UU Teens & Youth Group Religious Education

Welcome to Olympia Brown Religious Education for our UU Teens and Youth Group! We are thrilled to join you and your family on your UU journey.

Beginning in 2010, youth registration forms must be signed by parent/guardians before a child can participate in UU Teens and Youth Group. This means bringing friends to either group will change in the fall; any friends attending must also have a registration form signed by a parent/guardian before they can participate.

Youth Programming

OBUUC Youth Ministry follows a nine-month-long curricular calendar that introduces important religious topics through story, discussion, crafts, and other activities.

Notice to Parents/Guardians Youth registration forms must be signed by parent/guardian before a child can participate in UU Teens and Youth Group. This change includes bringing friends to either group; any friends attending must also have a registration form signed by a parent/guardian before they can participate.

Sunday morning Middle School Learning group - UU Teens: 11 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. (The group begins at church and walks with advisors to the Annex after the "Story for All Ages." Youth are dismissed from the annex and return to church on their own.) Annex lower level - 419 Sixth Street.

High School Youth Group: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Sunday evenings in the Annex lower level - 419 Sixth Street.

UU "Teens" (UUTs): Grades 6 - 8 (formerly YRUU Juniors)
This younger youth group for sixth, seventh and eighth graders is concurrent with the Sunday morning 11 a.m. service. Together they forge friendships, develop a sense of themselves as Unitarian Universalists, envision contributions to the larger community, and provide a safe and supportive space for one another as they reflect on their personal values and spiritual journeys, and enjoy events, social service projects, and overall good times.

Youth Group: Grades 9 - 12 (formerly YRUU Seniors)
The Youth Group's goal within our religious community is to:
- Provide a bridge between childhood and adulthood
- Facilitate discovery and appreciation of personal gifts and talents, a joy of living and a belief in life's potential in a setting which accepts diversity and exploration
- Identify what participants, as adults, will need from a church and why they would choose to be a part of one.

This group runs with the assistance and support of several adult advisors. Youth Group activities come in all shapes and sizes -- discussions, social service activities, "movies with a message," weekend retreats and social outings. Youth Group plans and presents Youth Sunday, an annual All Church Sunday with a theme of significance to the young people themselves. All activities involve adult advisors.

What's Happening? Newsletter is the monthly newsletter that is mailed to parents and teens to keep in touch. The current newsletter is also available by clicking on the link to the left.

Youth Group Calendar Click on the link at the left to see the dates and times of meetings, outings, overnights, Youth Cons, Life Cycle Trainings, and Affirmation Lessons.

Teaching Team Aides Often teens gain as much from guiding others as they would from enrolling in the Religious Education Program themselves. It is possible for kids participating in UU Teens to help children in the Children's Program 1 or 2 Sunday mornings a month during the 11:00 service. Teens attending Youth Group on Sunday evenings can also help younger children in the Sunday morning Children's Programs during both services. Teen aides must be in grade seven or above and will participate in teacher training sessions. Interested teens should contact Leann Pomaville.

UU Teens & Youth Group Curriculum Click on the Curriculum link at the left for complete information on the variety of topics in the program for our youth.

Contact Youth Program Coordinator, Leann Pomaville. youth@obuuc.org