Rituals for Uplifting Youth in Our Unitarian Universalist Community | Tiny Pulpit Talks: 045

This is the time of year when we honor the youth of our church and celebrate their wisdom, courage, and emerging sense of identity within our Unitarian Universalist community. In this episode of Tiny Pulpit Talks, Rev. T. J. Fitzgerald and Rev. Beth Dana explore the significance of our Coming of Age and Bridging traditions.

They reflect on how these rituals help young people claim their own spiritual voices, how their reflections continue to shape and challenge our broader congregation, and how the church remains a spiritual home as they grow into adulthood. You’ll hear stories from past services, conversation about faith formation, and a deep appreciation for the generations that keep shaping and reshaping our community. Whether you’re a youth, a parent, or someone who wishes they’d had this kind of space growing up, tune in now!

00:00 – Welcome and intro to this special season
00:57 – Rev. T. J. shares his first UU service experience
02:09 – What Coming of Age means in our church
02:47 – How youth shape and reflect community values
03:09 – The role of spiritual reflection projects
06:13 – Bridging: Honoring graduating seniors
07:11 – Seeing young adults return home
08:09 – The church’s long-standing commitment to youth
09:22 – Faith formation opportunities for adults
09:48 – Final reflections and invitation to connect

Tiny Pulpit Talks is a podcast series from First Unitarian Church of Dallas that takes a behind-the-scenes look at ministry from a Unitarian Universalist perspective. This is a rare opportunity to see what goes into crafting meaningful and inspirational sermons, learn how worship comes together each Sunday, and explore the many facets of spiritual leadership. Subscribe to get updates about new episodes here on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.