The End of the Year
It is hard to imagine focusing on anything other than spring with the weather finally getting
warmer, the flowers beginning to bloom, and the sun shining for longer and longer each day. For many, spring signifies renewal, new beginnings, and new light. As someone who has perpetually been on the academic calendar, however, spring means something quite different—the end of the year. I’m speaking not only of myself (I apparently enjoyed school so much that I haven’t left yet), but also of our amazing MLUC Youth, to whom I have had the privilege of getting to know over the past two years. In school, the end of the year is a time of excitement and sometimes a bit of apprehension. Students write final papers, take final exams, worry about their grades, look for jobs, get excited about the approaching summer break, plan trips, and wonder about what will come next year. In the Youth Ministry program, we are also approaching the end of our program year and with that comes a similar range of excitement, apprehension, and nostalgia.
Over the last program year (i.e., since September), four amazing youth have taken part in the Coming of Age program. Coming of Age is a rite of passage in UU churches in which youth take part in a year of learning and self-exploration and are then celebrated as having completed the usual program of religious education. As a Youth Group, we spent the year discussing topics such as UU beliefs and identity, justice, and service. The Coming of Age students worked individually with mentors from the congregation in addition to these activities.
This Sunday, with the support of the other members of the Youth Group, these folks will present to the congregation what they have learned and what they believe. The rest of the service will also be entirely youth-led, with hymns, stories, and readings all selected by the youth themselves. I am thrilled to be a part of this exciting service. Come out this Sunday to learn a little bit about what we’ve been up to and to celebrate the end of the year with the MLUC Youth!
warmer, the flowers beginning to bloom, and the sun shining for longer and longer each day. For many, spring signifies renewal, new beginnings, and new light. As someone who has perpetually been on the academic calendar, however, spring means something quite different—the end of the year. I’m speaking not only of myself (I apparently enjoyed school so much that I haven’t left yet), but also of our amazing MLUC Youth, to whom I have had the privilege of getting to know over the past two years. In school, the end of the year is a time of excitement and sometimes a bit of apprehension. Students write final papers, take final exams, worry about their grades, look for jobs, get excited about the approaching summer break, plan trips, and wonder about what will come next year. In the Youth Ministry program, we are also approaching the end of our program year and with that comes a similar range of excitement, apprehension, and nostalgia.
Over the last program year (i.e., since September), four amazing youth have taken part in the Coming of Age program. Coming of Age is a rite of passage in UU churches in which youth take part in a year of learning and self-exploration and are then celebrated as having completed the usual program of religious education. As a Youth Group, we spent the year discussing topics such as UU beliefs and identity, justice, and service. The Coming of Age students worked individually with mentors from the congregation in addition to these activities.
This Sunday, with the support of the other members of the Youth Group, these folks will present to the congregation what they have learned and what they believe. The rest of the service will also be entirely youth-led, with hymns, stories, and readings all selected by the youth themselves. I am thrilled to be a part of this exciting service. Come out this Sunday to learn a little bit about what we’ve been up to and to celebrate the end of the year with the MLUC Youth!
Posted in Chronicles from the Youth Coordinator