CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

UNITE Students believes in empowering every generation in God’s vision of love and grace in our world. This year the UNITE Students team is inviting YOU to be a part of the vision and creation of UNITE 2025!

What does that mean? We are looking for students, lay members, children, adults - everyone - to submit writing, art or other creative pieces that may be used as a part of UNITE: this year, in the future, or in some way we haven’t dreamed of yet.

What is UNITE looking for? Whatever you feel inspired to create and submit, we are interested in seeing! You are more creative than our wildest imagination. Whatever ideas you have, submit them below! You will find this year’s Bible stories and themes for each day, for inspiration and guidance, at the bottom of this page.

Here are some suggestions of types of content we’re looking for:

  • Calls to Worship

  • Prayers, Blessings and Benedictions

  • Art: digital, hand-created and scanned-in, music, poetry, photography, etc.

  • Devotions or reflections on the scriptures or stories

  • Spiritual practices

  • Other ideas for UNITE: Worship song requests, games, quotes, future themes, anything you want to share!

  • Really, any other ideas or creations you want to share, we’d love to hear it!

Will my work be used at UNITE? Maybe! UNITE’s creative team loves new ideas and implementing them in creative ways. By submitting words, art and work below, you are consenting to your working being used at this or future UNITE events or any other way Missouri Conference NextGen Ministries may dream of.

Can I submit multiple things? Of course! We just ask that you submit them separately.

Thank you for joining the UNITE team as we dream in new ways! You may be contacted after submitting your work; a parent or guardian will be copied on any communication with minors.

How to Submit

Fill out all fields of the form linked below. If you are under 18, an email address for your parent or guardian is required. Please only submit original works. If you would like some advice or guidance on how to start or craft your words, you can find more information below!

Daily Themes and Scripture

  • Day One: God’s Eyes on Us

    • Evening One: We encounter a God who sees our whole self. God sees you and cares for you. Genesis 16:13-23

  • Day Two: Hearts Connected to Others

    • Morning Two: We encounter God through our connection with one another as God opens our hearts. Acts 16:14

    • Evening Two: We encounter God through our connection with one another as we welcome and care for others. Acts 16:15

  • Day Three: Lungs Filled with Hope

    • Morning Three: We encounter a God who understands us. Luke 7:36-50

    • Evening Three: We encounter a God who understands us and joyfully accepts any love we show Him. Luke 7:36-50

  • Day Four: Minds Connected to God

    • Morning Four: Through spiritual practices, we encounter God when life makes us wait. Esther 1- 4; Emphasis on Esther 4:16

    • Evening Four: Through spiritual practices, we gain boldness in our dark hours. Esther 5-10

  • Day Five: Feet Carrying Good News

    • Morning Five: We encounter a God who energizes us. John 4

Tips and Tricks for Writing

Thoughts on Writing a Call to Worship

A Call to Worship is a beautiful invitation for all present to ready themselves, together, for what is about to come. Spoken aloud in one voice, these words have power!

First, we recommend you ready yourself. Pray! Consider one of the themes, Bible stories, characters, or the Encounter theme and see what really stands out to you.

How can you use your words to prepare the room to hear this message or story? What words or phrases do you want to highlight?

As you write, erase, rewrite, adjust and play with your call, remember:

  • Take moments to pause and read your words out loud. Remember, this will be spoken aloud. Does it flow well?

  • Consider the way your words look printed. This will be on a screen. Is it easy to read?

  • Calls to Worship are very flexible! You can have just a few words or several in a response, though consider how easy or difficult the words will be for a room of people to read together.

  • Repetition can be helpful for a crowd to read, but it is not required.

  • Be mindful of your readers, try to avoid words that are too big, but don’t let that limit you too much.

  • Calls to Worship can be inspired by other prayers, scripture, songs or hymns, or even using the words in the theme itself. Feel free to look in other places to add to your call. If you do, be sure to cite, or give credit to, those other sources.

  • Calls to Worship can be quiet, but they can also be loud! Or sung! You can even include actions! Use your imagination.

As you can see, there is so much flexibility for a Call to Worship: They are beautifully steeped in tradition, yet leave so much room for you to play and dream!

Thoughts on Writing a Prayer, Blessing or Benediction

Prayer is such a unique experience that we get to share with the Holy Spirit, Jesus and God. The opportunity to write a prayer, especially one to be shared out loud, is special and holy! There is a lot of space to dream and imagine here.

A benediction is a sending off prayer, a blessing to give to everyone before they leave this worship space and reenter the world. These are usually pretty short prayers spoken over those who are gathered, but you can reimagine them to be loud, interactive, especially quiet, whatever feels right!