Letter to Youth and Young Adults

Salutations Youth and Young Adults!,

Have you found the news about youth and young adult ministry frustrating? Do you want to do something to make our voices heard? We have decided to go political and are trying to use the democratic process inherent in our faith to affect wide-spread, positive change. After talking with many youth and young adults from across the continent, we have written a resolution for Youth and Young Adult Empowerment within all levels of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
We believe that in this transitional time the critical values and voices of youth and young adults must be represented in the political process of our denomination. This resolution does not attempt to restructure continental YRUU or C*UUYAN; it attempts to reaffirm the values that we all share and promote them at every level of our faith.

This resolution is meant for everyone. We are from the Central Midwest District and plan to take steps to have this resolution passed in our district. You can do this in your district! In the Central Midwest District, this means communicating and gathering support from youth and young adults in congregations and determining the appropriate steps to get the resolution on our District Annual Assembly’s agenda in April. We also have been communicating with our UUA Trustee, District staff, and youth and young adults on district leadership bodies (i.e. District Youth Steering Committee/Youth Adult Committee and Young Adult Steering Committee).

This is a grassroots initiative and we encourage you to start or contribute to a similar movement in your district. Through our conversations, we have been attaining allies of this resolution in many districts. These folks will be leading and guiding the process for having this resolution passed at your District Annual Assembly in April or May. If you would like any information regarding initiatives already blossoming in your district or guidance on how to begin the process yourself, please contact us!

There is also the possibility for this resolution to be presented and passed at this year’s General Assembly as a responsive resolution. We are currently in dialogue with the UUA Board of Trustees about this resolution. Due to all of these recent changes, General Assembly will be a challenging time for youth and young adult issues. Regardless, having districts affirm youth and young adult empowerment is vital.

We must use the synergy inherent in youth and young adult movements to fuel us, to encourage us, and to be the change we want to see happen in our faith. We must collectively take action to protect and promote the core values of ministry to and with youth and young adults.

Let’s make youth and young adult empowerment a reality.
Only you can make this happen!
We desire your feedback, questions, concerns, opinions, and support of this resolution.

Thank you and Blessings,

Victoria Mitchell and Kimberlee Tomczak