So we've got a new, streamlined structure for the YAC, (drawing 3 representatives from each cluster plus a chaplain and chair from anywhere to form a district team) and a new model to involve neighboring congregations in con planning. The success of this new team and new con planning model depends on having confident, qualified and visionary people to fill the roles. When I look around me at cons I see an amazing amount of potential in both youth and adults to keep the community aligned with it's mission: "to connect people to the spirit of Unitarian Universalism through radical hospitality, youth empowerment, consciousness raising, and social change" and to guide us towards our goals: 1) to buid multigenerational relationships 2) to create spirtual homes for youth at cons and in our congregations 3) to create immersion experiences that make life long UUs. The district is committed to providing ways for future leaders to learn and practice the skills needed for them to fulfill their potential.The following are events leaders can look forward to:

Chaplaincy Training - May 4-5 in Denver

Counselor Training for QUUest - July Dates TBD in CO Springs

Spirit Commitee How To's - March Dates TBD in Salt Lake City

Cluster Kick-Offs (Multigenerational community building and leadership development) - Fall of 2012

I will get to the second article about the way YRUUers want to improve con planning, but I just can't resist talking about QUUest!

Last year, campers wrote letters to themselves and gave me the addressed envelopes to mail to them in 6 months. Well, it's been 6 months so I pulled out the box andd mailed the letters. In that box, I also found a handful of postcards I'd asked them to write to send our supporters to let them know that this camp is important.

I was shocked to tears to read over the incredibly heartfelt gratitude, and to realize just HOW important this camp is to this district. I just have to share: (Even though many were signed, I ommitted the names since I haven't asked permission to share online).

I learned about Unitarian Universalism. We also went deeper into our spiritualities and grew as people. I loved it. It also helped with leadership. QUUest is fantastic. We make friends for life!

QUUest was the best thing that I could have experienced at this time in my life. I eliminated my self doubt, and so much more. From the bottom of my heart, thank you

This camp helped me make friends and find my inner spirituality and Thank You!!!!

I really came out of my shell at QUUest because of all the awesome welcoming people.

As a camper at QUUest Camp, I’ve realized some very important lessons and have really changed as a person, it was great!

QUUest is the most important camp ever. WE LOVE QUUEST! It teaches us how to love.

Before coming to QUUest I was an Atheist, and after Jenny Finn’s workshop I started believing in god.

Ooooh my goodness. My life was completely impacted by QUUest Camp this week. My faith in humanity has increased tenfold. I learned so much about UUism and religion and spirituality.

This was easily one of the better experiences of my life. I have gained so much spiritual knowledge that I will keep with me the rest of my life.

QUUest has changed my life! Next year I will be going to college and I did not know if I could make it on my own QUUest is great.

Thank you! This camp means the world to me. You are wonderful.

One thing I take with me is the acceptance and I feel honored to be part of this group.

This camp has been so inspirational and eye-opening. It has shown me a side of myself I had no idea even existed.

This camp has helped me grow spiritually so much! We appreciate your supporting it very much! Thank you!

Spiritual sanctuary has been found and maintained.

QUUest has been one of the most amazing, life changing experiences of my life. It gave me a true connection to myself, the world and to the wonderful people I met. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

The first time I have felt like a good human for weeks! LOVE

BEST WEEK OF MY LIFE!

(smile)

You should see the glazed look that sweeps over some DREs and Youth Advisors faces when I approach them to ask if their congregation wants to run a con. Sometimes they get overwhelmed with excitement and possibility, sometimes they freeze while mentally calculating how they’ll possibly fit this into their schedule. It’s a BIG commitment! There are a lot of logistical details to care for. No matter if your congregation is full of con veterans or has never hosted a con before, it can be quite a daunting task.

A well run con appears as if it’s not “run” at all, but an organic, magic, seamless, creative event. You could go an entire weekend without thinking about how much hard work went into planning a con, and in fact, many youth and adults do. That’s why, at Youth Assembly/Annual Meeting in October, 2011 in Colorado Springs, many participants in the business meeting were shocked to hear that First Universalist Church of Denver felt overwhelmed at the prospect of hosting Bridging Con this April.

Admittedly, I was nervous going into that business meeting. First Universalist had proposed the idea of doing Bridging Con in clusters instead of district wide and the feedback I’d sought a few weeks before the meeting led me to believe I might be stepping into pretty hot water when I walked into the conference room to facilitate. However, I was humbly inspired by the intelligence, empathy and creative problem solving I witnessed that day. It was unanimously decided that bridging in clusters would not meet the needs of our youth. However, the group came up with a great alternative that incorporates the spirit of strengthening our clusters (the redesigning of our YAC team goes hand in hand with this).

District cons will be hosted by one church but the majority of the planning will be done by supporting congregations within the cluster. Each supporting congregation may take on aspects of planning, such as worships, workshops or food coordinating.

The First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City, who is hosting the Western Cluster Retreat at the end of March, has fully implemented this model already. Each attending congregation will be presenting a video on the con’s theme, They are also partnering with neighboring congregation, South Valley Unitarian Universalist Society, for a community service project.

Foothills Unitarian Church of Fort Collins succeeded at an excellent experiment with food coordination at the Northern Cluster Retreat. For lunch, they asked congregants to bring in a large pot of soup, bread or salad for a community potluck and invited congregants to stay and eat with us. This was a great way to get the congregation involved in youth ministry and, had more people stayed to eat, we could have really showed them how awesome cons are. For dinner, Sue Sullivan, a Foothills congregant, facilitated a workshop on ethical eating. She even brought her friendly chickens in for show and tell! The workshop participants cooked pizza from scratch for everyone for dinner.

Creatively involving neighboring congregations in con planning is but one way YRUUers want to enhance con planning. In following posts I’ll tell you about increasing youth leadership trainings, ways to clear the communication channels and exercising our commitment to giving back by doing a stewardship project for the host church.