Our Youth Group USH

A focus on congregational life

OUR YOUTH GROUP, OR YRUU (Get it?)

Where do Meeting House kids go after they “come of age”? They disappear into that mysterious room filled with teenagers and sit around on mismatched sofas... talking, laughing, learning, worshiping, and being of service.

On Sundays, while most of us are in the sanctuary, our teens do their own thing with the high school youth group, officially known as YRUU, or Young Religious Unitarian Universalists. They are most visible (and most odorific – but in a good way) when they make that aromatic soup once each month. The youth group covers expenses by selling a limited amount of the soup to lucky folks at the Meeting House, but the real beneficiaries are the 200 or so hungry people who get it for free. As one youth put it, “love goes into every bowl.”

Other activities include discussions, monthly socials, ski trips, the annual sleep-out in support of the homeless, and service projects. The kids proclaim the Meeting House YRUU group “very welcoming,” and say that one of the best things about it is getting the chance to meet peers outside of their own schools.

Youth Advisor Denise Ackeifi, who took on her current position about five years ago, says that the concept of a high school group goes back at least 30 years, and has been through more than one incarnation. Denise, a special education teacher at Ellington High School, describes Meeting House kids as involved and well-rounded. Our youth group, she reports, has always had a large gifted and talented population, along with special needs kids. According to Denise, the younger members are often fascinated by the discussions, but are not yet ready to explore the nature of their own spirituality. But metaphysical issues are precisely what interest high school juniors and seniors; the concepts of goodness and evil, the afterlife, and moral choices.

The YRUU is designed to provide opportunities for fellowship, worship, service, and education. The program at the Meeting House is growing and changing as the members evolve. This particular group has gone to a number of UU “cons” – conventions – in the region, and is becoming more active in social issues. Youth Advisor Denise finds her work with the youth group rewarding: “During the week, I deal with severely emotionally disturbed kids. Then I get to come to church and see active, intellectual, caring kids. The truth is that I get a lot from them.”

This summer, several members of the youth group plan to go to the UU General Assembly in Boston. They're working hard to earn the cash to allow as many kids as possible to attend. Costs include a registration fee of $105 per student, plus approximately $100 for lodging, and sponsors are being sought. Look for a carwash when the weather gets warmer. And remember... next time you encounter that delicious smell wafting up from the kitchen, it's your chance to help our kids help others.

Patrice Fitzgerald

Let us know of any comments, errors and corrections - thanks (revised 2/21/05)