young adults, with no hope of survival in our congregations.

Last year, the Bridge Connections program was unveiled with a wonderful response. In the spring of 2003, over 1,600 packets were mailed to congregations to give to their graduating high school seniors. These packets contained a book, Poems to Live By in Uncertain Times , a UU Campus Ministry directory, and a postage-paid reply card entitling each new young adult to a free one-year subscription to the UU World, the Church of the Larger Fellowship's Quest, and, if they live in Canada, the Canadian Unitarian Council's quarterly magazine. In addition, these new young adults will receive Ferment , the young adult journal published by the UUA and C*UUYAN. We have committed to continuing this program in 2004 for a small fee, and we hope to continue it for years to come.

This is only one example of a program designed to keep new young adults connected to Unitarian Universalism. We encourage congregations to send new young adults their newsletter, to invite them to special programs during school breaks, and to host conferences and groups for young adults at the younger end of the age range. We invite you to design your own “post-bridging” programs that will meet the needs of new young adults.

Many, though not all, of our youth go on to college as young adults. Towards that end, campus ministry is an important way to retain our youth in UU communities, as well as to attract new young adults to our movement. We encourage you to explore campus ministry as a potential outreach ministry of your congregation, and have developed a number of resources to help congregations with this ministry.

The Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry has many resources available to help you with ministry to people making the transition between youth and young adulthood. Here is a brief list of some of them:

• Connect UU —Online database of youth, young adults and groups (www.uua.org/connect/). Individuals can search for a young adult or campus group near them, and will be given contact information; in addition, signing up in the database gives young adults free subscriptions to Ferment , the young adult journal.

• Web Site (www.uuyan.org)— Newly redesigned Web site has information for congregations, groups and individuals.

• Covenant Group/Small Group Ministry Resources —A new manual and curricula for use with young adult-centered covenant groups are available free on our Web site (www.uuyan.org).

• Regional Campus Ministry Workshops —Held around the U.S. and Canada, these 1.5-day workshops provide a good basis for doing and supporting campus ministry.

• Consulting and Training Resources —Workshops and consultations designed to meet your needs. You can fill out our on line request form at www.uua.org/ya-cm/request.html or call us at 617-948-6463 to request a consultation.

• Bridging Ceremony Resource Guide —Updated this year, and available at the UUA Bookstore.

• Bridging Cards— Available from the UUA Bookstore, these cards are designed to let congregations know when UU young adults have moved into their area. The cards also have a list of outreach tips on them.


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