Dear Campus Ministry Folks,
      Here are my notes from the various events that I attended at
ConCentric 2002.  Report to LREDA is soon to follow.

Take care,
Steve

=======================================
Notes from ConCentric Plenary Session I (10 August 2002)

** During the introduction of CUUYAN Steering Committee, I heard mention of
a "Transitional Age Range Task Force."  This may be a group that the Campus
Ministry Advisory Committee would want to network with.  Their focus
demographic is ages 18-25.  Background info on the Transitional Age Range
Task Force can be found online at:

CUUYAN Resolution
http://www.uua.org/ya-cm/business/2001-2002/resolutions/g.html

and also at:

YRUU Resolution
http://www.uua.org/YRUU/governance/ycresolutionarchive/yc00.htm#009
 

** Brief ConCentric History Overview
-- ConCentric started in 1999 (Opus was business meeting for CUUYAN prior to
1999).

-- CUUYAN business archives are online (currently 1998 through 2001 are
online):

C*UUYAN Business and Governance Archive
http://www.uua.org/ya-cm/business/

-- Prior ConCentric Business Discussion
  -- UUA-CUUYAN Relationship, see the following web pages for additional
info and discussion on this topic:
http://www.uua.org/ya-cm/business/2001-2002/resolutions/c.html,
http://www.uua.org/ya-cm/business/archives/1999resolutions.html

  -- Sexual Behavior Task Force
(http://www.uua.org/ya-cm/business/2001-2002/resolutions/d.html and
http://www.uua.org/ya-cm/business/archives/1999resolutions.html)

  -- Affiliation with LINC (Linked Identities in Networked Coalition), a
coalition of CUUYAN, DRUUMM, Interweave, UUWF, and YRUU.  For more info, see
the following web pages:
http://www.uua.org/ya-cm/business/2000-2001/resolutions.html and
http://www.geocities.com/uulinc/index.html

  -- YA/CM Conference Accessibility Issues

  -- "YA Prophets" Curriculum
(http://www.uua.org/ya-cm/business/2000-2001/resolutions.html)

  -- Formal Consensus Governance, proposed for use at ConCentric 2001.  See
the following web page for additional info:
http://www.uua.org/ya-cm/business/2001-2002/process.html and
http://www.uua.org/ya-cm/business/ocac/index.html
 

** Major questions concerning CUUYAN business at ConCentric (revisioning the
business of ConCentric)

-- "What is important for the business of ConCentric?"

-- How can we improve accountability-accessibility at the local, district,
and continental levels?

-- How do we balance continental structure/governance with congregational
and district support?

-- Strategic planning?

-- Accountability to YA communities?

-- How do we make it relevant?

-- How do we do "Mind the Gap" followup?

-- How do we promote institutional advancement?

-- What is the role of "membership" in CUUYAN?

-- What are the role of allies (CUUYAN supporters)?

-- What guidelines do we want for ConCentric?

-- What do we want to create?

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Multi-faith Campus Groups (First ConCentric Workshop, 10 August 2002)

** How to start a campus ministry group?

-- Go to church (look for allies)

-- Talk to minister(s), DRE, etc

-- Act like you have a group (even if you only have just one member)

-- Use "ConnectUU" online web database

-- Make web site for group (.edu or free commercial hosting, very low cost)

-- UUA YA/CM Office has database of YA folks -- use it

-- Offer "Radical Rush" as an alternative to Greek Rush

-- "Convert by actions, not words"

-- Creative use of chalking and flyers

-- Use campus ministry posters from UUA YA/CM Office

-- Watch "Simpsons" TV show as fun closing activity

-- Network with liberal Christians, liberal Jews, and other like-minded
faith groups

-- Look at UU grants to help with funding

-- Make it fun

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Notes from ConCentric Plenary Session II (10 August 2002)

** Kathryn McIntyre (UUA Board of Trustees liaison to CUUYAN) -- commented
on what UU "membership" means to congregations and CUUYAN, and how
membership issues affect CUUYAN's relationship with the UUA.  She mentioned
that there are several questions in the UUA Commission on Appraisal's report
on membership that CUUYAN should explore.  The CoA report ("Belonging: The
Meaning of Membership") can be found online at:

http://www.uua.org/coa/reports_issued.html
 

** CUUYAN Strategic Planning Committee report -- their report contains
several suggestions that apply to campus ministry efforts.  Here's what I
picked up in the report as being useful for campus ministry.

-- Worship Resources Development (archive of worship resources online
already established, bridger meditation manual currently being worked on)

-- Spirituality Development Conferences for YA/CM (help develop strong
worship leadership in CUUYAN communities, including campus settings,
modeling program on existing YRUU SDC)

-- Influencing Seminary Curricula to include YA/CM mission for all
ministerial students

-- Mentoring Program (facilitating new youth and new UU transitions into
CUUYAN, fostering/developing new leadership at local, district, continental
levels)

-- Establish 1 YA and 1 CM rep in each district with equalization funding
for ConCentric

-- Design and offer YA/CM Renaissance Module within current Renaissance
Module program

-- Campus Ad Campaign (increase visibility at colleges/universities, retain
YRUUers, identify new UUs)

-- BGILT YA Conferences (create opportunities for bisexual, gay, intersex,
lesbian, and transgender YAs within the greater YA world ... BGILT college
students may find these conferences as a "natural" entry point into UUism)

-- Regional Campus Ministry Trainings (leadership and development,
networking, etc on the regional multi-district level)

-- YAs joining churches (YAs becoming members of churches and actively
representing YA perspectives, examine existing barriers to membership,
workshops on how congregations work, etc)

-- Sliding Scale Fees for UU Events (increase financial accessibility for
YAs, especially for college students)

-- Regional YA gatherings (fostering multi-district YA spiritual community)

-- Prison ministry through campus ministry to address inequity, racism, etc
and create active local relationships and networked advocacy

-- Big Left Progressive Interfaith Conferences (networking with progressive
religious young adults, including UCC, Disciples of Christ, NCC, Quakers,
liberal Muslims, Reform Jews, etc)

-- Regional Organizing Consultants (7 multi-district consultants to work on
YA/CM issues)

-- CLF intern with YA/CM responsibilities (good idea for college and other
transitional YAs)

** Inputs from community about how race caucusing was scheduled at
ConCentric (race identity group caucusing is designed to explore anti-racism
and other anti-oppression issues)

-- race group caucusing was short-changed by schedule changes and attitudes
towards activity

-- 1 1/2 hour race group caucusing block shortened to 1/2 hour due to
schedule changes

-- roughly 20-25% of white ConCentric members participated, 100% of people
of color members participated

-- due to both time crunch and attitudes towards this activity, anti-racism
work was shortchanged

-- race group caucusing was replaced by a different community-wide
anti-racism/anti-oppression activity involving a guest speaker for us
(Jyaphia Christos-Rodgers, First UU Church, New Orleans LA)

=======================================
Campus Ministry Worship (Second ConCentric Workshop, 11 August 2002)
** Use of opening reading for worship and meetings.

** Watching "Simpsons" as a "holy moment."

** In addition to serving students, campuses can also serve non-students in
community (e.g. recently graduated, "self-graduated," campus employees, etc)

** Challenges to worship
-- Small group (turns into social hour/discussion

-- Unease with creating worship

-- Differences in UU experience (new UU, YRUU vet, long time UU but
little/no YRUU experience, etc)

-- Seekers in group

-- Unrealistic goals

** Goals
-- Create sense of sacred space

-- Discover what worship means

-- Communions (e.g. water communion, Lego communion, flower communion, love
feast, etc)

-- Creating a meaningful place to reflect on change

** "Sharing the floor" and "sharing the time" are recurring problems (just
like "joys and concerns" and "announcements" in other UU church settings).

** Tips for Healthy Leadership
-- Ask why you are doing campus ministry?

-- What is your purpose?

-- Finding support for campus ministry leaders (minister/religious
educator/etc), Note:  this is something that should be taken to LREDA.

** Find alternatives to "sitting in a circle talking worship"

** Balance "new and novel" with "comfort and familiarity"

** Suggestion to Justin Schroeder and Arlo Lyle (All Souls Tulsa YA/CM
folks) to do a YA/CM workshop at OKC rally (lead-in for ageing out folks)

=======================================
MFC and the Process to Become a Minister (Third ConCentric Workshop, 11
August 2002)

** Abbey Tennis mentioned some of the milestones/requirements for becoming a
UU minister

-- Reading list, revised in 2002
(http://www.uua.org/ministry/preparation/reading2002.html)

-- approximate five page essay on theology

-- short autobiography

-- statements of competence ("Human Development/Family Life Education" has
been recently expanded to include an explicit mention of youth and young
adult programming ... thanks, Abbey!)

-- letters of recommendation (including MRE/DRE and minister if applicable)

-- MFC questioning process (sample questions available online at
http://www.uua.org/aspire/mfc.htm and also at
http://www.uua.org/ministry/mfc/samplequestions.pdf ... they look pretty
damn hard to the layperson)

** A new "credentialing department" is coming soon to work with persons
preparing for careers in religious education.  The older UUA Department of
Ministry is morphing into the "Department of Ministry and Professional
Leadership" (see http://www.uua.org/ministry/ and
http://www.uua.org/lreda/content/standards.html for additional info on the
now evolving professional standards).

** Both youth and young adult issues were potentially unaddressed by the MFC
process ... now youth and young adult issues have to be explicitly addressed
during the fellowship process by the candidate.

** MFC Reading list is being updated to include youth/YA-CM readings as well

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Notes from ConCentric Plenary Session I (11 August 2002)

** How do we hold CUUYAN accountable to marginalized groups?

-- Include reps from marginalized groups to be process observers

-- Look at anti-oppression in the broadest sense

-- Substantial anti-racism/anti-oppression training and programming at
CUUYAN events

-- People of Color caucus and White caucus facilitators will receive
training prior to future ConCentrics

** Note to CMAC -- Look at issues of CUUYAN accountability to campus groups
and bring possible problems/proposed solutions to ConCentric 2003.

=======================================
Suggested input for LREDA from Michael Tino -- Look at providing a "How to
be a religious professional without going to seminary" workshop for future
ConCentrics (this may encourage YA folks to look at non-ordained religious
professional careers)

=======================================
"Articulating Your Faith" Workshop (12 August 2002)

** We did a brief slice of the soon to be released 4 session revision of
Jaco ten Hove's and Barbara Wells' "Articulating Your Faith" curriculum.

** As a group, looked at effective and ineffective experiences articulating
our faith.

** Good quote from Barbara -- "UUism is not about shared belief but rather
shared assumptions about our relationship with our world and each other."

** Jaco's comment -- Our first principle and our seventh principle are the
foundation for the remaining five principles.

** Approaching the world both awe-filled and humble -- "we don't know" is
cool and ambiguity is OK

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