CMwD YAN Mission Statement
The Central Midwest District Young Adult Network is a group of young adults ages 18-35 working to build community and to foster growth of the Unitarian Universalist Young Adult movement in the Central Midwest District. We seek to cultivate and integrate the presence and experience of young adults into UU congregations. We affirm and promote the principles of Unitarian Universalism and are an intentionally welcoming, anti-oppressive and growing community.
Coming to you from the middle of the USA, Radius - From the Inside Out will feature Young Adult leaders sharing their experiences in leadership roles - from congregational board member to congregational staff to UUA Trustee.
We will take time to learn some basic leadership skills, ways to apply them in your own work, explore misappropriation of Native American culture, and have ample time to share our own experiences and grow our spirituality and community. RADIUS SCHEDULE!
The Professional Young Adult Campus Ministry Training is all set for October 9-12 in New Jersey! You can see the lovely leaves turning on the trees!
-Do you want to revitalize your ministry to young adults?
-Did you know about the UUA Office of Young Adult Ministries?
-Do you seek to network with other professionals engaged in young adult ministry
If you are paid to minister to young adults in congregations or on campus or at the local and/or district level, you are invited to come share your best practices, network with colleagues and gain more knowledge about current trends and needs within the community. Even if this isn't your full-time work, but you still feel compelled to share and develop this ministry in the work you do, please come join us.
Invite and recruit YACM professionals that we might not know about--as well as any other paid leaders who have been invested in this work as part of their portfolio and personal commitment.
2008 was a powerful General Assembly of the UUA for youth and for Young Adult ministry in general. The one and only business resolution on the floor of plenary, co-written by Victoria Mitchell, Youth Representative from Eliot Chapel, and Kimberlee Tomczak, Youth and Young Adult Coordinator for the Central Midwest dealt directly with our commitment to youth and young adult ministries at every level of our association. This resolution passed unanimously at the CMWD District Annual Assembly.
After a lively debate that included statements from Denny Davidoff, the Reverend Daniel O’Connell, CYF delegate Jonathan Craig and the whole of the youth and young adult steering committees, the resolution passed overwhelmingly, affirming our congregations’ support of ministry to these two essential populations.
But more important perhaps than even the passing of the business resolution was the opportunity that its passing provided to create and debate responsive resolutions about how the UUA and its member congregations put the spirit of the resolution into practice.
The first responsive resolution reads as follows:
RESPONSIVE RESOLUTION: Youth and Young Adult Empowerment Resolution Accountability
WHEREAS the Moderator in her report referenced the “Youth and Young Adult Empowerment Resolution” Business Resolution passed by the 2008 General Assembly on Friday, June 27, 2008, which “…urges the Unitarian Universalist Association, its congregations and district structures to:
1. Invite ministerial support to youth and young adults through inclusive worship and intentional presence; and
2. Invest financial support in youth and young adult leadership bodies and programs when viable; and
3. Provide support for youth and young adult staff and volunteers to receive suitable training and resources, including self-directed anti-racism and anti-oppression trainings; and
4. Attend to the needs of youth and young adult constituents with marginalized identities by providing resources and opportunities within the congregation and at the district and associational levels.”
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the 2008 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association:
• requests each member congregation; each district; the UUA Administration including specifically the Offices of Youth Ministry and Young Adult Ministries, and Youth Ministry Working Group; the UUA Board of Trustees; the Nominating Committee; the Ministerial Fellowship Committee; and the General Assembly Planning Committee to report back annually for the next three years (2009, 2010, 2011) on their planning, implementation, results and recommendations on each point 1-4 in the above-referenced “Youth and Young Adult Empowerment Resolution”;
• invites the participation of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association and other professional associations; and
• requests the UUA Administration create a reporting mechanism for all these stakeholders, inform them accordingly, collect their reports and present a consolidated report to the General Assembly plenary in each of the next three years.
The second responsive resolution reads as follows:
RESPONSIVE RESOLUTION: Youth and Young Adult Consultation on Ministry
WHEREAS the Consultation on Ministry To and With Youth has presented a positive report with regard to the future of youth ministry throughout the Association, and
WHEREAS the 2008 General Assembly has expressed its support for youth and young adult ministry through passage of the “Youth and Young Adult Empowerment Resolution” Business Resolution;
And WHEREAS using grassroots, bottom-up processes involving stakeholders, accountability and collaborative consultations such as future search, open space, and / or appreciative inquiry, a consultative process could engage the Association on young adult ministries led by young adults and their allies,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the 2008 General Assembly endorses and voices its support for the continued work of the Consultation on Ministry To and With Youth, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the 2008 General Assembly encourages the Unitarian Universalist Association to consider engaging a Consultation with regard to Young Adult Ministries.
At the closing ceremonies, both UUA President Rev. Bill Sinkford and UUA Moderator Gini Courter spoke about young adult ministry as a priority for the UUA as set forth by this General Assembly. The CYF and young adult ministry was on everyone's lips as they left Ft. Lauderdale and we have yet again affirmed our importance to the larger UU movement.
