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 will engage in Teen News Network and Popcorn Theology as a framework for discussing how we live out UU principles in the world. During Teen News Network, youth will discuss current events relevant to teens, and during Popcorn Theology, movies will be the spark for conversation.

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 2009 SERVICE QUEST

Youth have chosen to participate in a service quest to Washington D.C. in July 2009. Participants will stay at the Pilgrimage, an educational and service learning center and hostel in the nation’s capital. Youth will complete a program titled “Church in the City”. During the week, youth will engage in hands-on service projects such as cooking for a homeless shelter. In addition they will synthesize their experiences through a poetry workshop, journaling, and interactive workshops. You may refer to the Pilgrimage website for more information: www.thepilgrimage.org.

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