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I wrote this as part of my report on Youth & Family Ministries at the 2024 Annual Meeting. My intention was to share it so that our larger congregation could get a sense of what really goes on at these retreat events the teens attend. Bullet points and lists don’t really convey the life-changing, important work that is being done in our Youth & Family Ministries program. I hope this gives a sense of just what these young people experience and what they create in this special community.

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This is about YOU, but it can start long before the high school camps. It begins on a Sunday morning in the classroom, continues at Kids Camp, and into Unitreat where our middle schoolers start to explore what it means to be in community. By the time they get to YOU, our youth are creating the space themselves. Our youth regional representatives set the stage for these experiences on the regional level, and our youth Indies set the stage on an international level – writing the themes and lessons, presenting and facilitating the large workshops. The great news is that no matter what age a student begins, the commitment to this authentic way of being is so inspiring, it’s life-changing whether you’ve been part of it your whole life or just a few days.

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It is such an honor to be part of Youth & Family Ministries and to witness the transformations taking place in these young people. Thank you, Unity in Lynnwood, for helping create and continue the work we are doing here. You make a difference.

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Stacie Baley (she/her/hers)

Director, Youth & Family Ministries

YOU - A Space of Authenticity and Connection

Imagine a space where as soon as you walk in, you just feel relaxed, you can take a deep breath, let it out, and know that you are in a safe space where you get to be unapologetically, authentically you. You can speak about anything. You are free to experience any emotion – every emotion – all at once if you want - and no one will judge you for it. You can laugh, cry, sit in silence. You can talk about your fears, your joys, sorrows, your accomplishments, your failures, your worries and no one will judge you for it. Sounds good right? Sounds like my meditation corner, actually.

 

Now imagine this space, the one where you walk in, take your deep breath, and start getting real with yourself, is in a room with 10-20 of your peers. They are sitting right there with you, listening to you - celebrating you for just being who you are, reminding you in your hard moments that you are loved, and celebrating your successes with you. They remind you that all this is because you are this amazing person that is deserving of all good things, deserving of love, always.

 

Now picture this same scenario at a retreat with 75 people - listening, loving you and supporting you for everything that you are, just as you are. That is YOU. That is what these young people get to do. And they take all this with them and get to go out and do these things for themselves, on their own. They get to give it out to the people around them, here at Unity and in the greater community. What we do here is big. It’s a world I want to live in. It’s a world that this amazingly awesome idea we call Unity in Lynnwood is creating.

 

Your youth program is not just about the present; who’s here on a Sunday or if these youth stay here after graduation. It’s about creating a brighter, more connected, and compassionate future. The skills, values, and experiences gained here has a lasting impact on the participants and the broader community. That’s a world you are helping us create. That’s a world I want to be a part of.

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