First Unitarian Universalist Church of Winnipeg

Worship

Red is for worship; the heart, compassion, and love we share together. Don't forget, the "R" in YRUU is for "religious". Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU) is a spiritual and religious home for youth. Worship is an important and sacred part of many UU youth events. Youth worship tends to be interactive and non-traditional. It often takes place in a circle, with sharing as a focus. Many youth groups also put on Youth Sunday worship services in congregations. Worship is a time and place where we can share YRUU spirituality and caring with the larger community.

Youth-Adult Relations

Orange is for the warmth of the bond between youth and their elders, essential to youth empowerment. YRUU communities where youth and adults work together and have power with each other have huge potential. Intergenerational environments encourage all of the other components of youth programming. Youth and adults can learn from each other, experience youth worship, build community, empower each other to lead, and make a difference in the world through social action.

Community Building

In literature, yellow is the colour of memory and reminiscence. It honours our friends and loved ones, and the social aspects of youth programs. Community building, or socializing, is a time for people to get to know one another, time devoted to "hanging out." Some of the most valuable experiences in YRUU happen during social activities. This is the time to bond together, share values, establish trust, generate intimacy, and practice acceptance. Community building is the time to share our liberal religious values by getting to know one another.

Social Action

Green is the colour for treating the earth and each other responsibly. Green is for social action. Because youth have passionate opinions about social issues, the youth in this denomination have been at the forefront of social action activities. YRUU is a place for youth to express and explore our values, to put action behind our concerns. Social action projects are an important way for YRUUers to put hands and feet on our principles while having fun.

Learning

In some eastern philosophies, blue represents intellectual growth and mental energy. Almost every aspect of YRUU can provide learning experiences for youth. RE curricula are great resources for learning in YRUU. However, curricula do not provide the only learning opportunities for youth. YRUU is a great place for discussion—sparked by the topic of a guest speaker, movie, or from youth's own experiences. YRUU is a safe place to expand our horizons and to learn more about the world around us.

Leadership

Purple, the colour of royalty, represents leadership and self-governance. One of the biggest contributions YRUU makes to our denomination is the development of youth leadership. YRUU is primarily a youth-led organization in which youth have the opportunity to learn and practice their leadership skills. Leadership in YRUU is different from other models of leadership in our culture. In YRUU, leadership is about learning how to work together, facilitate, reach consensus, foster cooperation, and make sure every person gets heard.

Adapted from materials provided by the Unitarian Universalist Association.