Eric Bliss

Youth and Emerging Adult Ministry Specialist

Lifespan Faith Engagement in Ministries and Faith Development

Email: ebliss@uua.org

Telephone: 303-903-3144

Photo

Eric Bliss is a native of Knoxville, TN, where he grew up attending both Westside Unitarian Universalist and Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Churches. He holds degrees in Marine Biology and in Education.

As a career educator, Eric has taught classes from Ecology - to Chemistry - to English as a Second Language. Eric has been active in UU leadership over the course of 35 years, beginning as a YRUU group leader, eventually becoming a youth mentor, coordinator, and adviser at such places as The Mountain, Ferry Beach, NCCJ’s Anytown, and at GA Youth Caucus. He was the Director of Religious Exploration at First Unitarian Society of Denver for six years and served as the Youth Chaplain, the Quuest Youth Camp Director, the LREDA Chair for the Mountain Desert District, and on the Fahs Collaborative Guiding Team. Currently, Eric is the Youth and Emerging Adult Ministry Specialist for the Southern Region of the UUA.

Eric is a loving husband, and the father of three wonderful children whom he adores. In his spare time, he is an active soccer player and coach, thrives exploring the outdoors, traveling, nerding out with dice, skateboarding, and playing loud, post-punk music in dimly lit bars and all age venues.

From Eric Bliss

Displaying 1 - 9 of 9

How do we learn to live, as people and as congregations, like we are worthy of love? How do we live into compassion for ourselves and others?

By Eric Bliss | May 14, 2020 | From Pacific Western Region
Tagged as: Compassion, Shame, Worth, Multiculturalism, Faith Development, Membership Growth & Outreach

“We are not walking this path alone, building spiritual muscles, climbing the ladder to become more perfect. Rather, we are discovering the truth of our relatedness through belonging to these bodies and emotions, to each other, and to this whole natural world. As we realize our belonging, the...

By Eric Bliss | April 9, 2020 | From Pacific Western Region

Friends across the PWR, In the last three years, a group of 2/3 People of Color and 1/3 white accomplices have been working in all four districts of the region to support youth of color and others representing marginalized voices. This group was called the PWR Multicultural Team. During their...

By Eric Bliss | September 13, 2018 | From Pacific Western Region

​Imagine if you will… in your home congregation... that emerging adults (ages 18-24) are fully integrated into the life of the church, and have strong connections with each other. They are involved in both intergenerational and age-cohort activities that satisfy spiritual and social needs...

By Eric Bliss, Sarah Gibb Millspaugh, Annie Gonzalez Milliken | May 17, 2018 | From Pacific Western Region

Find guiding questions, ideas and best practices for emerging-adult-friendly congregations (ages 18-24).

By Eric Bliss, Sarah Gibb Millspaugh, Annie Gonzalez Milliken | May 16, 2018 | From LeaderLab

Dec. 12, 2017 - Rev. Leslie Mills and Eric Bliss, PWR Youth Ministry Specialist For decades, the best that we thought we could accomplish in youth ministry was empowering leadership....

By Eric Bliss | February 6, 2018 | From Pacific Western Region

How often do you introduce spiritual practice when your youth gather? If you are a religious educator or volunteer, make every effort to ensure that each gathering of your young ones taps into the spirit. That by the time these limitless spirits bridge from your program, they have many tools from...

By Eric Bliss | September 18, 2017 | From Youth Ministry
Tagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), High School-Aged Youth Faith Development, Spiritual Practice, Unitarian Universalism, UU Identity, UU Theology, Faith Development

I left Unitarian Universalism when I was 18. Having gone through the survey of world religions that was the emphasis of my late 80’s RE experience, I identified more as a Buddhist than I did as UU. College brought a myriad of intellectual awakenings, but my soul lay dormant.

By Eric Bliss | September 18, 2017 | From Stories and Voices
Tagged as: High School-Aged Youth Faith Development, Spirituality, Unitarian Universalism, UU Identity, UU Theology

Unitarian Universalists believe that ministering to and with youth is a vital role adults play in our movement. Adults ministering to and with youth can always be growing and building skills, and we're here to support you through online learning opportunities. ...

By Eric Bliss | September 12, 2016 | From Pacific Western Region

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