Browse Tag

roots

Millennials, Communal Living, and the Fourfold Path

I continue to be impressed by how deeply the 2008 recession has impacted the faith of today’s 20-somethings, and I continue to be frustrated by how poorly institutional churches as a whole have responded to this exciting and game-changing generational

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Digging Up Dirt On the Millennial Generation

25 mins read

A look at the cultural and religious experiences that have shaped young adults and their desires for the church Article shared from Presbyterians Today Illustrations by Abby King-Kaiser Right now, in many congregations across America, a similar conversation is taking place—after worship over coffee, among pastors and staff, during women

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The YAV Program: Lives Set on New ‘Routes’

2 mins read

The motto of the Young Adult Volunteer Program (YAV for short) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) reads, “A year of service for a lifetime of change.” The YAV Program is a ministry of the Presbyterian Church that has engaged and transformed the lives of young adults (Presbyterian and non-Presbyterian alike)

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Roots, Privilege, and Solidarity

4 mins read

I have spent the majority of my life moving from place to place, settling in only to be uprooted soon thereafter. I guess you could say that my roots have never had a real chance to grow very deep – but with growth and maturity, I’ve come to value the

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The YAV Program Ruined My Life – For Good!

4 mins read

This is a joke that commonly gets tossed around by Young Adult Volunteer Alumni, but for me, it’s the truth. I had my life and career completely planned out in college – I was going to become a photojournalist and travel the world. So how is it that five years

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Roots in the Present

5 mins read

Five years ago, I discovered the Young Adult Volunteer program and thought it would be a great way to transition from college to…whatever I would do after college. As a YAV, I served in Nashville, Tennessee, working with children and volunteers at Preston Taylor Ministries – an after-school program for

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‘There’s No Place Like Home’

6 mins read

I am a born-and-bred Midwestern boy. It is in my blood and is reflected in my decisions and actions. For better or worse, wherever I live or travel, I see things through Indiana-colored lenses. I have also always had strong Presbyterian roots; some of my earliest memories are from VBS

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Uprooted By Force

15 mins read

Displacement and Eviction in Colombia “Isn’t it dangerous?” That’s the question people in the U.S. usually ask when they learn I live in Colombia. My answer: Yes and no. No, I am not fearful for my personal safety. For outsiders, Colombia’s current tourism slogan may be accurate: “The only danger

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A Refugee in Skinny Jeans

15 mins read

I dropped out of college after a one-semester attempt at art school. This was not just because my soul had something of an allergic reaction to the amount of debt that would come with pursuing that degree, but also because I had this crazy feeling that I was being “called”

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Playlist and Reading List – Expanding Your Roots!

4 mins read

To accompany Jocelyn Kirk’s article “In the In-Between”: Expanding Your Roots, the Young Adult Editorial Team for Unbound has compiled a suggested playlist and reading list for expanding YOUR roots! Check out the following list of songs (available as a Spotify playlist and plain text) and books that don’t necessarily fall into

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“In the In-Between”: Expanding Your Roots

13 mins read

Don’t miss the playlist and reading list to accompany this article! “God is in the in-between.” When I first heard this phrase, my mind immediately went to middle school dance chaperones telling kids to “save room for Jesus” when slow dancing (in other words, “Don’t grow up too fast!”). This

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