A Place to Belong: The Vision Behind the Ramona Youth Collaborative

When I started as the Director of the Ramona Youth Collaborative this past Easter, I had a strong sense that something special was beginning—but I couldn’t have predicted just how much life and energy this program would bring to our community in just a few months. The Ramona Youth Collaborative (RYC) is more than a youth group. It’s a movement—four churches coming together across denominational lines to do something bold: offer a radically welcoming space for middle and high schoolers to show up as they are, be truly seen, and know they belong.

The idea was sparked by a group of clergy who shared a common concern—what about the kids who feel like they don’t fit in? What about the ones who are questioning their identity or faith, who feel judged, silenced, or simply invisible in traditional religious spaces? In Ramona, a beautiful but often conservative mountain town, those questions are urgent. The Rev. Hannah Wilder of St. Mary’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church put it plainly: “In a town like Ramona, where youth sometimes feel like they have to hide who they are, we are creating a space where they feel they are seen, valued, and matter.”

So, Rev. Hannah, along with the Rev. Wes Ellis of First Congregational Church, Rev. Kristi Grimaud of Ramona United Methodist Church, and Pastor Lawrence Hand of Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church, took a leap of faith. They formed the Ramona Youth Collaborative—RYC for short—and hired me to lead it.

Here’s what’s been happening since:

We kicked things off with weekly trips to the beach. No agenda—just time to connect, play in the surf, and start forming bonds. Then in August, we officially launched with our first Sunday gathering at First Congregational Church, where we meet weekly. We read the Bible together, ask questions, play games, eat snacks, and talk about what matters to us. We wrestle with what faith means in our everyday lives and how to make sense of the world around us through a lens of love, justice, and grace. I’m not here to give kids all the answers—I’m here to help them become the kind of people who ask courageous questions and look out for one another.

That’s what RYC is all about—belonging. We don’t ask anyone to check their identity at the door. We honor each person’s unique story. Whether a kid is shy or outspoken, curious or skeptical, gay or straight, churched or unchurched—they are welcome here. We create space for all of it, because we believe Jesus does too.

And we don’t stop at spiritual conversation. Our teens are already getting involved in hands-on service projects that make a real difference. This summer, we helped with food distribution at the Ramona Food and Clothes Closet. We’re getting ready to serve at Open Door, the weekly community meal hosted by First Congregational. And in January, we’re planning to take a group on a mission trip to Ensenada, Mexico to build homes for families in need—a continuation of the kind of outreach I’ve loved doing for years in my work with churches in Chula Vista and La Mesa.

For me, volunteering and giving back isn’t optional—it’s part of discipleship. Jesus tells us to love our neighbors, and that’s not just a metaphor. These service experiences are deeply formative. When teens hand out food, hammer nails into a frame, or sit with someone who’s struggling, their faith becomes real. They start to see that their life matters, their actions have impact, and they’re capable of leading.

And that’s one of my biggest hopes for the future of RYC—that it becomes a launching pad for young leaders. I want to equip teens with the skills, confidence, and compassion they need to lead in their churches, schools, and neighborhoods. We’re planting seeds now that will grow for years to come.

Of course, this kind of ministry takes resources. RYC has an annual budget of about $80,000, which covers my salary, materials, transportation, and programming. We’ve received a generous $16,000 grant from the Missing Voices Project, a religious network committed to supporting marginalized youth. Each of the four churches also contributes financially and with volunteers. We’re pursuing additional grants and donations to ensure RYC not only survives but thrives.

We’re still early in the journey, but I already see the fruit: teens opening up, friendships forming across school and church lines, and the Spirit of God moving in quiet but powerful ways. One parent told me her daughter came home from our first meeting and said, “I finally found a place where I don’t have to pretend.”

That’s it. That’s the whole point.

As Rev. Hannah says, “Often people think being Christian means excluding people who don’t fit the mold. But it doesn’t mean that. It means flinging the door wide open—welcoming people, and helping them feel like they belong and matter, without having to change.”

That’s the kind of church I want to be part of. That’s the kind of community we’re building here in Ramona. And I believe it’s possible anywhere.

If you want to learn more, support us, or get involved, you can reach me at ray@ramonayouthcollaborative.com or stop by my office at First Congregational Church of Ramona Monday through Thursday between 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. I’d love to tell you more about what God is doing here—through friendship, through faith, and through the beautiful, messy, world-changing lives of teenagers.