Events

Schedule for 2012 Young Adult Ministry Conference

9:00 – 9:30 Registration & Breakfast (Included)

9:30 – 9:45 Welcome, introduction and video – Rev. Nathan Woodliff-Stanley JUC

9:45 – 9:50 Chalice Lighting, Laura Newman, JUC

10:00 – 11:15 Workshops (Choose one):

Campus Ministry: Kayla Parker, UUA
Immigration: Dr. Miguel de la Torre, Iliff School of Theology
What Young Adults Want From a Congregation, plus video discussion: Laura Newman
and Rev. Woodliff-Stanley
Using Technology to Reach Young Adults: Mary Camacho, JUC

11:30 – 12:00 Keynote: Why Young Adult Ministry? Kayla Parker

12:00 – 12:45 Lunch (Included), Small table discussions

MDDYA interface
Campus Ministry
Social Justice

12:45 – 2:00 Workshops (Choose one):

Creating Worship: Rev. Jeannie Shero, First Universalist
YA Groups that work: Richard Robledo, PRISM and Emily Conger, Boulder Valley UU
Justice GA and Immigration Action: Kierstin Homblette, Social Justice Intern, First Unitarian/MDD and Ian Jaffre, First Universalist
UUA resources and Anchor Congregation: Jill Armstrong and Martin Garnar, JUC

2:15 – 3:30 Workshops (Choose one):

Small Group Ministry: Rev. Jeannie Shero
Owl for YA: Ian Jaffre and Michael Massaro, Boulder UU
Social Justice: LGBTQ: Kierstin Homblette
The Bridging Process: Kayla Parker

3:40 – 4:00 Closing Mini-Abundance Service

There is still time to register! See this page for details.

Posted Friday, 27 January 2012 15:13 Written by Jess Cullinan

Young Adult Ministry Conference 2012

Please join us for a special event!

Saturday February 4th, 2012
9am - 4pm
Jefferson Unitarian Church
14350 W. 32nd Ave. Golden, CO 80401
303-279-5282

For Young Adults and all those interested in developing and/or expanding young adult or campus ministry

Featuring Kayla Parker from the UUA and workshops including campus ministry, Justice GA, Bridging, YA groups that work, what YAs want in a congregation, and more.

See this page for the preliminary schedule!

Breakfast and lunch included

Optional open mic night and overnight in the church Friday night

Young Adults $15, Adults $20, and childcare available for $10/child.

Registration is now closed for this event.

Contact Laura Newman with questions: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; 720-447-0542

If you have already registered and would like to pay via Paypal, please use the form below. A Paypal account is NOT required to use this service. To add additional registrations or childcare to your payment, simply return to this page and enter the appropriate information below, and click "Add to Cart" again.

Registration

Young Adult $15.00 USD Adult $20.00 USD Childcare $10.00 USD

Name of Registrant

Posted Friday, 06 January 2012 13:16 Written by Jess Cullinan

Program Information for Building Beloved Community: The Resilient Power of Stories

Preparations are well underway, and you can register online now for this year's Building Beloved Community event, "The Resilient Power of Stories!"

This year’s MDD Beloved Community program builds on past year’s Justice Ministries offerings with continued attention to adaptive leadership. Adaptive or transformational leadership requires understanding a group’s culture and assessing which aspects of it facilitate social change and which might be barriers. Our time together this year will focus on the meaning and purpose of justice ministry in religious community with attention to stories: How do we frame our own stories? How do we frame the stories of our community? How does the sharing of stories help us learn about one another and connect to the past so that together, we can move forward in the present?

To help guide our journey together, we’ll be joined by Unitarian Universalist minister, Jan Christian and Scholar-activist James Tracy.

An unexpected email, decades after her brother’s death in Vietnam, connected the Rev. Jan Christian to others still haunted by that day and their journey together revealed that going back can change the way we go forward. Rev. Christian chronicles this journey in her book, Leave No Brother Behind: A Sister's Memoir. She brings years of experience in a restoring justice - making model and will help us explore the power of stories to bring healing in our own lives, in our congregations and in the community.

James Tracy,  a social justice organizer in the San Francisco Bay Area, and co-author of Hillbilly Nationalists, Urban Race Rebels, and Black Power, spent ten years capturing the stories of cross race/cross class coalitions that pooled their resources to build a vibrant and radical movement for racial and economic justice. Whether our 2012 Phoenix GA, justice ministries in congregations, the budding Occupy movement, or today's immigrant rights coalitions, exploring these untold stories helps us understand that we don't have the luxury to walk separately anymore.

In addition to gaining new insights and leadership skills, one of the many benefits of participating in Building Beloved Community is co-creation of a joyful, learning community where people at all levels of development are working together on something they really care about. In order for us to create a dynamic community and deepen the experience for everyone, we request that you commit to the entire event starting Friday evening and closing with Sunday morning worship. Sending leadership team from your congregation strengthens internal capacity offering mutual support for bringing new understandings and resources home to your congregation.

Congregational Teams: Leadership teams representative of congregational life are strongly encouraged and will be the primary container for sharing individual stories, engaging presenters, and interacting with the larger group. You can register an unlimited number of teams (Board, Youth Ministry, Committees, etc) at the reduced team rate. Travel subsidies for congregations traveling the greatest distance are available to MDD Fair Share congregations on a first come basis. Send request to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Note: Minors must be accompanied by an adult with signed permission from parent or guardian.

Parents! During the conference we are offering a Peacemaking Workshop for Children ages 5 – 12. Please make a workshop reservation by January 10 noting the names and age of your children on the registration form. Upon request, childcare is available for children 4 and under at the rate of $20/per child. Please bring snacks; lunch provided. Contact Eleanor VanDeusen, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Kristin Famula, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , for Peacemaking workshop details or to request childcare.

See this page for registration and lodging information, and we'll see YOU in Denver!

Posted Friday, 02 December 2011 14:16 Written by Deborah Holder

Announcing the 2012 Building Beloved Community Event

This year's Building Beloved Community Event is titled The Resilient Power of Stories and will be held January 20-22, 2012 in Denver, CO.

Registration is now closed.

Stories – personal and communal, inspirational and mundane – shape our lives, inform our identities, and transform our spirits. Stories are the substance of covenantal community. Stories express our values, give us vision, and empower us to live with integrity as we live into our highest ideals.

The act of sharing stories, both in telling and in listening, grows our imaginations and creates new possibilities. All social change is the telling and re-telling of stories. You are one story away from having your life changed, or changing the life of another.

Learn about the power of your stories to connect, to transform, and to create just and resilient communities – to create beloved community.

Send a team from your congregation and receive discounted registration!

Tentative Schedule:

• Friday, January 20th, 1-5 PM: Program for religious professionals
• Friday, January 20th, 5-7 PM: Registration & dinner
• Friday, January 20th, 7-9 PM: Interactive keynote address (open to all)
• Saturday, January 21st, 9-5 PM: Public program
• Sunday, January 22nd, 9:15AM and 11AM: Shared worship

Featured Presenters:

Rev. Jan Christian:  Leave No Brother Behind: A Sister’s Memoir
James Tracy & Amy Sonnie: Hillbilly Nationalists, Urban Race Rebels, and Black Power

For program information click here. Also, download these PDF files and watch this site for updates!

• 2012 Beloved Community Flyer
• 2012 Beloved Community Program Info
• 2012 Beloved Community Registration Form

If you alre already registered and would like to pay for your registration online with Paypal, use this link (a Paypal account is not required to use this service):

Registration Levels

Congregational Team (4 members) $250.00 USD Additional Team members $62.50 USD Individual Registration $75.00 USD Ministry Student $35.00 USD Children's Workshop $20.00 USD

Name on Registration

To add additional registrations, click "Continue Shopping" once you have been redirected to the Paypal website, and you will return to this page.

Registration and Fees: All fees must be received by the January 15th registration deadline. We cannot accommodate walk-ins. Registration is now closed.

Your registration fee covers all meals, program and materials. Meals included are Friday dinner and Saturday lunch. A vegetarian option is available. If you have other dietary restrictions, please bring what you need. The Fairfield Inn provides a hearty breakfast for guests.

Cancellation Policy: Registration fees are non-refundable after January 15, 2012, event cancellation notwithstanding. Should weather conditions in Denver force cancellation or event delays, a voice message will be posted on the district phone (303) 756-1378. Refund requests due to personal emergency will be addressed after all event expenses are paid.

Accessibility: The main floor of the First Universalist Church of Denver is fully accessible, the site of all activity. If you have special needs, please let us know how to accommodate these on the registration form. There’s plenty of parking and the church is on a major city bus line.

Lodging: Please make your reservation directly with the hotel by Jan 10, 2012 to receive discounted rate. The Fairfield Inn & Suites Cherry Creek, 1680 South Colorado Blvd., Denver, CO 80222. Reservations: 1-800-690-9799 or direct with hotel at 303-691-2223.

A discounted rate of $/64 night per room (plus 14.85% local tax) has been secured with the hotel and includes a warm hearty breakfast, free internet, and complimentary parking. Mention “MDD” in order to secure the conference rate. If you get snagged, ask to speak with Emily Boring. The hotel is on a major bus line, a five-minute ride to First Universalist Denver located on the corner of S. Colorado and Hampden.

Ground/Air Transportation: All events take place at the First Universalist Church of Denver, 4101 East Hampden Avenue, Denver, CO 80222 located at the intersection with South Colorado Blvd. Shuttle transportation is available through Super Shuttle, reservations recommended: 800-258-3826.. For driving directions to the church, visit their website, www.firstuniversalist.org. Please be sure to schedule an afternoon departure so you can attend Sunday morning worship.

Posted Wednesday, 16 November 2011 14:13 Written by Jess Cullinan

Workshop Schedule for Annual Meeting 2011

Sessions on Saturday, October 8, 2011. Please click here for full information and registration for the Annual Conference.

Workshop descriptions can be found here.

9:00 – 10:15: Workshop session 1

• Creative Engagement & Revelation – Wendy Mike
• Social Media – Meg Riley
• Gathered Here – Sue Parilla & Sue Gonzales
• Community Ministry – Jude LaFollette, Nathan Mesnikoff, Deb Hunter
• The Spiritual Disciplines of Liberal Religion – Mike Morran
• Compassionate Communication for Families – Ellen & Barry Johnson-Fay

10:45 – 12:00: Workshop session 2

• Creative Engagement & Revelation – Wendy Mike
• Theme-Based Ministry – Kirk Loadman-Copeland & Jeannie Shero ( 2 rooms)
• Small Group Ministry & Social Change – Deborah Holder
• Bridging the Generations – Gia Henery & YAC
• Lord of the Dance – Roger Butts

12:00 – 1:30: Lunch

1:30 – 2:45: Workshop session 3

• Creative Engagement & Revelation – Wendy Mike
• Mission Manifesto – Katie Covey
• Gathered Here (repeats) – Sue Parilla & Sue Gonzales
• Standing on the Side of Love – Jann Halloran, Kiersten Homblette & Allies
• Hilaria: Improv Theatre – Kevin Landis
• In Harmony – Joe Uvegas Sing-Along

Posted Wednesday, 07 September 2011 13:22 Written by Jess Cullinan