Sunday, April 25th was a day of spiritual uplifting the likes of which I seldom experience! My traditionalist friends and colleagues may be moved by the spirit every Sunday in their religious services of choice, but my most meaningful spiritual moments happen outside the sanctuary more frequently than in a church, although this weekend’s granting of grace was within a religious service.
I, like many others, began my Sunday morning within the walls of a sacred space. In my case the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sterling in Sterling, Virginia. On this spring day, the Youth Group was to offer their gift of a service completely conceived, developed and delivered by the 14 to 19 year old members of the congregation. This annual event is always highly anticipated by the congregants as a UU service presented by the youth is a bit like the news presented by John Stewart; hip, smart, always irreverent and with a stripped away truthfulness that only people of their ages can achieve. This year did not disappoint! My daughter and her fellow youth group members – all young men – presented a program filled with thought provoking ideas and images that included the angst of teenaged friendships, unicorns, Mr. Rogers, juggling, achieving relationships through art and the Cookie Monster! The connections were amazing! One attendee commented that if the future of the world relied on the creativity of these young people, we were all going to be just fine.
As is traditional following this service, members of the congregation asked questions of the Youth Group, both about the service and their feelings about growing up in this less well known faith. This group of young adults had been a part of UU-ism for as long as they could remember. They all spoke with intelligence, passion and reverence for their place in the congregation and their place in the greater world. It was a proud moment for every parent of every youth member. In a world where you are never quite sure if the choices you offer your children are the best ones, we were all blessed with the knowledge that bringing our children into this faith community was the right choice.
