Coming of Age in Baltimore

Coming of Age Service 2009

2009-06-04T20:13:00.000-07:00

It all went by so fast, it was nearly impossible for one camera to capture it all. Here are a few of the photos I've received so far. If you have photos from the service that you'd like to include in the Picasa album (here), drop Becky a line via email. Don't miss the audio links below, including Faith Statements from the youth!

Blessings and Declaration of Coming of Age 2009

2009-06-04T19:36:00.001-07:00

Our Coming of Age worship service included not only Faith Statements for each of the graduating youth (listen below) but also Blessings from the minister, mentors and parents and a Declaration of Coming of Age to celebrate the accomplishments of group members. Listen to this portion of the service here:

Blessing from the Minister (0:00)

Blessing from Mentors (2:45)

Blessing from Parents (4:40)

Declaration of Coming of Age (6:17)

Burkely's Faith Statement, Coming of Age 2009

2009-06-04T19:14:00.001-07:00

Emily's Faith Statement, Coming of Age 2009

2009-06-04T19:09:00.000-07:00

Chris' Faith Statement, Coming of Age 2009

2009-06-04T19:06:00.001-07:00

Garrett's Faith Statement, Coming of Age 2009

2009-06-04T19:01:00.000-07:00

Carrie's Faith Statement, Coming of Age 2009

2009-06-04T18:54:00.000-07:00

Logan's Faith Statement, Coming of Age 2009

2009-06-04T18:36:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Coming of Age Class!

2009-06-04T06:29:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to all the participants, leaders and families of Coming of Age! Not only did we enjoy a wonderful course this year, but ended with a bang with a spectacular celebration dinner and a truly moving worship service. In the coming days, I will post words and photos from the final portion of the program. Stay tuned!

Welcome Home!

2009-05-19T13:31:00.001-07:00

Thanks to everyone who made the AWESOME Coming of Age retreat happen! Thank you to the CoA Leaders for arranging and leading the programming; Laura's family for the loan of their spectacular house; Ann, Lyn, Laura and Dick for driving; all the parents for providing luscious food stuffs; all the mentors who came along for the ride and lent their expertise; and all the youth for being great individuals with so much to share!

But wait, there's more! Here at the end of the program there's a heck of a lot going on. A week from Wednesday, on May 27, parents, mentors and youth will gather to rehearse Sunday's service. Details will be coming shortly about what will be asked of you for that worship service. Saturday, May 30 at 7:00 pm we will gather for dinner to celebrate the youth, their mentors and the conclusion of our program. Sunday morning will be the big enchilada we've all been waiting for as the youth share their faith statements in a worship service of their own design.

We'll be seeing ya!

What to Bring on the Wilderness Retreat

2009-05-13T20:28:00.000-07:00

Coming of Age Wilderness Retreat

Basic Things to Know

ê Main activities

o Worship (mostly outdoors, including youth-led worship Saturday)

o Evening board games (mostly inside; no DVD player)

o Solitary nature meditation (no electronics during this time)

o Bonding games

o Craft time: decorate stoles & T-shirts

o Zip Line

o Practicing faith statements with mentors

o Hike

ê Where we’ll sleep

o Youth will sleep on the floor downstairs, unless you bring a tent

o Adults will sleep on beds and couches

o That means it’s especially important for youth to bring a sleeping bag or bedroll and a pillow. If you have a sleeping pad (such as for camping) bring it.

o Seventeen people. One bathroom. Don’t plan on an extensive beauty routine.

ê Definitely bring

o Sleeping bag, bedroll, pillows, sleeping pad

o Towels: one for bathing, one for sitting on during nature meditation

o Closed-toed shoes. We are not kidding. A spare pair wouldn’t hurt.

o Two changes of clothes. Not everyone will get a chance to shower, so at least our clothes should be fresh.

o Toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, face soap, deodorant, contact lens stuff

o Medications, especially allergy medications (there will be plenty of pollen and dust to go around)

o Outdoor provisions: sunscreen, bug repellant, hat

o Coming of Age Journal

o Draft faith statement

o Waiver, if you haven’t turned one in already

ê You may bring

o Musical instruments

o Tent

o Cell phone charger (no guarantees about cell phone signal)

o A snack to SHARE in the car

o Personal, reusable water bottle LABELED with your name

o Swim suit, if you enjoy extremely cold water

ê What NOT to bring

o Don’t bring electronic games

o Don’t bring DVD’s or movies

o Do we even need to say this? Don’t bring weapons or illegal drugs.

Wilderness Retreat Schedule

2009-05-09T12:21:00.000-07:00

Here it is, what you've all been waiting for: the schedule for our Wilderness Retreat, May 15-17!

Friday, May 15

5:30 pm Gather at church at 5:30

(unless carpool requires other time/location, tbd)

6:00 pm Leave church.
9:00 pm Arrive at Creekside (Edinburg, VA)
10:00 pm Evening worship
10:45 pm Socializing, Board games
12:00 am Lights out

Saturday, May 16
8:00 am Breakfast
8:30 am Morning Circle
9:00 am Solitary Retreat (Each youth stakes out a circle of about 10 feet to stay in, silently, for a full hour)
10:30 am Programming & Active Games
12:00 pm Lunch
Clean-up
1:00 pm Craft Time: Work on stoles, decorate T-shirts
2:30 pm Leave for zip line at Bryce Resort
3:30 pm Zip-Line
5:30 pm Picnic dinner at Bryce
7:30 pm Arrive back at Creekside, begin worship planning
8:30 pm Faith Statement practicing, with mentors
9:00 pm Youth-led worship
9:30 pm Socializing, Board games
12:00 am Lights out

Sunday, May 17
8:00 am Breakfast
8:30 am Hike & Programming
11:00 am Major Clean-Up
12:00 pm Closing Circle
12:30 pm Lunch
1:00 pm Leave Edinburg
3:30 pm Families pick up youth at church

Becky will be in touch with those who will be traveling to determine carpools.

As with the last retreat, families are asked to provide food for the group. An updated version of the CoA food assignments is available for download here (and also in the column to the right.) This document has changed since you last saw it. Please consult this newest version.

And, finally, a list of things which require exclamation points:

• Remember that all youth must bring a draft of their faith statement to the retreat!

• If you haven't already submitted your playlist, email it to Becky asap!

• If you haven't already handed in your waiver for doing the zip-line, please bring it to Wednesday's CoA class!

• Closed-toe footwear is required for the zip-line! (no sandals or flip flops!) And long hair must be tied back in a clip or pony tail! (for other requirements, click here)

• There is only ONE bathroom at Creekside! Take a shower before you come!

• If you have allergies to dust or to pollen, be sure to bring your medications—there will be lots of both!

• If you have any questions, please let Becky know asap!

• Looking forward to a great retreat!

Zip-line, here we come!

2009-05-06T06:16:00.000-07:00

Coming of Age youth and mentors will be working hard at their weekend retreat, May 15-17. But adventure will not be left out. On Saturday, the whole group will trek out to Bryce Resort for a ride on their zip-line.

Click here to see the zip-line in action.

In order to participate, however, a waiver must be on file. Click here to view and print the zip-line release.

A report from the scene

2009-04-30T19:05:00.000-07:00

by Chris Hutter

On April 18, the youth of the First Unitarian Church in Baltimore shocked everyone by waking up before noon on a Saturday. The six youth involved in the Coming of Age project and their mentors descended on Druid Hill Park in a flurry of Earth-loving, setting up chairs and tables for the EcoFest which would occur that afternoon. The bright, warm sunlight and beautiful blue sky seemed to have no effect on the teens, who found other ways to amuse themselves after their intial objective was complete. We also have a testimony from one insider source, whose identity must be hidden for security reasons.

"Yeah, it was horrible...at first I thought it was just the early morning shadows, but there they were. They were like zombies, roaming the paths of the park, and wherever they stayed, tables and chairs just popped up for no real reason. This would've been bad enough, except after they were done they split into pairs, just one teen with one mentor. It was almost like a pack mentality, where they split up to surround the prey...you could tell they were a pack, they all wore the same T-shirts. And then those poor brave souls at hipotle began to set up. They might have gotten away if they hadn't offered volunteers free tacos. Pretty soon, the teenagers had gorged themselves on Mexican food and had gone back to their lairs, and all that was left of the Chipotle stand was a few scraps of lettuce..." (Note: At this point, the witness broke down sobbing and muttering incoherently. The only distinguishable words were "All those scraps of taco shells...just lying everywhere! Oh L ord....")

Playlist Spirituality

2009-04-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

This is an opportunity to name 36 songs that remind you of your values, your religious ideas, or other aspects about the way you find meaning in the world. In other words, this is Playlist Spirituality. Copy the list below and paste in your own document or the comments below and fill in the titles and artists for songs that remind you of each category. Don't worry about whether the title communicates why you chose the song. The important thing is whether the song is personally meaningful to you. Comments about why you chose the song are optional and welcome.

This 36-question version is a long survey that's just for fun. As discussed in class, the take-home activity for Coming of Age is much shorter. For CoA, pick six songs that communicate your spirituality. The songs can be in any style. They don't even have to have words. The songs should remind you of some of the questions we discuss in CoA: What happens after we die? What does it mean to live an ethical life? Why do people gather in community? What is holy or sacred? If you send Becky (click here to email) your 6-song playlist before May 6, we will try our very best to put all the songs chosen by the youth on mix CDs, which we will listen to on the car ride to the retreat on May 15.

Enjoy the survey!

Spiritual Theme Song

When I think about spirituality, the first song that comes to mind

Songs About Humanity

Something in my past that had a big impact on me

A turning point in my life

An important ethical topic

Great things about being human

Not-so-great things about being human

Songs related to God

Something that's holy or divine to me

Feeling at home in the universe

10.

Something that bothers me about the idea of God

11.

Figuring out what I believe

12.

Songs About Loss

Pain

13.

Loss

14.

Death

15.

Songs that help me cope with loss, death, and pain

16.

17.

18.

19.

Songs About Community

Earth Community

20.

Belonging in a group of people

21.

22.

Church or religious community

23.

Family (either the family I choose or the family I didn't get to choose)

24.

Songs Approaching the Meaning of Life

The kind of person I aspire to be

25.

My talents and gifts

26.

27.

Something I want to practice

28.

Things that give life meaning

29.

30.

Anything Else?

Songs describing my spirituality that I haven't already mentioned

Meet the Minister, April 22

2009-04-17T10:05:00.000-07:00

Next week, April 22, we are inviting all of the youth to join us for a session with Rev. David Carl Olson, the candidate for settled ministry at First U Baltimore. Please be on time. You may wish to come on April 22 with questions in mind. These might be questions you've always wanted to ask a UU minister, or questions to get to know Rev. David better. Suggestions from youth included, "Why did you decide to become a UU minister," and "Where do you get inspiration for your sermons?" Rev. David is interested in many of the same things that the youth are interested in, such as: theater, singing, social justice, living and working in the city, and building community.

Here are some links to learn more about Rev. David:
Rev. David's blog: http://coffeecabinet.blogspot.com/
The congregation Rev. David currently serves: http://www.uuflint.org/
Rev. David's home page: http://davidcarlolson.com/

**All youth, whether they are in COA or not, are invited to the session on April 22.**

There will be other events during the week to meet Rev. David. For a list of all open events, click here. The Religious Education community is also invited to a special event: a potluck bbq at Idalee DiGregorio's house. For more information on this event, click here.

Coming of Age recap from Apr. 15

2009-04-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

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.

Unitarian Universalist Videos

2009-04-15T09:29:00.000-07:00

There are several cool UU videos online. In "How To Save the Planet," a purple alien explains that Earthlings can't join the intergalactic community until we follow the Seven Principles:

Other Unitarian Universalist videos include:

"Voices of a Liberal Faith" is a 10-minute video also available on DVD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wezp1W2HKlU

"Is God Keeping You From Going to Church" is a 30-second commercial that played in the San Francisco Bay Area:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_24X8YmNldk&feature=related

"You're a Uni-What?" gently counteracts misperceptions about Unitarian Universalism: ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st5Pv3lsG60

"Unitarian Universalism - Open Source Faith" by Rev. Christine Robinson explains Unitarian Universalism in terms of technology metaphors as a way of introducing her web-based church project: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p03xPbSSSBU

And, closer to home, this one by our own Glenn Ricci: "Why I Am a Unitarian Universalist" was created with interviews from First U Baltimore folks.
Part one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15R3EFI3BJU
Part two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz-m4By4yHo

Do you know of a video not mentioned here? Let us know in the comments section below!

Enjoy!

Speaking of History...

2009-03-30T13:19:00.001-07:00

Moving forward with hope is often difficult. There are obstacles and tragedies. Again, origin stories can inspire wonder to get us going again. Stories from turning points in our Unitarian Universalist faith serve this purpose very well. One that comes to mind is from the Revolutionary period of the United States. It is a story about one of the pioneers of American Universalism, John Murray.

From a history-focused sermon by our own Rev. Lyn Cox, delivered at the UUs of Fallston congregation, Sunday March 29. To read the whole sermon, click here.

Community Service Project: EcoFest

2009-03-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

Last night the youth selected the community service project they will be doing on April 18. Following a number of criteria, the youth chose to work with Baltimore Green Works' EcoFest, a day-long event at Druid Hill park to kick off Baltimore's Green Week.

EcoFest will feature vendors and exhibitors of eco-friendly merchandise and services around the region, live music and opportunities for learning.

Participants (youth and mentors) will need to arrive at Druid Hill park by 7:30 am. As volunteers with the festival, the youth and mentors will help set up for the event, which will be open from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Lunch for all EcoFest volunteers will be provided by Chipotle.

Families should pick their youth up at noon (at a location in Druid Hill Park to be determined). Families are welcome and encouraged to stay to enjoy the festival!

Stay tuned for more detailed information as the date approaches, but in the meantime, be sure to save the date for this event! More information about EcoFest will be available on their website soon: (http://baltimoregreenworks.com/site/events/ecofestival/)

Collage Assignment for March 25

2009-03-17T07:48:00.000-07:00

The assignment for March 25's Coming of Age class focused on Unitarian Universalist history is for each youth to create a visual collage of UU people and values. The finished artwork should include one or more pictures of famous UUs and a few artistically-rendered words describing values that the artist shares with UUs of the past.

For photos of famous UUs, see this link:http://www.uua.org/slideshows/59695.shtml

Or download the PDF of famous UU photos that Lyn has prepared here

For descriptions of famous UUs, see here: http://www.famousuus.com

Youth may be able to make more sense out of this project if they review the history pages on the UUA website about Unitarianism (http://uua.org/visitors/ourhistory/6903.shtml), Universalism (http://uua.org/visitors/ourhistory/6904.shtml) and Unitarian Universalism (http://uua.org/visitors/ourhistory/6186.shtml.)

Please remember to bring artwork on Wednesday, March 25. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Lyn or Becky.

Unitarian Universalist History

2009-02-19T05:27:00.000-08:00

For next week, Feb. 25, Coming of Age Youth have been asked to choose a famous UU and research one interesting thing about them to bring back to the group. (To download the handout, click "UU History Handout" in the column to the right.)

From the handout:

Unitarian Universalism is a faith that brings people together for a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. We are united by an ethical framework, common goals, and a shared religious heritage.

Within the range of justice, equity, and compassion, Unitarian Universalist theologies cover a diverse landscape. Congregations do not ask members to adhere to a single statement of belief. We emphasize “deeds, not creeds.” Unitarian, Universalist, and Unitarian Universalist ancestors help us to describe the kind of deeds we’re talking about when we delve into the spirit of our faith movement.

On the other hand, the “Famous People” approach to UU history might give the impression that UUism is a loose collection of individuals. Not true! UUism affirms and promotes the interdependent web of existence. We need each other in community, and we maintain awareness of how each affects all. Famous UU’s are only the beginning. Enjoy learning about UU heritage, and take pride in being part of the living tradition.

Choose one to research:

Here is a brief list of Unitarians, Universalists, and Unitarian Universalists. If you find a famous UU not on this list whose life you would rather research, go for it! Bring one interesting fact about your chosen person, as well as their approximate birth and death dates, to Coming of Age on February 25.

Arts & Literature

Louisa May Alcott • P.T. Barnum • Béla Bartók • Ray Bradbury • Ralph Waldo Emerson • Margaret Fuller • Sylvia Plath • Malvina Reynolds • Christopher Reeve • Henry David Thoreau • Frank Lloyd Wright

Science & Medicine

Tim Berners-Lee • Elizabeth Blackwell • Laurel Salton Clark • Lewis Latimer • Maria Mitchell • Joseph Priestley • Benjamin Rush • Michael Servetus

Social Reform

Susan B. Anthony • Olympia Brown • Dorothea Dix • Vashti McCollum • James Reeb • Adlai Stevenson • Whitney Young, Jr.

Here are a few websites that may be useful for researching:

• Unitarian Universalist Association (http://uua.org/visitors/ourhistory/index.shtml)

• Famous UUs (http://famousuus.com)

• Harvard Square Library (http://www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/unitarians)

• UUA Bookstore (http://www.uuabookstore.org)

• UU Seminaries:

-Starr King (http://www.sksm.edu/research/uu_history.php)

-Meadville Lombard (http://www.meadville.edu/LL_JournalLR.htm)

CoA Retreat and more

2009-02-16T19:16:00.000-08:00

Our Coming of Age Youth enjoyed their first retreat, and the star of the weekend was undoubtably the low ropes course at Harford Glen. Thanks to everyone for making this event possible! Contributions of money, food, time and driving assistance were all invaluable.

As February wraps up we are finalizing mentor relationships and looking forward to a busy March. In the meantime, don't forget our Parents' Circle meeting Wed., Feb. 25.

Another upcoming date you'll want to be sure to keep free is Saturday, April 18, which will be a day of community service on a project that the youth will choose.

Be sure to check the blog if you have any questions about the schedule or the program, or contact Becky directly here.

Parent Circle First Meeting, postponed until Feb. 4

2009-01-25T05:17:00.001-08:00

Our first Parents' Circle meeting, originally scheduled for Jan. 28, will be postponed due to inclement weather.

Please join us on Wednesday, Feb. 4 instead. We will meet in the Peace Chapel from 6:00 to 7:30. All parents and guardians of Coming of Age youth are welcome! I hope to see you there!

Wilderness Retreat

2009-01-09T15:18:00.001-08:00

In May, the Coming of Age youth will be traveling to Edinburg, Virginia for their final retreat together. This Wilderness Journey Retreat will offer the youth the opportunity to deepen their experience of coming of age while having fun with peers and exploring their own faith. Mark your calendars now to save the weekend of May 15-17 for this event. Cars will load up Friday evening and return Sunday evening. Special thanks to Laura's family for loaning their house for our program!

Expectations for our Coming of Age program

2009-01-02T21:14:00.000-08:00

We expect the Coming of Age program to be enriching for all, including youth, parents, mentors, and leaders.

We expect YOUTH to gain
• A sense of themselves as individuals on their own and as part of the church community
• The ability to take on increased responsibility for themselves and as part of their families, the church, and society
• An appreciation for the theological diversity among Unitarian Universalists, including their own place in that spectrum
• Skills for articulating their beliefs and morals
• Assurance of their unconditional acceptance at First Unitarian Church of Baltimore
• Increased confidence and maturity in group process and group decision making
• Knowledge about UU history and values
• Experience with fun and challenging activities

We expect PARENTS (especially those who participate in the parent circle) to gain
• Perspective on their relationship with their youth and
• A new understanding of their youth as a person
• Opportunity for reflection about themselves as parents
• Appreciation for the positive contributions they have made so far as parents
• A sense of connection with others who are parenting youth emerging from childhood

We expect MENTORS to gain
• Intergenerational connections
• New energy for their own faith journey
• An opportunity to reflect on their own values
• Affirmation for their important role in the church community
• Wisdom about their deepening UU identity
• Experience with fun and challenging activities

We expect ADULT LEADERS to gain
• Intergenerational connections
• Growth in our own faith
• Joy as we witness youth forming friendships and developing as people
• Experience with fun and challenging activities