Newbie's View of General Assembly

Goin' home

2007-07-29T16:53:00.000-07:00

A diverse group of people from my church in San Jose are visiting our partner church in Transylvannia. Good netizens that they are they have started their own blog to keep a record. You can find it here.

More on campus ministry

2007-07-03T09:43:00.000-07:00

At my first GA I found a smorgasbord of people making choices that mattered to them and invitations at every turn to grab a spoon and join in. One in particular that stood out was on campus ministry.

I sat in on a session with students and congregants fro the Portland area that had developed campus ministries at three local colleges. I chose this session because I remember in a committee meeting under our first interim minister Fran Dew, Fran and others talked about a goal of a campus outreach at San Jose State in our backyard.

In the GA session, students shared how much it meant to them to create at college a regular check-in group with their peers, sustaining an experience that supported them in their congregations and conferences back home. Adult congregants shared how much it meant to them to act as resources for the students, "paying it forward" for service they hoped someone was doing for their own college age youth who were away from home. Besides regular check-in groups where homemade snacks were a staple, the students sometimes organized dinners, attended local cons or reached out to fellow students with meals or other forms of fellowship during finals or other times of stress.

The UUA representative for campus ministries attended the session, putting out the word that the national group has grant money readily available for organized church groups willing to take on the work and some of the financial support for a campus ministry. The estimated costs of such a program for a congregation such as ours were estimated to be as little as $2,000 a year, plus a recommended quarter-time position for an adult coordinator.

In short, I heard that a campus ministry can be meaningful, fun and financially very do-able. This is something I hope to discuss with anyone interested back in San Jose--and the conversations have already started.

GA and the single UU

2007-07-03T09:36:00.000-07:00

While browsing the exhibit floor—another aspect of the banquet that is GA--I picked up a copy of the Our Whole Lives curriculum for adults. As a single guy wondering what "right relationship" means at 50, I found it very interesting. By the way I also picked up a flier for the UU Singles group which runs a sort of Unitarian match.com online service. My one regret: I missed the dancing on Saturday night and later found out that attractive church adminstrator from the Midwest was there cutting a rug--alas!

A shout out to Tom

2007-06-25T12:54:00.000-07:00

If you are a member of a UU men's group I invite you to join me in a shout out to Rev. Tom Owen-Towle. Tom got a whole movement of men supporting men started in the UU church as part of his ministry. I am told at one time his San Diego congregation had as many as 14 active men's groups.

Tom officially retired as a UU minister last week at GA. He was one of many retiring ministers honored in the Service of the Living Tradition that is a key feature of the annual meeting.

Tom helped draft a handbook for men's groups that I found for the first time while trolling the exhibition space at the conference. This slim volume is full of practical advice and warmth for anyone in or starting such a group. The book, called "A Community of Men", is available from the UU Men's Network that also puts out a newsletter and holds two annual meetings.

Tom was also the author of the bible of the men's movement, New Men, Deeper Hungers, a volume of 40 readings that speak to men's issues and has been quoted often in my men's group. A related book from Tom called Brother Spirit is also available.

I still remember Tom coming to San Jose on a Father Day about three years ago to lead a service. He was kind enough to stay over on a Saturday to hold a workshop for our local men's groups.

The men's group was the first thing I got involved with at my UU church when I moved to San Jose about six years ago, and I am still active in it today. I am thankful to Tom and the many men who have kept the chalice flame lit. They have provided a place of refuge so rare for men in our competitive culture where we can share our thoughts and feelings, give comfort and be comforted, and to laugh.

If you have a particular memory you want to share about Tom or your men's group, I invite you to post it as a comment here for others to read. You can do that by clicking on the green "comment" tag below this post.

In case you were not at GA, you might like to know that the UUA maintains a Living Tradition Fund that serves the needs of retired ministers such as Tom. Contributions are tax deductible and can be made to UUA Living Tradition Fund, Lock Box 843154, Boston, Mass., 02284-3154

Unpacking from Portland

2007-06-25T10:36:00.000-07:00

I want to make sure I bring home as much as I can of what I learned at GA. Here are some tidbits:

--A campus ministry is very do-able. You find students willing to put time into it and support them with your own time and some money. There is grant money at UUA to help. And the motivation is clear: students don't often make it to services, but they need spiritual support.

--Human rights under the current US administration is even worse than I thought. Ware lecturer, Rashid Khalidi said US agents who participated in the Iran/Contra affair have been supplying weapons to Fateh and helped instigate the recent Fateh vs. Hamas conflict in Palestine. So much for supporting democracy in the Middle East! Even worse, one session I attended documented US support for torture for terrorist suspects.

Stay tuned for more to come as I unpack my luggage over the course of this week.

Hat tip for the GA Webworkers

2007-06-25T10:14:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the great UUA Web crew for making it easy for me to parachute in at the last minute as a reporter at my first GA. I really enjoyed doing the reporting work that I love and having a feeling of structure and accomplishment to carry me through an event where there was so much going on.

Special thanks to Deb Weiner. You were the best kind of boss—someone who takes responsibility for things and facilitates the success of others--and supplies lots of food! I dug how much you dug the Daniel Ellsberg session, streaming it while you were editing in the war room.

Thanks to the two Lances and others on the tech crew who helped me through several thorny tech problems. Your work on the video streaming is an incredible service.

Dean the Man from San D., keep playing and singing and let's jam again when we can.

Pat, Julie, Dan, Allen and many others on the crew: I wish I had had more time to get to know you better. I hope we meet again.

UU Blog-o-mania

2007-06-23T07:23:00.001-07:00

I got plenty of resources for UU bloggers at a good panel on the subject that included the new editor of UU World and a UU minister who has been blogging for 18 months. I will put most of these on my "links box" to the right, but here they are:

--A digest of UU blogs: http://uupdates.net/

--Rev. Christine Robinson's blog: http://iminister.blogspot.com/

--Philocrites, the blog of Chris Walton, editor of the UU World: http://www.philocrites.com/

--A lay leader's omnibus site: http://uuplanet.blogspot.com/

--Suzyn Smith Webb's blog: http://chalicechick.blogspot.com/

Causes R Us

2007-06-23T07:17:00.001-07:00

We UUs will create coalitions and petitions at the drop of a hat. In two days at GA I have covered sessions on UU groups fighting US-sponsored torture, AIDS in Africa, and the need for international outreach. I didn't even get to other sessions on Darfur, global warming and more.

In the sessions I attended, I rubbed elbows with people from at least three other loosely related causes. At one meeting, I found there were no less than four major UU groups addressing international UU relations. It's a recurring theme here: We are quick to take up a cause especially if it is promoted by a fellow UU, but slow to apply the discipline of getting well organized in larger, more pluralistic groups.

The Open Space Technology experiment being tried at this GA for the first time will be an interesting test of both our strength and weakness. In the first session we brainstormed ideas that need to be addressed, coming up with more than two dozen in just the one session I attended.

Ten such brainstorming groups working in parallel spawned a whopping 120 officially sanctioned discussion sessions on randomly selected topics. There is even a process for people passionate about topics not officially chosen to conduct their own follow up meetings.

Can we winnow these spin offs down to a handful of focused, timely, worthwhile causes that deserve our time? That's the question of this GA. If we can, we may have a whole new process for rapid grassroots development on our hands. Or we may just have created a new virus that spreads one of the weaknesses of the UU movement faster than you can imagine!

The good news is there is no shortage of worthwhile causes and smart, open-hearted people pursuing them. The hard work comes in choosing one and staying on the path.

On the march

2007-06-23T07:07:00.000-07:00

Kudos to UUA Prez Bill Sinkford for helping us take it to the streets. If you are in GA in Portland, check out this news flash:

WHEN: SUNDAY JUNE 24, 2007
WHERE: ICE BUILDING/ 511 NE BROADWAY PORTLAND OR.
TIME: 2:00PM
STOP THE RAIDS: This week's Del Monte raid in Portland resulted in over 200 immigrant workers being detained and processed for deportations. Families and children, who are now separated from their primary caregivers, are suffering.? We have to say YA BASTA (enough is enough!).

My first story--a whopper!

2007-06-21T16:29:00.000-07:00

Here's a preview of my first Web story for UUA. It hasn't been copy edited by the UUA desk yet, but it's pretty clean and very interesting, so you are getting a first look at it here:

Group Lays Out Plan To Counter US-Sponsored Torture

Portland, Oregon— Eight people have been tortured to death by US interrogators or their agents since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Another 34 people have committed suicide while in secret detention as suspects of terrorism in a program that has rounded up as many as 1,000 people.

Those statistics, compiled from the work of multiple human rights agencies, are fueling an interfaith campaign to end US-sponsored torture, according to a presentation Thursday (June 21) at the annual Unitarian Universalist (UU) General Assembly (GA) here.

“We don’t know how many people remain in secret prisons, and those secret prisons have not been closed,” said Linda Gustitus (pictured), president of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT), who led a workshop on the topic attended by about 50 people at GA.

As many as 14 people listed as missing are believed to be part of the secret detentions, said Gustitus, who is also president of River Road Unitarian Congregation in Bethesda, Maryland.

In the workshop, Gustitus showed a 30-minute documentary in which two detainees graphically described their treatment in secret prisons in Morocco, Afghanistan and other countries. One man described a monthly process in which interrogators made small incisions on his genitals. Both men were held without being formally charged, appearing before a court or even having their families informed of their whereabouts.

“These are stories of ‘disappearances,’ a word we used to reserve for practices by South American dictators, but it is an American practice now,” said Gustitus.

“No one knows where these people are, and the Red Cross doesn’t get access to them,” she said. “The reason is this allows you to do anything you want to these people,” she added.

In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the Bush Administration has made a case for secret detentions and so-called “alternative interrogation techniques” as a method for protecting American citizens from future attacks. However religious leaders are banding together under NRCAT to assert that any form of torture is immoral. In fact the group recently changed its Web address to http://www.tortureisamoralissue.org.

“The common denominator in all religions comes down to one of our UU principals—the inherent worth and dignity of all people,” said Gustitus.

NRCAT was started by a Presbyterian minister in 2006 and now consists of more than 100 members including representatives of Islamic groups, many UU congregations and others. The group has defined an agenda for addressing US-sponsored torture.

“We need to stop the use of torture, close the secret prisons and hold the people involved accountable,” said Gustitus.

Specifically, NRCAT is advocating bills in Congress including Senate bill 576 and companion bill HR 1415. Called the Restore the Constitution Act, it would revoke existing legislation that gives the president the sole authority to determine methods of interrogation and detain non-citizens indefinitely without any court process.

At the grass roots level, NRCAT recently received a grant to provide for free 1,000 congregations with an educational package on state-sponsored torture. The package includes a documentary on DVD about torture at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq as well as study questions and other resources.

“This is a great way to get a foothold on the issue in your congregations,” Gustitus said.

Many of the roughly 50 attendees at the workshop were so moved by the presentation they volunteered to start a petition to circulate at the conference in hopes of getting action on the issue on the GA agenda. NRCAT also maintains a petition on its Web site for anyone wanting to publicly advocate opposition to US-sponsored torture.

In the war room

2007-06-20T17:00:00.001-07:00

In the news room at the DoubleTree Hotel, I’m in my element, surrounded by computers, Wi-Fi, reporter’s supplies, snacks—and some new colleagues. I’ve already bumped into many of the 35+ people here from San Jose at registration, including one of our delegates who said “I take this stuff very seriously.”

She’s not the only one. At registration I heard about three key issues delegates hope to push forward at this GA.

--A statement defining moral values in a pluralistic society
--An attempt to come to grips, under the banner of peace making, with the hot issue of whether violence is ever an appropriate response
--An update of a statement on global warming first drafted at GA in 2005.

In a few moments, there’s a orientation with colleagues who will be writing and video on GA. Then, my first GA worship service. And late tonight, maybe some jazz from a local UU pianist. I feel like I am standing on the edge of the pool, just about to jump in.

Packing for Portland

2007-06-19T12:58:00.000-07:00

Toothbrush? Check. Rain Gear? Check. Digital Camera? Check. Blog? Blog??!!??

That's right, I aim to use this spot to share a few observations and photos of my time at GA in Portland this week. I welcome anyone who wants to chime in with comments about their own experiences, opinions or questions—whether you are in Portland or not.

I've pulled together a few tips and links that could help you if you are going or just trying to stay in touch from home. I hope to meet many people, learn a lot and enjoy myself.

Tips for GA

2007-06-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

Here are some tips on attending GA from the president of my congregation, Bob Miess:

1. You can’t do everything! GA is in some sense a microcosm of life – there are so many wonderful possibilities, but there is so little time! My first few GAs I worried way too much about missing something valuable – by the end of the second day I was worn out and not able to really absorb any more. Relax, make some choices, and don’t worry about what you’re missing. (And don’t be afraid to chose to do nothing part of the time!)

2. Stay in touch. Part of the richness of GA is that it can be a shared experience.
a. Bring your cell phone and the list that Christy has compiled to keep in touch with other people you know so you can coordinate with them.
b. Look for your home group. Sitting together for these can be really fun.
c. Check the message board – there may be messages specifically for you under your name.
d. Join others for meals and other get-togethers. There will undoubtedly be some opportunities for getting together in small and large groups.

3. Participate in the democratic process. GA is a fantastic array of experiences, but it is also the meeting of congregations from around the country getting together to decide who we want to be as an association, and what we want to say to one another and to the world. At the plenaries our delegates will get to vote. If you have an opinion about something that is up for vote, let our delegates know your thoughts. At the Open Space meetings everyone has a voice and a vote, so feel free to chip in and make your voice heard.

4. Don’t miss the really important events! I know, I know, this contradicts #1 above, and in my opinion #1 rules. But there are some really valuable activities that I consider to be worth being there for. (I’m limiting myself to one per day, except Sunday.)
a. District In-Gatherings– Wednesday at 4:45 PM, Oregon Ballrooms – A chance to get together with people from our area.
b. The opening Banner Parade – Wednesday at 8 PM, Hall C – A wonderful celebration of all of the congregations of the UUA.
c. Service of the Living Tradition – Thursday at 8 PM, Hall C -- We honor and celebrate our ministers and directors of religious education as they transition from one phase of their ministries to another.
d. Bridging Ceremony – Friday at 9 PM, Hall C – We celebrate youth as they bridge to young adulthood in a very meaningful ceremony.
e. Ware Lecture – Saturday at 9 PM, Hall C – A moving lecture by an “outside” speaker who has something to say to Unitarian Universalists. This year we will hear from Rashid Khalidi of Columbia University’s Middle East Institute, who has much to say about middle-east conflict.
f. GA Choir Concert – Sunday at 1 PM, Hall C – In past years, hearing the choir has been exquisite!
g. Closing Worship – Sunday at 4 PM, Hall C – A worship experience full of inspiration and celebration, and a superb closing to the week!

5. You can’t do everything! In spite of all my urgings above, take care of yourself first, and let the experience be what it will be.

Thanks, Bob!

My beat and my heart

2007-06-19T12:34:00.000-07:00

As a volunteer Web reporter for the UUA I've been over the program many times. I have been asked to sign up to cover a number of mainly social justice sessions, and they all look good. They include:
-- 2033: U.S. Sponsored Torture: A Religious Call To Action
-- 3011: Re-envisioning International Relations
-- 3029: Building A UU Global Social Justice Movement
-- 4019: Campus Ministry: A Keystone Ministry
-- 4036: Acting Locally: Public Policies to Reduce Global Climate Change

Also in the mix is:
-- 3064: Blogs: A New Generation in Communication…Hey, right up my alley. I'll have to blog about that one!

Here are some sessions that caught the eye of the music and philosophy lover in me.
I'll get to them if I can:
-- 2017: Singing For Our Lives
-- 2023: UU Spiritual Writing
-- 3018: Making Music Together: Musical Ways to Build Community
-- 3066: Let's Make Music - Anyone Can!
-- 4012: Reason and Reverence: Religious Humanism Today
-- 4028: Cosmos and Life: The Greatest Story Ever Told
-- 4050: Soulful Sundown

Hmmm, maybe I should be doing podcasting!