About Us

What is YARN?

The Young Adult Revival Network is now a global effort to rebuild the UU young adult network. Literally, YARN is a program run out of the First UU Society of San Francisco. We have a Steering Committee that oversees YARN and a Ministry Committee that run several programs. All our programs are for any between the ages of 18 to 39. At the bottom of this page is a list of all our leaders. We are funded by donations, gifts, and occasional merchandise.

Our mission:

To be a program that fosters and supports inclusive, celebratory, Unitarian Universalist young adult spaces that recognizes intersectional identities and the challenges of privilege and oppression;

To connect UU young adults with one another wherever they are;
To directly produce UU ministries for young adults and act as the go to source for young adult ministry opportunities;

To be a a program led by and for young adults

To actively engage in anti-racist & anti-oppressive efforts in our communities;

To create and share resources that grow young adult community;

To create a lasting organization to continue this work.

And live the Eight Principles fully in our lives, our works, and in our communities

Our Vision:

We believe that ministering to young adults is essential to the future of our religion.

We believe that there is a need for a young adult focused entity/organization within our faith.

We believe in funding young adult ministry at local, regional, national, and global levels.

We believe in holding spaces centered around marginalized identities.

We believe in creating ministries, worships and faith experiences with challenging ideas and concepts that nurture spiritual growth.

We believe in connecting young adult communities around the world and across platforms, recognizing that digital spaces can be sacred spaces, acknowledging that they are the virtual walls of a faith community.

We believe in seizing moments/ recognizing the opportunities in our lives to actively engage in social justice efforts that align with our principles and values.

We believe in resourcing and supporting young adult lay leaders in their communities.

We believe that this work is a living process, which we can always revisit and transform

Our Covenant:

We covenant to...
Put our faith first, living out our values in the world as we create and envision Beloved Community and create amazing Unitarian Universalist spaces for Young Adults.

Live the eight principles of our faith, while actively dismantling white supremacy for ourselves and our community as we do this work.

Extend an invitation, but not an expectation to share; Take space or make space so everyone has a voice; Prioritize those most marginalized by society at large.

Listen to each other with an open heart; Be mindful that lived experiences are not universal, and to be open to different cultures and ideas both in and out of the UU community.

Acknowledge when covenant has been broken, working as a collective to repair and strengthen the relationship.

Take the time to do the work and educate ourselves without burdening others when we have broken covenant; Seek wisdom from those offering it, rather than demanding it from the people closest to you.

Practice open inquiry when possible; Assume competence and goodwill as a starting point; Recognize that some things are set while others are flexible.
Be honest, direct, and authentic.

Honor personal boundaries, recognizing there is life beyond our faith community.
Support practices of healthy self-care and all that supports a healthy community.
Focus on what we can get done, what we can invite others into, and to conduct ourselves with integrity.

Unitarian Universalism is faith that intends to always with its people, and in 2024, we, as a tradition, took a bold step: we placed Love at the very center of who we are. For many of us who are navigating early adulthood, this shift speaks directly to the world we’re inheriting.

Love isn't a soft slogan here. It’s a practice, a discipline, and sometimes, even an imperative. It asks us to show up for each other, to stay accountable in community, and to root our resistance to oppression in care and commitment. From that center, six values radiate outward like spokes on a wheel:

Interdependence reminds us that we are not separate, not self-made, but woven into an ecological and human web that needs recognition and tending.
Pluralism affirms that our differences, often expressed by culture, identity and theology are not obstacles, but sources of strength and creativity.
Justice insists that none of us is free until all of us are, calling us into movements that dismantle systemic oppression in all its shapes.
Transformation speaks to the truth that we are unfinished people in an unfinished faith, always changing, always learning. This is related to the saying that Unitarian Universalism is a Living Tradition.
Generosity invites us to navigate life with eagerness to share our gifts, offering time, resources, and presence to one another.
Equity proclaims that every person is worthy of dignity and has the right to flourish, with communities that make accessibility and inclusion real and embodied.

If you’re looking for a spiritual home that welcomes your questions, your identity, your activism, and your hopes, the new articulation of UU values is meant to hold you. Love is at the center, and from there, the path is wide open.

YARN By-Laws