Leaving on a jet plane...

I leave on Sunday for my Reality Ministry with Youth course being taught during the Jr./Sr. High Camp at Camp de Benneville Pines in California. Eeeek! I am so excited! For the past several weeks I have closed my eyes at night thinking about youth ministry and I have opened them in the morning thinking about youth ministry. I am so happy and inspired just from the books I have read - I truly think I may explode with inspiration after a week immersed in UU youth culture, talking with UU youth and my fellow M.Div. students about creating vibrant sustainable youth ministries!

I felt my call to professional UU ministry over 15 years ago as a counselor at Camp Anytown, a residential camp for high school students that explored issues of justice and equality. It is very fitting that my first course as a student pursuing my Master of Divinity degree is a Youth Ministry course.

I am so looking forward to the journey I am blessed to be going on next week and I look forward to returning and continuing that journey with you.   

I will be away from Sunday, July 17 - Sunday, July 24. The RE Committee will be leading RE in my absence. Please see Rev. Sara or RE Committee Chair Sasha Drelles if you need assistance.

Mark Your Calendars:

Sunday, July 31 - Chalice Fire Day! We will celebrate fire and talk about safety during RE!

Sunday, August 7 - RE Volunteer Info Party in the Gazebo! Come find out more about being an RE volunteer.

Sunday, August 14 - Youth Ministry Worship. I am preaching on how we can all work together to create super fabulous authentic youth ministry at UU Tampa.

Friday, August 26 - Sunday, August 28 Youth Advisor Training in Gainesville

Sunday, August 28 - RE Teacher Orientation 12:30 - 3:00 Food & Childcare Provided

Today's Independence Day Celebration

Today was a wonderful day. The parade into the sanctuary playing Julia Ward Howe's "Battle Hymn on the Republic" on kazoos was a grand success! 24 children and 4 adults surprised the congregation with an impromtu parade through the balcony and down to the front of the sanctuary. I spoke to the congregation about the courageous life of one of my Unitarian heros, Julia Ward Howe, who worked to end slavery, strengthen the women's movement and create international peace. I also spoke about the two confirmed Unitarian signers of the Declaration of Independence, John Adams and Benjamin Rush.

Before our parade we held a children's chapel and talked about what freedom means to us and about how fabulous it is that we are free to practice our super awesome religion, Unitarian Universalism.  We acknowledged the many mommies and daddies, brothers and sisters, and sons and daughters that have worked so hard to create freedom for us and other people around the world.

The children played a game where they made an animal sound and had to find the partner that was making the same animal sound. Boy! Was that one noisy game! But afterwards (after a little encouragement) they settled down and each introduced their partner, their friend, to the group.  It was quite a fun, community building moment.

We decided we had kept the children waiting long enough and released them onto the playground for frisbee, ball, bubbles, cupcakes, juice, and watermelon. It was a joyous time of happy UU community thriving.

Thanks Sasha, Peggy, and Rhonda for pitching in!

Happy 4th of July Y'all!