Our Ministry:
Religious Growth and Learning for Children & Youth

HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH PROGRAMMING

All youth, ages 14-18 or grades 9-12, are welcome to join the Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU) at our church. Following is the mission statement, written on August 24, 2007.

“We, the opened-minded youth of UCH, are a welcoming group that strives to learn, explore, have fun and grow into our UU faith.
“ We are spiritually grounded individuals who cherish the positive difference we make in the world.”

SUNDAY MORNING MEETINGS

High school youth meet together during the 11:00 am service. Youth and advisors meet in the Thoreau Room, attend opening rituals together in the sanctuary, and then return to the Thoreau Room.

YOUTH GROUP MEETINGS

At least once a month YRUU gets together outside of Sunday morning meetings. Activities cover the six aspects of a healthy UU youth group, and include events such as the following. (See http://www25.uua.org/YRUU/ for more information about YRUU on the district and national level)

Fun: Hershey Park; Overnights; Haunted hayride; Game nights; Dance Dance Revolution tournaments; Picnic and swimming at the lake.

Worship: Bonfire building for the church winter solstice service; Serving as lay leaders in the Day of the Dead service; Youth-led participatory worship at overnights; Planning and leading the Youth Sunday worship for the whole congregation.

Social Action: Scrubbing and organizing for the homeless shelter; Fundraisers for Katrina victims and youth on the Navajo Reservation; Silent Witnesses at the Pride Parade; Work day at the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.

Leadership: Acting as members of the Youth-Adult Committee (YAC) which works to meet the needs and wants of all youth; Serving on church-wide committees such as the Oliver LaGrone Scholarship Selection Committee; Reporting on church-wide events in The REPORTER; Organizing food and games for youth events.

Learning: Lessons of Loss – a program that deals with issues of grief and loss; Seinfeld – finding UU traits in the main characters; UUville – a role-playing game in a fictional UU world; Our Whole Lives sexuality curriculum; Words to Live By – a credo-writing process.

Intergenerational activities: Preparing soup for the all-church tree-trimming party; Making music in the church choir and orchestra; Attendance at intergenerational Sunday morning services; Participation in church and denominational activities and ministries.

HS Youth Photos

SUMMER 2008 SERVICE QUEST

Youth have chosen to participate in a service quest to the Navajo Reservation in June 2008. Participants will be a part of the Tour de Rez during which they will experience the magical beauty of the Four Corners region of the Navajo Reservation (including Monument Valley, Navajo Mountain, etc.), a physical and spiritual journey of personal discovery, a multicultural exchange with youth of a different culture, and participation in a hands-on service project. You may refer to the Tour de Rez website for more information: www.navajoyes.org.

For further information about programming for high school youth, please contact youth advisor, Wendy Shaver @ rgladvisor@harrisburguu.org. or 795-9013.