February 2025

In this Issue...

-Ministering with Families Call Tues Feb 25

-Dive Into (Teen) Leadership Training Thurs Feb 27

-Eastern Subregion Mini-Rally & Lock-In Mar 1-2

-Spring Unitreat Apr 4-6 Early Bird Registration Thru Feb 28

-Save The Dates: June Rally, IYOU, Fall Retreat

-Upcoming Training: Leading & Guiding a YFM Program

-Vote in UWM Video Contest

-Featured Resources

It’s a busy week in Great Lakes Regional Youth and Family Ministry! See the upcoming trainings and events below. Hope to see you/your youth!

Ministering With Families Call

Tues Feb 25  | 6 PM CT/ 7 PM ET

Who: Youth directors, ministers, board members, and others who work with young people

Purpose: Share best practices and skills around ministering to and with families, and support each other in this important work. Join this wonderful community of support for anyone who works with youth and/or families (or wants to)!

Typical Agenda: Pray In, Personal check in, Work check-in: celebration, challenge, Proposed topics for group discussion, breakout rooms re. group discussion topic(s), YFM Regional news sharing, Closing.

Save the Date for next month's call: March 25th

Watch Last Month's Recording

The zoom link remains the same month to month. Meeting ID: 917 5280 8738

Dive Into Leadership: Teen Leadership Training

Thurs Feb 27 | 6-8 PM Central | Online | Love Offering Basis

Join the Great Lakes & Eastern Regional Y.O.U. Officers for a dynamic online, youth-led training for Uniteen, Y.O.U.ers and adult leaders! Click image below to watch the short video with more details! There’s still room to register here.

Last Call to Register: Eastern Subregion Youth Mini-Rally & Lock-In 

Sat-Sun March 1-2 | Unity of Columbus(4211 Maize Road, Columbus, OH 43224)

Purpose: grow interest and participation in Uniteens / YOU by experiencing a 24-hour sneak preview of the larger Regional Rallies, Unitreats, and iYOU Events!

Open To: all Uniteens and YOU (and their friends) in the Great Lakes Eastern Subregion: Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Michigan

Cost: $25 Love Offering

Spring Unitreat

Early Bird Registration Rate Closes This Friday Feb 28th

Regular Registration Closes March 7

When: Friday-Sunday April 4-6, 2025

Where: Lutherdale Retreat Center in Elkhorn, WI

Who: Uniteens (6th-8th)

Theme: "Let It Go"

Cost: Early Bird $225 per person by Feb 28th, Regular Registration $250 by midnight Mar 7th

The Regie team is excited to welcome you and your Uniteens for yet another dynamic, youth-led retreat filled with opportunity for connection, spiritual deepening and fun!

Upcoming Youth Retreats: Save The Dates

June Rally | Friday-Monday June 13-16, TowerHill Camp, Sawyer, MI

We're so excited to announce dates and a location! This event is open to all Youth Of Unity (Y.O.U.) entering 10^th-12^th grades in Fall 2025 (plus recent grads) & their adult leaders. Registration will open at end of March and will include a YOU graduation ceremony and Regie election in addition to swimming, small group time and lots of dynamic activities around a theme of curiosity, "Tell Me More".

-International Y.O.U. Retreat (IYOU) | Sun-Thurs July 20-24 | Unity Village | Lees Summit, MO 

Learn more about this dynamic Y.O.U. event that brings together youth from around the country and beyond. Registration opens in March.

-Fall Youth Retreat | Fri-Sun Oct 24-26 | Lutherdale, Elkhorn, WI

This will be a combined event for both Uniteens and Y.O.U.

Upcoming Training: Leading & Guiding a YFM Program

Live Online| Wednesdays March 26, April 2, April 9 | 4-5 PM CT

About: Learn how to create a plan of action to implement effective policies and procedures, Evaluate current sacred safety policies and bring them into alignment with recommended practices, Build a team of engaged YFM volunteers, and Develop a YFM Program implementation strategy.

Offered by Unity Worldwide Ministries.



Cost: Free if already registered with UWSI. If you haven’t yet registered with UWSI, there’s a one time enrollment fee of $35. 

UWM Video Contest

Vote here for your Favorite YFM Video and learn how to submit your video for next quarter’s contest for your chance to win $500 for your ministry! One category is just for youth.

Featured Resources for Families

-Incorporate more mindfulness into your YFM

Your ministries may be poised for learning about, hosting, and facilitating Inner Strength sessions. Founder of this approach, Amy Edelstein (featured in Unity magazine), has written mindfulness curricula for high schools, now required for graduation in some Philadelphia schools. Inner Strength also has developed an app that helps teens to destress through mindfulness. Check out their resources.

-Unity Basics Overview a super clear explanation in pdf format great for teens and their parents/caregivers new (or not so new) to Unity.

Missed Last Month's Issue? Read it here!

Follow Great Lakes Youth Ministry on FaceBook

Need Support?

Contact Cassidy: yfmcoordinator@greatlakesunity.com or by phone/text: 406 490 4459