Coming of Age recap from Apr. 15

We had a fun and thoughtful session on Wednesday. We missed those who weren't there, and hope you feel better soon. Here is a review of what we did so that the people who missed can catch up and the people who were there can remember what we talked about.

One of the check-in questions was about creating a space where you can go to reflect or to feel centered. We talked about how sometimes feeling centered or reflective is something we carry with us rather than being tied to a specific place. You may wish to start thinking about a playlist of songs that express your religious views or your morals; we'll share those playlists (or at least parts of them) on the way to the Wilderness Retreat May 15-17.

Wednesday's session was about "elevator speeches," brief descriptions of things that are part of our everyday lives, but that someone else might not know a lot about. The descriptions are short enough that you can tell them to someone as you are riding on an elevator, but there are no actual elevators involved. We might need an elevator speech to explain a hobby, job, music scene, or social justice cause that we're really interested in, but is unfamiliar to lots of people.

After a game involving elevator speeches about made-up words, we talked about UU elevator speeches. Those of us in COA, whether we personally identify as a UU or not, might get questions about where we go every Wednesday night. Some of the youth said that they hear a lot of questions from friends about UUism, some youth said the subject hasn't come up yet. We talked about times when other people try to convert us to their religion, and whether or not it was helpful to have a definition of your own religious views to give as a response. We'll return to the subject of what to do when other people try to convert you in late May.

If someone asks you what Unitarian Universalism is, it may be useful to choose ONE of the questions below and to answer it from your own perspective:

* What is a typical day/activity at First Unitarian Church of Baltimore like?
* Who were some famous Unitarian Universalists, and why are they good representatives?
* What were three key points in UU history?
* What is Unitarian Universalist worship like?
* Who is welcome in a Unitarian Universalist congregation? Be more specific than "everybody."
* How do Unitarian Universalists act to show their values?
* What is my favorite part of being a UU/ hanging around with UU's?
* When have I felt connected to UU spirituality?
* How has Unitarian Universalism changed my life?

During the discussion, there was a strong theme about COA or First U Baltimore being a place where youth feel unconditionally accepted, and where they see other people being accepted. This seemed to be an important aspect to describe if someone asks what Unitarian Universalism is like.

Remember: this Saturday, we are going to MEET AT DRUID HILL PARK at 7:30am near the main music stage. Do NOT come to the church. We won't be there. Call Lyn if you need to contact someone tomorrow during the project. Be sure to read the reminder that Becky e-mailed on Thursday for phone numbers and more details.

The take-home assignment is to document in your journal about your thoughts/feelings related to the service project, both before and after EcoFest.

As schedules fill up in the spring, it is more important than ever that we keep our commitments to each other. We depend on each other to build community and to support each other in reaching our COA goals. We look forward to seeing each other soon.