Fall 2007 Newsletter

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From YA Committee Co-Facilitator Bree Hooper

Hello OMD Young Adults!

As fall begins to come to a close and winter begins to close in, things in the OMD district are getting exciting! Changes in committee structure, a productive visioning event… All hopeful signs that the next year will not only be one of change, but also a year of growth!

Many amazing conversations about what people would like to see in our district have happened lately, and now is the time we can start making these visions happen. Changes and growth can't happen without leadership, and that leadership can't happen without you. Interested in a position on the steering committee? Interested in planning a con or event? The choices of how we can all step up and help are endless. We hear countless stories within the young adult movement of leaders getting burnt out and overwhelmed, and frankly, it doesn't have to be that way. We all value this community and each of us has the power to effect change through the ways we choose to support it, in whatever way we can. Helping publish a newsletter… Voicing your opinion… Stepping up in various positions at cons, such as worship coordinator, volunteering to help with food, or childcare. Helping spread information about events, or even something as simple as inviting people to a con. Everything can make a difference.

Speaking of opportunities to build community and to invite people to cons, Winter Con is coming! Hosted for the second year at Akron Church, Friday December 28 th thru Sunday December 30th, Winter Con is shaping up to be a wonderful opportunity to connect with old and new UU friends, with great food, fun workshops, video games, movies, and plenty of time to hang out with your friends. Know someone who's going to be home over winter break? Bring them along! Check out Facebook, MySpace, and ConnectUU.com for more information!

So, questions? Comments? Contact us! And enjoy your upcoming winter holiday (or non-holiday) of choice.

Bree Hooper
Co-Facilitator
SevennTree777@gmail.com

From YA Committee Co-Facilitator Erick Williams

Hello everyone, my name is Erick Williams, and I am the co-facilitator of OMD UUYAN (along with Bree Hooper). Upon reading this, you may be asking yourself a number of questions, like what is a co-facilitator, what is UUYAN, who is Erick Williams, and why should I give a crap? I’ll answer all of those questions if you’ll just continue reading (please don’t stop know. You’ll hurt my feelings. But more importantly, you’ll miss out on the best educational experience since Sesame Street).

UUYAN is the Unitarian Universalist Young Adult Network. UUYAN in the OMD has only been around for a relatively short time, and is currently at a crossroad of sorts. A number of you reading this may be familiar with the fact that YRUU in our district has been thriving for the pat few years, and a result of bridging, the number of UU young adults in our district as increased dramatically. Previously, the young adult community of the OMD had been a small number of individuals who had been around for awhile, being just about the only UU young adults in the district. Many of them assumed leadership roles at some point for another since UUYAN, or any organization, needs leadership to survive, or simply exist. The people who have traditionally held leadership positions are reaching the upper limit of the UUYAN parameters (for lack of a better term).

Now is a time for two imperative things to happen with or Young Adult community. First, we need new leadership, people who, despite inexperience (talking about me here, not Bree, I’m pretty sure she has enough experience to full up the newsletter herself, but her winning charm in person would probably be lost on paper, so remember, as fellow YA’s how have been involved with UUYAN about their experiences, we won’t be around forever) and at the same time, we need to make sure that we retain both the bridged YRUUers who are experiencing the post-high school part of their lives for the first time, while simultaneously welcoming new people who have recently discovered UUism, without giving anyone to much weight to bear considering their newness to UUYAN.

I know, it’s complicated, and I’m horrible with run-on sentences, But it’s more than doable. I think everyone who’s familiar with YRUU would like to maintain the spiritual peace and welcomeness (I know, it’s not a real word, but I think you’ll agree, it works) that we found within YRUU, but are struggling wit the business of our new lives and environments. But it’s not just about now. What about five years down the road, post college, our ten years down the road? UUYAN and young adult cons are not givens, not things that have to exist; they are things that are made to exist by caring members of our community. Someone needs to carry the torch. At the same time, I must warn, UUYAN is not YRUU, there are clear differences, and simply trying to relieve the nostalgic moments of YRUU would probably be a disappointment for all of us, because we are now at different points in our lives, and may need different things. This is a time for something new, but different, like college as compared to high school, our living alone or with roommates as opposed to with parents. So give it a shot, keep in touch, and come check us out. You might find the place you always belonged.

Erick Williams
Co-Facilitator

PS: post article plug for Winter Conference, the Conference formerly known as Cozy Con, December 28-30, at Akron Church. Please, come, feel free to bring friends, and be ready to be welcomed.

A Few Words from the NEW Newsletter Editor

Hey guys, I know some of you from District Assembly and dropping in on Spring Con, both of which I was VERY pregnant for, but many of you are unfamiliar faces. I hope that this newsletter can help us extend our connections to each other on the district level beyond the scope of attendance I’ve seen thus far – I KNOW there have to be interesting UUs down further south in our district and further west! So please, let me know what you’ve got going on in your Young Adult networks to share with others via this newsletter. I am the mom of (now) two small children and the wife of a high school teacher, so newsletter deadlines are going to have to be a little more firm than they may have been in the past, so that I can get the newsletter done in the few quiet moments found in our household. The deadline for the next newsletter will be 10am Wednesday, January 23rd 2008. And I mean that. If you send me something on Thursday the 24th, it may not get in. How hard-and-fast it is may depend on the writer’s strike and if our favorite Thursday night shows are on or not, and what kind of mood that puts me in, or how well-behaved my toddler has been and how bad the teething is going with the baby by that point. Best not to chance it and get your articles and news in early. You can submit your articles, event news, classified ads, or anything else relevant to this newsletter via email at omdyannewsletter@gmail.com Thanks!

Ahmie Yeung
Newsletter Editor

From Our OMD YA-CM Consultant

Hello!

It’s been a busy six months since our last newsletter. I’ve kept myself busy or rather you’ve kept me busy!

Summer Institute went very well this summer and I am very proud of the work the Summer Institute Young Adult Panel did to make that happen. They worked hard, played hard, and helped make a great week. Special kudos to Erin Riffle the ’07 chair! The issue of alcohol use loomed large in the whole SI community this year—not a new issue, just one that we were talking about. The Young Adult Panel is helping make their program even better by addressing how to balance the different desires along with creating a safe, intentional community for all. SI 2008 is going to feature even more fun with even more evening programming. The ideas I’ve heard so far are fantastic—keep your eyes open for the SI 2008 flyers this winter.

I am excited to have Erick Williams and Bree Hooper as this year’s co-facilitators of your Young Adult Network Steering Committee. While the year has gotten off to a bit of a slow start, they are ramping things up with plans for Winter Con and Spring Con.

As always, I am available to answer questions and help connect you to resources whether you’re planning something small and local or wondering about something big. Email me at ecarvill@ohiomeadville.org or call me at 330-281-3306. If your group hasn’t contacted me in the last six months, I’d love to hear what you’re doing and how it’s going!

Ellen Carvill-Ziemer

Online Resources
Just a reminder—there are many ways to keep track of what’s going on:
* Our website: http://omd.uuyan.org/
* The OMD website: http://www.ohiomeadville.org
* Sign up for the email lists on our website's lists page
* Find us on Facebook (OMD UUYAN)
* Find us on MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/omduuyan)

Around the OMD

Non-Con Events?

Are you looking for something in addition to a Con? Are you just not interested in sleeping on a floor, not showering for two days, but still want to do something with other UU Young Adults?

Maybe something quieter, a little more philosophical, or introvert-friendly?

A Socratic potluck? A Philosophical Salon, in the old European tradition?

One of the things we talked about at the OMDUUYAN Revisioning in Akron last month, was having programming geared towards those who don't find something like a Con to be their primary type of social outlet. If you're interested in something else, or something more, please contact me at theTallUU@gmail.com

Thank you,
Michael Dobson

Fourth Friday Fellowship @ WSUUC

Every Fourth Friday of every month there is a community-centered worship experience and potluck at West Shore UU Church in Rocky River, Ohio. Those who are new to the service are invited to arrive at 6pm to familiarize themselves with the format. Worship starts at 6:30pm and lasts about 30 minutes of in-your-body, in-your-heart, with your head invited along for the ride spiritual exploration. Childcare is provided for those too young to participate, the service is welcoming to about age 7 and up. Worship is followed by potluck dinner and socializing. Please contact Ahmie Yeung at ahmieyeung@gmail.com or 440-922-0118 if you have any questions.

Young Adult News: From The Continental UU Young Adult Network (C*UUYAN)

Welcome

Welcome to our 50th issue of Young Adult News!

It's great to be back here in the Young Adult and Campus Ministry Office in Boston after a summer away. I spent the summer working on a special project for the Interfaith Alliance Foundation in Washington, D.C. The UUA was gracious to allow me to take a leave of absence to work on this project. I had a wonderful time and learned a lot. Now I'm eager to reconnect with folks here in Boston and around the continent working on young adult and campus ministry.

I hope you find some useful news and opportunities in this issue of Young Adult News. Next month our 51st issue will come from a new address. To more accurately reflect the purpose and management of the list, Young Adult News will transition to the domain name UUA.org. It will be the same newsletter, just a new name. If you have any questions about this transition, please let me know. I also recommend you read 4. Young Adult and Campus Ministry Office Transitions in this issue for an update on larger transitions around the Young Adult and Campus Ministry Office. We'll be sure to keep you updated as these transitions unfold.

Enjoy the fall weather and have a wonderful and joyous Thanksgiving!

Yours in faith,
Erik B. Kesting

Volunteer Job Opening for GA Young Adult Caucus Staff

Are you interested in an exiting leadership opportunity?

Would you like to serve our community at the GA Young Adult Caucus?

Volunteer for the 2007 General Assembly Young Adult Caucus. We are looking for a chaplain and a reporter to work with the two co-facilitators, Daniel Maitland and Drew Tripp. For job descriptions and online applications, please visit http://www25.uua.org/ya-cm/conferences/ga.html.

Conference on Peacemaking

The PTI will be taking place from January 3-10 at the Kirkridge Retreat Center, in Bangor, PA (Just outside of NY and Philly!), with a particular focus on connecting social justice organizers from across the country. Cost is $475-$675 sliding scale, with scholarship and fundraising support available - don't let the cost keep you from applying!!

Apply online by December 1, 2007 at http://youth.forusa.org

Young Adult and Campus Ministry Office Transitions

The Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry is currently undergoing several staff transitions and staff restructuring.

Over the summer we bid a fond farewell to the Rev. Dr. Michael Tino as Director of Young Adult and Campus Ministry and thanked him for his years of outstanding service to our office and to the cause of vibrant young adult and campus ministry within our movement. We wish Michael well in his newly settled parish ministry! Tracey Robinson-Harris, director of Congregational Services, will now be serving as Acting Director for the office. In addition to supervising the staff and overseeing the budget for the office, her responsibilities will include the grants programs, involvement in the planning for GA08, and leadership in the transition planning.

Erik Kesting has returned to the office as part time Young Adult and Campus Ministry Assistant after his leave of absence over the summer during which he worked an internship in Washington, DC. Erik's responsibilities will continue to focus on resources and communications.

Nancy DiGiovanni will serve as Young Adult and Campus Ministry Program Director. In this role, her priorities will include congregational connections/visits, YACM consultants and training programs, leadership development for volunteer leaders, and working with a new part time financial assistant. Nancy will also be providing increased support to our YACM District Staff as they work with congregations and with young adults in their districts.

Joseph Santos-Lyons will be continuing in his role as Campus Ministry and Field Organizing Director until December 31, 2007. For the next six weeks, Joseph will be concentrating on a healthy departure from the various major programs he works with - Campus Ministry, Regional Organizing Consultants, Young Adult and Campus Ministry Professionals, Young Adults of Color, Groundwork Anti-Racism Program. Joseph will continue in this part time staff position working from Portland, Oregon.

All of the Young Adult and Campus Ministry staff will be part of transition planning for our office. We have begun initial conversations and hope to complete the planning process early in 2008. For inquiries or comments on the transition, please contact Tracey Robinson-Harris at trobinsonharris@uua.org or 617-948-6462.

C*UUYAN Revisioning

In August 2007, the C*UUYAN Steering Committee decided to put the two summer conferences (ConCentric and Opus) on hold for the summer of 2008. The committee determined that, as one of two UUA sponsored organizations, it would be beneficial for them to revisit their purpose, vision, and long-term plans to meet the needs of young adults within our denomination. They will use this year, usually spent on conference staffing, logistics and planning, to have more communication amongst themselves and with the Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry at the UUA.

Please contact Steering Committee Facilitator Mary Manchester at marymanchester@riseup.net with any questions, concerns, or feedback that you wish to be shared.

Borrow from the CLF Library

You may know the Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF) as the UU church in cyberspace, or you might have heard of the Church of the YOUNGER Fellowship (CYF), which is a part of the CLF. It's true that much of what we do at the CLF is done online, but we also have some other wonderful resources available to our members. The CLF Library, with UU books, video tapes, music, and worship services, is one of those resources. You can search the CLF Library at www.clfuu.org/library. If you are already a member of the Church of the Larger Fellowship or the Church of the Younger Fellowship, contact Librarian Beth Murray to borrow materials from the CLF Library: bmurray@uua.org or 617-948-6150.

The NEW ConnectUU.com

If you haven't yet visited the new ConnectUU.com, take just a moment to check it out. Added features include the ability to search for and anonymously email your long lost UU friends and colleagues. The new site offers faster searches for young adult and campus ministry groups and events and other improvements.

Visit the new ConnectUU at http://www.ConnectUU.com for your UU Young Adult networking needs!

Young Adult & Campus Ministry Office Contacts

Nancy DiGiovanni - Young Adult and Campus Ministry Program Director
(617) 948-4629 ndigiovanni@uua.org

Erik Kesting - Young Adult and Campus Ministry Assistant
(617) 948-6463 ekesting@uua.org

Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris - Acting Director of Young Adult and Campus Ministry
(617) 948-6462 trobinsonharris@uua.org

Joseph Santos-Lyons - Director of Campus Ministry & Field Organizing
(503) 490-5639 jsantoslyons@uua.org

Classifieds

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