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Greetings Unity Great Lakes Family,
Cassidy here, freshly back from Bali and from the magic of the fall youth retreat in southeast Wisconsin. For me, these retreats reinforce the impact we make here in the Unity movement. Our young people are hungry for warm, accepting, tech-free spaces like these where they can connect with like-minded youth in meaningful ways, learn practical spiritual tools from their peers, and of course, play and have fun! And we provide these opportunities thanks to you! The financial support of Unity ministries back to our region helps fund these events, and of course ministries enabling their youth and adult sponsors to attend is at the heart of things! From fundraising, to transport, to communicating with families and more, it's not small thing to bring a group, not to mention keep a program rolling the rest of the time. Thank You!
As "youth-led" is a core principle of our Y.O.U. and our retreats, I'm thrilled to report that after the disruption of Covid, our Regional Officer pipeline is back on track! Three incredible "Regies" Alex, Joey and Maddie each poured their hearts and souls into the Fall Retreat, modeling leadership at every turn! Their efforts are likely what led a number of youth to express interest in becoming a future Regie.
I couldn't be prouder of the work we as a Region do to support our young people and their families, not only through Regional events, but also locally on Sundays and beyond! I hear so many compelling stories from YFM leaders about the important work they're doing, and I wish I could share them all here! We are making a difference at a time when reported loneliness is the highest it's been in years, mental health challenges like anxiety are at an all-time high, and political divisions threaten to pull our communities apart with lack of trust. Helping our young people & their families navigate these challenges couldn't be more critical.
Many ministries in our Region (and beyond) are seeing the rebirth of youth and family ministry programs as families seek community and guidance. Yay! I encourage anyone without an active youth program to consider the benefits of launching one. If you hold the vision, the way will be made clear. It doesn't have to be grandiose, nor all or nothing. Incremental offerings, even starting with one YFM class a month, and just two willing volunteers, are all that's needed to build momentum in your ministry. Reach out and/or come to a ministering with families call if you'd like to explore this possibility. Speaking of, I'm now back in the Central time zone and look forward to connecting with you!
Read on for more juicy news, and growth opportunities offered by and for our YFM!
Meanwhile, I wish each of you a marvelous and meaningful Thanksgiving!
In warm appreciation,
Cassidy
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