From Eileen Herself!
Last Updated on Monday, 29 November 1999 19:00 Written by Rev. Eileen Patra Tuesday, 06 September 2011 19:00
Dear YOUers and Sponsors,
I am truly honored to have been selected to serve as your new consultant and to have the opportunity to support you in this amazing program. What I bring to you in this moment is a sincere desire to serve along with a deep love for everything that the Youth of Unity is and everything it stands for.
My first encounter with YOU was in 1998 when I attended my first Fall Retreat as an assistant sponsor. I left that event wondering where this awesome program had been when I was a teen ager and how I could support it in the future. And so, after 12 years of preparation in various roles that have included working with the Royal Oak chapter, serving as a head sponsor at several June Rallies, serving as the Uniteen Consultant for eleven years and working with the YOU staff at twenty-one Unitreats, Spirit has decided it is time to work more closely with all of you.
Although my first day on this job was September 1st, I have been working with Michael and Hannah on the Fall Unitreat since our first planning meeting on July 31st. The Fall Unitreat is quickly shaping up to be the best Uniteen event ever and Hannah and Michael have really put together an amazing event.
Over the past two months, Rev. Diane Venzera and I have been working together to create a vision designed to support all of our Great Lakes ministries in achieving their vision and goals. To support all of us in this sacred work, we have formed a Youth Education Support Team that includes various Sponsors, Uniteen Leaders, parents and Ministers, as well as the YOU Regional Officers. This team draws on the expertise and experience of talented individuals throughout our Great Lakes Region and provides an ongoing source of communication between the consultants and the field.
The upcoming calendar year of 2012 will include all of the regional events we know and love with the addition of a conference focused on leadership training for both Sponsors and YOUers.
Maya Angelou, in her poem “Still I Rise” said the following:
“Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise… Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave … I rise, I rise, I rise.”
Like the moons and suns, Y.O.U. rises and moves forward with certainty. And, standing on the shoulders of those who preceded us we rise up with love, joy and tears of hope and pride in our eyes. I am honored to walk this path with you and cherish your thoughts, feedback and support. You may contact me at any time at 248-318-7028 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Love, Light & Peace,
Rev. Eileen Patra
Great Lakes Teen Ministry Support
