First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis

Comments from youth: The trip was full of excitement and I had a really good time. I was really surprised at how many Unitarian churches or parishes there were. A lot of famous people were UU’s that I wasn’t aware of. Seeing all of the sites put our history in perspective. Visiting First Parish on Easter Sunday was also a good experience because it showed me how different UU churches can be. We’re not all humanists. I had a lot of fun with the Belmont youth group and exploring. It was a great trip.

This trip was really important for our UU youth. It really grounded me and meant a lot. Meeting UU youth from Boston was really cool because it showed that even though we’re far away from each other, we are all the same. I liked Harvard Divinity School. I’ve wanted to be a UU minister since the 9th grade and being able to talk with people going through that process was interesting. Seeing what they did to get to where they were today was really cool. Thank you so much for this trip. It has really changed me spiritually and gotten me in touch with my roots.
I really enjoyed my trip to Boston. When I first arrived, I was struck by how much history was incorporated into everyday city life, and how much the Unitarian Universalists contributed to the growth of our country as a whole. In my home church in Minnesota Sunday morning was the only time I felt like I connected with Unitarianism. But being in Boston was incredible because I felt like I was in a place where I belonged. Thank you for this trip. It was very much appreciated.
The information we were given was great at FUS. When we went to Boston all of the dots connected, bonding with the group was fine and bonding with the Belmont kids was even better. Boston has so much heritage and so much of our UU past is intertwined with so many monumental events. I thought this trip was one that I will never forget. First, it was an incredible and superb trip which I would gladly go on in the future. The trip to Boston really taught me a lot about where UU sprouted from in the U.S. and I learned that many historical figures were also UUs. I enjoyed traveling around Boston and seeing all of its history. Meeting the Belmont youth group was great. We bonded so fast, it was surprising. The Blue Man Tube Group was incredible. Bonding with our own youth group was also great. I had a lot of fun. I remember sitting in the teen room and having Keren come in every once in a while to teach us something about the history of Unitarian Universalism. I thought some of the information was interesting but most of the time I really couldn’t focus. Coming to Boston has really put it all into perspective for me. I was also a new comer to this group and had a great opportunity to bond with the rest of the group. Thank you! This trip showed me that Unitarian Universalism is a major religion, even though it still is tiny. Seeing all the Unitarian churches in the Boston vicinity was really cool…even in the small area we saw. There were probably the same number of UU churches as in the entire state of Minnesota. I think that the information I learned on the trip was great, and I hope I will remember it for the rest of my life. I will not soon forget this trip.
The trip to Boston, for me, was a really great experience. I got to hang out with my good friends and be in a really cool city, which I had never been to before. Also, the many different UU sites we visited were really an eye opener for me. Seeing all of these places that influenced our religion and our country was really special for me. I especially enjoyed the freedom trail and seeing the graves of famous thinkers in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. Thanks for making this trip possible!
This trip helped me learn a lot about the roots and history of the UU church. It showed me how varied our religion is though. The church in Concord was much different than our own. Meeting other UU youth was an amazing time, along with Harvard Divinity School. It was nice to talk with strangers that knew what it’s like to be a Unitarian Universalist. Thank you so much!
The entire trip was an amazing experience. It allowed me to visualize where UU originated from in the United States. One thing that I loved was discovering how many UU there are in such a small area. I am not used to looking around and seeing UU churches or telling people what religion I am and having them know what I am talking about! It was a really reassuring and exciting experience, and I would definitely do it again.
Going back to the roots of Unitarianism and seeing all those historical sites was an amazing experience. It just showed the amazing impact a person can have. And seeing the work of these influential and rebellious Unitarians only goes to emphasize the point. This entire trip was like going through a timeline of UU through the ages—from the revolution to the civil war to the suffrage era to the civil rights era to modern Harvard Divinity School. Seeing all their impacts was life-changing.
For the first twelve years of my life, Jan’s infamous 3 lines to me were: 1. “Take your hair out of the Chalice flame.” 2. “What’s in your mouth?” 3. “Stop making that noise!” After OWL and COA, I found myself more mature and well equipped—not only did I find myself thinking “adult thoughts”, but people wanted to hear them! So many of my friends were curious as to how my mind worked concerning religion, and yet I was stuck. Who started it and where did it come from? Who’s your God? These were questions I had no idea how to answer. As if it was a gift from above I was granted the chance to find the answers to my questions….and thus was born the Boston Trip. During the trip I learned four essential things; the history of my religion and country, the importance of friendship, what it means to be a UU and finally what pride truly feels like. To better understand my religion, at the UUA I was deeply educated on the history of UU and the hardships that we as UUs have faced. Being a part of the discussions there helped me grasp what exactly I am. The tour guide cleared up many gray areas in my mind. Learning of my leaders helped me connect with the most important thing—my roots. The more information I was supplied, the more connected and accepted I felt to other UUs. With my new understanding of myself, I took it to the streets telling others how amazing my religion is and the history that their town contained. With every UNITARIAN sign I saw, I felt more and more like I was home with people of my own kind. For so long I’ve felt like and endangered species, trying desperately to save its kind. Being surrounded by these signs made me know that I am not alone. We also went to historical landmarks which were inspiring to me. Being in a town enriched with such history was breath-taking. The places I visited on this trip will forever be highlights of my life. With learning about my religion/history, I also learned about friendship. During down-time in the hotel, bus or market place showed me how kids who I otherwise would’ve never spoken to were making my sides hurt from laughing so hard. We had long talks about sexuality, freedom, personal experience, and drugs that made me appreciate my life and friends. The bonds formed in Boston are ones I will never forget. Learning things about friends has made me pull closer to them in times of need—knowing that I have a support group here means the world to me. With the help of my peers, I also found what it means to be a UU that I would otherwise never have found. Going to different churches of the same faith helped me in deciphering things that I believed. Being a UU is so simple. I’ve always made it so hard, and now I understand. I’ve been saying it all my life. I am a UU with a mind that thinks, heart that loves, and hands that are ready to serve. Understanding UUism defines pride for me. I now wear my chalice not only as a symbol of my denomination, but as a sign of awareness and pride. It is a trophy of life that I can wear forever. I now have a newly found pride in who I am and what I believe in (including myself). “I’m proud of you!” is now the only line Jan says to me, and it hits my heart every time. During our trip to UU Mecca (Boston) I’ve learned a great deal about myself and my history. Thank you for your support. It is worth its weight in GOLD.
During our senior high group’s trip to Boston, I not only learned very interesting facts about my amazing religion, but information on the foundation of my country and improved my relationship with all of our group members. Throughout the trip we visited historic and important UU sites, such as the UUA headquarters, Thoreau’s cabin at Walden Pond, and the cemeteries where Louisa May Alcott, Paul Revere, and Emerson are buried. On the tour of the UUA I leaned many new things about the history of UUism, like that the youth brought the Unitarians and Universalists together.
Boston is one of the most historically important cities in our country. We visited Faneuil Hall, Harvard University and memorials of our founding fathers and people who contributed to the success of our country. Before going to Boston, our senior high group was pretty close, but now after spending 4 days with them non-stop, we have such a strong bond. We all ate together as a family and stayed up watching movies together, and laughing together. I am so happy that I will be in the senior high group for 3 years instead of 1 year like all of the other RE classes.
Going on a trip with a group of people you have so much in common with makes the trip so much more memorable. The UU trip to Boston brings us closer to our roots as UU and closer to our friends. “It’s like our Mecca.”
Comments from adult chaperones: I feel so proud and lucky to have discovered this faith. What a sense of belonging. Seeing our roots and history and other UU people from present to past has inspired me. I am so proud of our youth. They take GREAT pride in being UU. WOW!
I feel the trip and this year with an historical focus has helped me come full circle as an advisor and as a UU! Thanks so much!
Karen Hering did such a marvelous job teaching UU History. That made it very meaningful for me to have that fresh in my mind. I am new to FUS and completely fell in love with being a UU during this trip. I have so much more to learn about our history. What a gift to go on this trip.
Seeing the FUS kids with the Belmont kids was the highlight. We have an amazing group of high schoolers and to see the two communities come together and bond so immediately and intensely was a delight and at times emotional. Boston is amazing and I tip my hat to the planners……brilliant. Thanks.
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