Prairie Star People

This fall we welcome Rev. Eva Cameron, newly settled minister at UU Society of Black Hawk County (Cedar Falls, IA), Rev. Patricia Jimenez, Chaplain at Hennepin County Medical Center (Minneapolis, MN), and Rev. Sue Turner, interim minister at First UU Church (Rochester, MN).

We also welcome Katie Lawson, Hallman Ministerial Intern (Unity Church – Unitarian, St. Paul, MN).

These PSD Ministers were recognized at the Service of the Living Tradition at General Assembly in June:

• Final Fellowship: Rev. Mark Stringer (Parish Ministry); Rev. Roberta Haskin (Community Ministry)
• Ministers completing full-time ministry: Rev. Dillman Baker Sorrells

Awards 2006

Each year PSD honors the exceptional volunteers who keep UUism alive and well on the prairie. NEW this year — nomination forms will not be mailed to congregations — you can access them from the PSD website. Go to www.psduua.org/awards and print out the nomination forms for posting on your congregation's bulletin board.

Awards include: PSD Social Justice; Unsung UU; Keeping the Faith (for two congregations, small and large); O. Eugene Pickett (for an outstanding, growing congregation); Ellie Morton (religious education); and Betty Gorshe Heritage (for achievements in preserving, understanding and celebrating our UU history).

Who in your congregation deserves to be honored?

UUA Grant to PSD Congregation

to Serve Young Adults

Liz Weber

Katie Heaton serves First Universalist Church as Youth and Young Adult Ministry Coordinator.

Katie Heaton is excited about her role as the new Youth and Young Adult Ministry Coordinator at First Universalist Church in Minneapolis. Responsibility for overseeing their young-adult program was recently combined with an existing youth-ministries coordinator job to create a position that Katie regards as an excellent fit for her background and interests.

The new quarter-time component of this position came about thanks to a grant from our Unitarian Universalist Association. First Universalist will receive a total of $15,000 from the association over three years, giving the congregation time to phase the new position into its budget. “We lacked staffing in young-adult resources,” Heidi Mastrud, Director of Lifespan Faith Development, says. “We were having budget challenges, yet we knew we couldn’t have a truly comprehensive lifespan program if we neglected the young adult population. In fact, 18 to 35-year-olds comprise a significant part of our church neighborhood. This grant provides a means to reach out to them.” The work will include a campus ministry component at the University of Minnesota.

A lifelong UU, Katie Heaton brings strong credentials to the position. She served as president of her own youth group in Philadelphia. Later, as a Macalester College student, she rejuvenated the college’s young-adult UU group.

Michael Tino, Director of Young Adult and Campus Ministry for the UUA, writes that one of the most satisfying parts of his job is to support congregations in their efforts to institutionalize ministry to young adults and college students. He adds that First Universalist’s own generosity to our Unitarian Universalist Association’s Annual Program Fund helps make such grants possible.

In fact, First Universalist is one of the top 50 Leadership Congregations in North America in its support of the UUA. Congregations must contribute their full requested amount, or fair share, to the Annual Program Fund in order to be eligible for Young Adult and Campus Ministry grants. Nearly 80% of PSD congregations pay their full requested contribution to the Annual Program Fund.

Liz Weber is a member of UU Fellowship of Ames, IA, and the District APF Representative. Contact Liz at apf@psduua.org