Religious Education Update: February 15, 2009
Coming of Age
Two weeks ago I spent part of my weekend at the Mount Diablo UU Church in Walnut Creek feeding 35 hungry teenagers and 10 adults, and attempting to sleep on the concrete floor of the sanctuary. Four of our teens were there; Amy West, Bailey Boatsman, Lizzie Gardner and Sophia Smith. Our UUP youth arrived excited about being on retreat, and happy to be with their new UU friends from other churches. They came loaded down with sleeping bags and layers of clothing, but smiling and laughing.
Our youth spent much of Saturday on the streets of the Tenderloin in San Francisco, observing and chatting with people who live there. The kids had been told that they weren’t really homeless, as all had homes, and they always had the option of returning to the San Francisco UU church, the base camp for the street retreat. Also, they knew they would be safe, as UU adults “shadowed” the small groups of teens as they walked around the area.
Our youth ate in one of the Tenderloin soup kitchens, and heard life stories of the homeless. Afterwards, all the retreat youth gathered at the San Francisco church where they shared their experiences with the other teens and with community UU ministers, who could answer the teens’ questions about homelessness and other social justice issues.
Our youth have now completed two retreats: the physical challenges of a ropes course and the social justice aspects of the street retreat. In April, they will go on a campout and vision quest, in which they will consider their own spiritual journeys. In May, they will create a worship service for the congregation and share with us, what they’ve learned and what they believe. The youth- Amy, Bailey, Lizzie, and Sophia- have been wonderful ambassadors for UUP. I have been so pleased to have so many adults at these retreats tell me that we have such terrific youth in Petaluma. I knew that, of course, but now lots of UU adults have had the privilege of meeting our kids!
Marlene Abel
Director of Religious Education
Two weeks ago I spent part of my weekend at the Mount Diablo UU Church in Walnut Creek feeding 35 hungry teenagers and 10 adults, and attempting to sleep on the concrete floor of the sanctuary. Four of our teens were there; Amy West, Bailey Boatsman, Lizzie Gardner and Sophia Smith. Our UUP youth arrived excited about being on retreat, and happy to be with their new UU friends from other churches. They came loaded down with sleeping bags and layers of clothing, but smiling and laughing.
Our youth spent much of Saturday on the streets of the Tenderloin in San Francisco, observing and chatting with people who live there. The kids had been told that they weren’t really homeless, as all had homes, and they always had the option of returning to the San Francisco UU church, the base camp for the street retreat. Also, they knew they would be safe, as UU adults “shadowed” the small groups of teens as they walked around the area.
Our youth ate in one of the Tenderloin soup kitchens, and heard life stories of the homeless. Afterwards, all the retreat youth gathered at the San Francisco church where they shared their experiences with the other teens and with community UU ministers, who could answer the teens’ questions about homelessness and other social justice issues.
Our youth have now completed two retreats: the physical challenges of a ropes course and the social justice aspects of the street retreat. In April, they will go on a campout and vision quest, in which they will consider their own spiritual journeys. In May, they will create a worship service for the congregation and share with us, what they’ve learned and what they believe. The youth- Amy, Bailey, Lizzie, and Sophia- have been wonderful ambassadors for UUP. I have been so pleased to have so many adults at these retreats tell me that we have such terrific youth in Petaluma. I knew that, of course, but now lots of UU adults have had the privilege of meeting our kids!
Marlene Abel
Director of Religious Education
posted by Unitarian Universalists of Petaluma @ 8:01 PM
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