They’re everywhere! July 18, 2011

A couple weeks ago I was at the South Central YOU Bi-Regional rally. It was held on a college campus and one of my tasks as a Head Sponsor was to work with the housing folks on anything that came up.

One of the people I worked with, let’s call her Sara, had helped our group for the last couple years and had picked up some of what we are about over that time. On the second day there I was waiting with Sara and a YOU sponsor for someone, and the sponsor mentioned how she had noticed that every year she came back to campus it was more and more ‘green’. Turns out Sara is a part of the committee that has pushed forward the green initiative and she spoke with assured confidence about what a difference each step was making.

Later in the week Sara and I got to chatting more about what Unity is about and her own experiences with religion and her leaning towards Unity-like beliefs. Talking with Sara was an inspiration to me, because she was standing there living proof that there are young adults on campuses that are ripe for Unity and that they might just need the nudge of someone to meet with.

Later in the week I spoke with the YOUers who graduated at that event. I told them to get involved and do the things they had passion around. Maybe it’s being a part of the green team, leading a meditation circle, or hiking group. Maybe it’s creating a  discussion group or hosting spiritual movie night.

What would it be that would not only spiritually feed themselves but attract like-minded folks such as Sara?

How often have we heard someone say ‘I was thinking Unity long before I found Unity.’ Do we really have to wait for these folks to find us? I think not.

For those of you who are students on a campus, what could you do to create a spiritual community? For the churches how could you reach out to the campus community in ways that are relevant and engaging (and accessible to those without vehicles)?

There are lots of Sara’s out there just waiting for you.

Peace and zeal,

Rachel

Multi-Generational June 2, 2011

What I do, my passion, is to advocate for and support young adults. I see this as a pretty broad area, sometimes supporting the teenagers is a part of it, and creating alternative services that appeal to many ages is a part of it. In my post a couple weeks ago I talked about validation and everyone EVERYONE having something of value to share.

And I mean it.

So, I want to talk about the ‘maturing’ generations. (gasp!)

Here at the Unity Worldwide Ministries home office we have really gotten into talking about multi-generational ministry instead of kids, teen, young adult or senior ministry. I just read an article on volunteering and the growing 55+ population. It was interesting because when I read it, if it hadn’t had the age references it wouldn’t be much different than something I might say in this blog. Things like:

a desire for meaningful service

coming together in community

resourceful and knowledgeable

I know I’m always talking about ways to reach out and support the young adults in our communities,  I am completely committed to that cause. In addition, I believe that to be a truly thriving community it takes all ages being engaged, supported, and challenged.

Our seniors have so much to offer (and I’m not calling 55+ seniors, that’s just the language the article used). There is a lady who is in her 90’s who volunteers almost every day here at the home office. She keeps everyone in line and gets a whole lot things done, but she isn’t just blessing us with person-power. She has the assurance of faith that comes from someone who has been around for 9 decades. She’s already seen it all. She is the calm in the sometimes chaos that knows that this too will pass and everything will be alright.

And then, when the copier misbehaves, I help her figure it out. Because we all have our own perspective and talents and it is a blessing. I think that, especially those over early 70’s, are another important ‘missing’ generation from our communities, and that there is much potential for support and growth in this area.

My homiletics teacher told us we should always end a talk with a call to action, and I don’t really have anything specific to call you to today, except for this reminder to look to ALL generations for the blessings and talents of each person.

Truly, truly, we are strongest when we have all of us.

namaste

Technology May 26, 2011

Technology. It’s changing faster than anyone can keep up with. A recent Barna survey got me thinking, how do we as spiritual communities stay connected with people as the way they live, work and play changes?

The survey was about how teenagers and their parents use technology. The gap between technology use isn’t very big to begin with but it is even smaller when the parents are in their 30’s and early 40’s.

I know for me, if something is posted on facebook or twitter I’m pretty likely to notice it. Something posted on the church website, probably not. I know I am not atypical for the X and Y generations in the fact that I check my facebook feed on my mobile phone all day and right before I go to bed.

This is such a great tool to keep your community connected. If you have anything going on mid-week a reminder post the day before brings it to the forefront of people’s minds. The good news is that if you post one thing a day, most people are not going to get tired of you and disengage as they might with frequent emails. Some communities are posting short videos teasing for the Sunday service, or reminding them to bring donations for a service project. The possibilities are endless.

We have already created the social media habit, now it’s time to use it in a way that can connect and enrich your community! I want to hear from you, how are you using social media, and how is it effecting your community?

Millennials and Priorities May 18, 2011

“52% of Millennials say being a good parent is one of the most important things in their life”

This was a twitter post I saw today from Pew Research. As you might imagine that got my attention.

Thirty percent of Millennials (those 18-29 in 2010) list having a successful marriage as an important thing. There is an interesting shift from the same age group surveyed in 1997. Thirty five percent of Gen Xers (18-29 in 1997) said having a successful marriage was one of the most important things, while being a good parent was a priority for 42%.

While the percentage of births to unwed mothers rose from Xers to Millennials (39% to 51%), the rate of parenthood lowered in young adults (in 1998 41% of women 18-29 had ever had children, in 2010 it was 36%)

While a majority of young adults still want to have children and/or get married, there is a significant portion that isn’t sure. If you go check out the research you will see the numbers are trending towards marriage being less important and more diversity in what families look like.

Are you saying “Ok sure, this is all very interesting but what does it mean?!” yet?

Well if we are in the business of creating spiritual communities where all ages belong, then it’s time to look at some basic assumptions.

If 30% of Millennials who aren’t already married don’t want to or aren’t sure if they want to get married, what does this mean for how you approach small groups, social events and addressing mail? Some young adults are happily single and others are in committed relationships that don’t involve legalities such as marriage, and of course there are still plenty who can’t have a legal marriage just yet. It’s something to think about, is the language and culture of our community inclusive of these folks?

Back to the parenthood conversation. Being a good parent is increasingly important to the generation coming up and many moms are unwed. Now what the statistics don’t tell us is how many of those moms are in a committed relationship with the father (or the other mother for that matter). Still, for a young adult with a child whether there is a partner or not, it’s a big deal to get away and attend a weeknight class or event at the church. Are you offering and advertising the availability of qualified childcare for your events? Are new families in your community getting the info they need to feel comfortable leaving the children for an hour on Sunday? Are you open to finding flexible ways for people who want to serve to do so that is in integrity with their other life commitments?

There are always more questions, keep asking and stay open.

Rachel

My stats are from these two Pew Research articles, both using the same research data.

http://pewsocialtrends.org/2011/03/09/for-millennials-parenthood-trumps-marriage/

http://pewresearch.org/databank/dailynumber/?NumberID=1237

Validation May 10, 2011

Sometimes I get a little riled up. I hear people say things like ‘oh the young people have to have a wilderness experience’ or ‘you need to have some life experience before you become a minister’ or ‘young people don’t care about spirituality, they just care about success/technology’ or ‘Young people are unreliable.’ When I hear these kinds of words I have to remind myself to breathe and keep my mouth shut and breathe some more.I recently had an exchange with someone where I realized that the part about the situation that got me out of sorts didn’t have as much to do with the situation as with the blatant assumption that I fit into a predetermined category. That was it, really, invalidation. Who I was and my unique talents and passions had no value, only the box I was assumed to fit in. Ooohhh boy, and that sure didn’t feel good.

I’m guessing that most of you can find a sliver of familiarity with this feeling. A couple days later I got to contemplating young adult ministry and our role in Unity. I realized that this invalidation is one of the buttons that is pushed when I hear the statements I shared above.

There are a whole lot of statistics I could throw out now, such as 20% of Americans are 20-34, or that Charles was in his 30’s and Myrtle in her 40’s when they started Unity, or that most of the Unity ministers who are rock stars now started in their 20’s and 30’s, or that in my observation a third to a half of NGUers were not a part of Unity as kids but found Unity as 20somethings. Ok, so I did tell you all those facts, but the point is, that really they are decoration beyond the real point. Which is:

Everyone is valid.

Everyone has their own unique talents and passions and they are of value. I spend a lot of time in my NGU advocate role speaking to the abundance of assumptions and how they are, like most assumptions, are stories rooted in fact with a whole lot of made up leaves pasted on. Which is why I have learned to breathe when I hear these things. Because, really, while there may be an example for each statement above I have an equally compelling story that proves just the opposite. But it doesn’t matter, or at least it shouldn’t, because in enlightened leadership each person gets to contribute in the ways they feel passionate about.

In more traditional churches I’ve heard talk about gifts and talents. I’ve read great inspirational material about placing people where they are called. I agree. When we try to make Suzie fit where Diane should be, not only are we not giving the community the best it could have, we are telling Suzie and Diane that their presence as a warm body is more important than who they are.

No one wants to feel like they are just a warm body filling a spot. It is a one-way ticket to wanting to be somewhere else.

Each person wants to be and deserves to be judged on their own merit. It is as ridiculous for me to say ‘all men in their mid-60’s look like Santa because my Dad does’ as it is to say ‘all 20somethings are more interested in attaining things over spirituality.’  Maybe this young adult is a technological wiz who can revamp your website, or maybe they want to bring vegan snacks to hospitality. The possibilities are endless if you allow them.

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”~Howard Thurman

Our Unity centers need people who have come alive. So next time ANYONE walks through your doors, young adult or otherwise, I invite you to try this assumption: this person is a wonderful talented and passionate person and they have something important to share with this community.

Oh the places you’ll go.

With joy,
Rachel

This short movie is beautiful.

The Next Generation of SEE May 4, 2011

“Wanna have your mind blown? Take SEE classes.” ~Zeb Walter after two weeks of SEE classes at Unity Village

For a couple years now there has been a conversation about having a SEE week created for NGUers. We asked: What if classes were taught toward multiple learning styles in a highly interactive format? What if there were evening social activities planned? What if the cultural context of the classes was that of young adults? What if many of the instructors were the young ministers of Unity?

This summer, for the first time, we are planning a SEE week that will be all this and more.

Spiritual Education and Enrichment (SEE) is about an individual’s spiritual development. For some it is a stepping stone to becoming a licensed Unity teacher or Minister. For others is it about deepening the understanding, awareness and practice of spiritual principles.

NGUers have been participating in SEE classes online, in their local churches and at Unity Village for as long as they have been offered. It has been a wonderful experience too. NGUer Christopher Czarnecki writes this about interacting with his classmates in an online class “Hearing their ideas, getting their encouragement, and engaging in discussion that will further the Unity Movement have all lead to a deeper fulfillment and the empowerment of living life from our own level of Christ Consciousness.”

“Ultimately it was during that week of SEE, that I honestly felt myself become the Christ. An experience like that stays with you and anchors you into the Unity movement in a way that nothing else can.” ~Betsy LeBard

I personally had some amazing experiences taking SEE classes and can’t wait to co-teach with the amazing Rev. Robin Reiter and sit in classes from a dynamic passionate cast of instructors. My hardest decision is which classes to attend! I hope that we have many people come from all over to be a part of co-creating not only the Next Generation of SEE, but of Unity.

“The experience of being at Unity Village is unlike any other, and the feeling it gives you ignites the fire that burns the intention to go forth toward your own spiritual calling!” ~Christopher Czarnecki

What does this mean for you? If you are an NGUer this means that you can have a great week at Unity Village with your peers. For ministers and leaders it means deepening the consciousness of your community.

Who do you know that would love this event? Is it you? Claim your intention, and it will be. There are groups forming to carpool and fundraise, to join them, visit the link below.

For more information visit Next Generation SEE

I hope to see you there!

Rachel

PS, If this sounds like a great time to you we want you there (even if you’re a young adult with ‘experience’)

PPS Visit Unity Online Radio to hear myself and SEE dean Rev. Paul Hasselbeck on Village Events and Voices discussing this week with some instructors and NGU consultants. (April 18th)

The Art of Asking March 24, 2011

The art of asking

In September I was on Rev. Jamie Sanders Unity Online Radio show, Spirituality Today. He asked me how to get young folks engaged in church, classes and the Unity movement. I said simply, “ask them.” We went on to talk about what a simple and obvious but overlooked method this is. It doesn’t say in the Bible stand on the stoop and someone will let you in, it says knock and the door will be answered.

People want to be wanted, they want to belong. So ask them. Personally invite the young adults and teens in your community to be a part of SEE classes, ask them what would be an alternative service that they could bring their friends to. Ask them if there is a way they would like to be involved in the community.

It’s so easy, yet so overlooked. The power of invitation is a thousand times more provocative than an announcement in the bulletin. And for the NGU readers of this blog, the asking goes both ways, if there is something you are interested in doing at your church, ask. If there is a class you would like offered, Ask.

We are all a part of this community and together we make it the best it can possibly be. How do we come together? We ask others to join us.

I’m asking you to join me in sharing Unity with the world.

Namaste

PS, you can hear my whole interview with Jamie episode Sept 8, 2010 third section

Research and trends February 14, 2011

Every now and then I get an email from Barna research; they are a company that looks into trends in spirituality and Christianity. The most recent one, about if a business identified itself as Christian influenced buying habits, got me thinking. Now as a general disclaimer, I am not an expert at understanding statistics, but here’s what I got out of it.

In general, half of the US population says it makes no difference to them if a company has Christian business practices. More interesting to me is that while 27% of the overall population said they were ‘a lot more likely’ to buy from a business with Christian principles, only 13% of mosaics (ages 18-26), and 23% of busters (27-45) agreed.

In another study, Barna says that 31% of twentysomethings and 42%of thirtysomethings attend church on a typical Sunday. Before you go there, you should know these numbers aren’t just because of college, only 22% of those 25-29 attended church regularly. Still, 75% had prayed in the past week.

One more interesting thing from the survey is that only 4% of young adults are serving as lay leaders in their church even though young adults are more likely than more mature generations to consider themselves leaders. They also are hungry from more training to become leaders, but are more interested in hands-on and mentorship opportunities than classes.

In still another Barna study, we find that while 7% of the boomer generation has been on a service trip, the number for young adults is 12%. Also, 10% young adults say that they plan to go on a service trip in the next three years while for boomers it’s only 3%.

If you have made it this far, first, thank you, second, what does all this mean? I’m sure there are many conclusions that could be drawn, but what I notice is that young adults want to contribute in meaningful ways such as leadership and service, and that these might not look the same as they did for the generations before. Being Christian (or church related) isn’t necessarily a deterrent, but it isn’t much of a draw either. Rather, showing up as a community that cares about the world and the people in it, valuing young adults for their leadership and perspective and creating meaningful service opportunities are more likely to get the younger generations engaged.

One more thought: the language we have been learning about for the Unity branding is in alignment with my above ideas. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of a community that ‘Provides practical teachings to help people live healthy, prosperous and meaningful lives?’

If you are a Unity leader, I encourage you to ask the young people in your congregation what is compelling to you and how can your passions support our community. If you are a young adult I encourage you to get involved in a way that calls to you. If there is something you want to learn about or be involved in, ask!

what ‘Has To’ Happen February 4, 2011

People ask me all the time what ‘has to’ happen in a group. Are there officers? Who should do what? I believe in a much more organic model of leadership. Assuming that a NGU group is going to be led and governed by the members of the group and that those member are busy people, I have a few tips and ideas.

Follow the interests of the group. If there is someone excited about community service, or creating lessons or social activities and the group wants to be a part of it, go for it. Every group is made of individuals and that means each group will have its own personality. Build on the strengths and the group has much better chance of success.

It’s lonely to lead alone. The responsibility to plan, schedule, and communicate everything for the group can be wearing for one person. If possible share responsibilities. Since everyone is busy if everyone helps out where they are willing/able then not only is there a greater sense of community ownership, leaders are less likely to get burnt out.

As for what ‘has to’ happen… my response is, for the most part whatever the group wants to have happen. There are two things I think are essential and someone needs to step up to do. Communicate with the NGU group and communicate with the church. While it is probably pretty obvious why these things are important, I’ll make a few points just in case.

Someone needs to be the person who has the master list to email/facebook/text the members and keep them updated about what’s going on and if there is a change in schedule. Someone needs to be the point person to communicate with the church to coordinate use of space, announcements and communicate with the spiritual leader or designee about how the group is doing. These can be the same person or a team, but they have to stay in contact with each other to ensure information is getting to the right people.

You can do it folks! It’s all about listening and working together. I believe in you.  Go and be fabulous!

Alternative services the easy way January 19, 2011

Today is Wednesday, which of course means that tomorrow is Thursday. Thursday has become my favorite day of the week. Why? Simple, it’s the day I get to attend church twice, in different ways.

I have spoken often about the potential of alternative services. While they can be an elaborate production requiring many hours of planning and prep, they can also be simple and powerful. I have nothing against elaborate productions, if you have the time, personnel and money to pull if off, more power to you. Most of the folks I hear from however are looking for easy and inexpensive along with meaningful and community building.

But back to Thursdays. At 11am at Unity Village we have a service called ‘Sacred Circle’ it is about community, music and meditation. (you can read all about in the link I shared in my last post) On Thursday evenings I have created with a friend what we are calling the ‘Thursday Night Experience.’ Every week you can show up at 7PM and there is something going on. Twice a month we have a meditation circle, the second week we have an alternative service, and the fourth week is a wild card that we fill with drum circles, open mics, and the like. None of these take much prep time, advertisement has been mainly through word of mouth, announcements during Sunday service, and facebook events and invitations. Our attendance has been growing rapidly and while we are creating a midweek sacred time for our congregation, we are also having regular attendance from folks who are not a part of our Sunday morning crowd. Some but not all are younger adults, some are interested in spirituality but not very interested in church.

I share this because I think it’s a good story of two dedicated people creating another way to serve and participate in their community. All it took was the ability to update our section of the church website, inclusion in the announcements, facebook and friends to spread the word. Might this work in your community? I don’t know, but it’s working for us and our congregation size is often under 50.

I am interested to hear if you have had similar experiences and what has worked for you. Also, if you would like to know more about exactly we’re up too, I am here to serve! Rachel@unity.org

Happy almost Thursday!

Rachel