GA Update for Friday, March 19, 2021 - Archived

Unitarian Universalist Association Virtual General Assembly in June 2021

INTRODUCING SAUNDER CHOI, GA 2021 MUSIC COORDINATOR

Saunder Choi

The Office of General Assembly and Conference Services, in collaboration with the Association for Unitarian Universalist Music Ministries, is pleased to announce that Saunder Choi has been named Music Coordinator for our virtual GA this year. Saunder is a Los Angeles-based composer and choral artist who has composed and conducted a variety of instrumental, vocal, and choral works along with jazz charts and popular music. He is currently Director of Music at Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica. Born in Manila, Philippines, Saunder holds degrees from De La Salle University – Manila, Berklee College of Music, and the USC Thornton School of Music.

Read more about Saunder at www.saunderchoi.com.

GA WORKSHOPS SPOTLIGHT

We are pleased to highlight the following workshops which will be part the 2021 Virtual UUA General Assembly. These offerings are just a handful of the fabulous 100+ live webinars and on-demand programs that GA registrants will have access to. One of the best parts about virtual GA – if you miss a live webinar or have trouble choosing between options, you’ll be able to catch up later on-demand!  GA Registrants now have an exclusive preview of the full listing of workshops (both live and on-demand) on the new GA app powered by Whova.

Community in a Post-Isolation Age (UUA)

For the past four years, people have been traumatized by the 45th Administration and its response to the global pandemic. We also suffer the pandemic of white supremacy and police brutality. This workshop will explore the trauma inherent in both these scourges and help congregations build trauma-informed communities that address both.

Rev. Natalie Briscoe; Connie Goodbread; Christine Purcell; Rev. Jami Yandle

Harvesting Lessons, Planting Seeds: Reflections on Organizing, 2016-2021 (UUA’s Organizing Strategy Team)

UUs have organized for justice in unprecedented ways since 2016. What have we learned about our congregations, movements, and the political landscape? What is possible and most urgent now? Join the UUA’s Organizing Strategy Team to look back and plan forward for bold, faithful, strategic action for justice.

Nicole Pressley; Everette Thompson; Susan Leslie; Rev. Ashley Horan

Resourcing UU Theologies of Death and Dying (Meadville Lombard Theological School and Starr King School for the Ministry)

Drawn from UU theological foundations, this workshop provides participants with imagery and language for UU theologies of death and dying. In this time of pandemic response we find ourselves in need of renewed theological exploration to sustain our covenantal communities.

Rev. Dr. Sofia Betancourt; Dr. Elías Ortega

REWIRE: Rewiring Your Racial Consciousness (All Souls Unitarian Church, Tulsa OK)

Explore your own racial identify and identify next steps for your own development. With a values-centered approach, we white people can reclaim our wholeness and heal ourselves. A panel of leaders will open the workshop and then trained facilitators will work with small groups.

Rev. Barbara Prose; Dr. Chad Johnson; Lynda Jacobs; Shannon Boston

Rights of Nature: Who Speaks for the Earth? (UU Ministry for Earth, DRUUMM, UUA Green Sanctuary Program)

Indigenous Peoples and, increasingly, more communities are declaring that lakes, rivers, forest, grasslands, and all of the earth has rights. Human communities can fight for these rights and win. This program will provide education, spiritual inspiration, training, and embodied practice for UUs to join the movement for the rights of nature.

Winona LaDuke; Casey Camp-Horinek; Elliott Moffett; Freddy Lane

Starr King School for the Ministry President’s Lecture: Art in Search of Justice

A choreopoem in memory of UU minister James Reeb debuted at the 1990 GA in Milwaukee. Co-created by Rosemary Bray McNatt and Reeb’s daughter, Anne, it hasn’t been seen for 30 years. Its creators reunite to present the video and reassess both their collaboration and the UUA’s journey toward justice.

Rev. Rosemary McNatt; Anne Reeb

The Power of Story in Worship (The First Religious Society in Carlisle)

Our congregations struggle to find ways to keep the story element meaningful for all ages in worship. How can we harness the energy of intentional story as an essential part of the worship service? How can teens add their voice to crafting stories for worship? Let’s put the storybooks down and the “All Ages” back into the Time for All Ages.

Pam Howell; Rev. Lisa Mobayed; Emmy McCormack; Ashley Bryan

FLASH POLL

It’s only 96 days until the start of GA! Why haven’t you registered yet?
I don’t have the funds
I haven’t had the time
I’m waiting for more information
I’m not interested in attending this year
I’m already registered!

PREVIOUS POLL RESULTS

Which social media platform do you use the most?
Facebook 63% I do not use social media 22% Instagram 7% Twitter 5% Something Else 2% TikTok 1%

WITNESS, CONNECT, ACT!

A Social Witness Convening
Wednesday, March 24, 7-9 pm ET/4-6 pm PT
While many of us celebrate the promise of a new administration in the White House, things we care about — advocating for racial justice, countering white supremacy, protecting our democratic freedoms — are still at risk. By the thousands, Unitarian Universalists made their voices heard through the UU the Vote campaign. UU the Vote showed us all how vital and powerful we are when we act together. Inspired to grow more connections for collective social witness action for a wide range of values at risk, the Commission on Social Witness invites all UUs to Witness, Connect, Act!, a social witness convening to share and connect UUs doing similar work for inspiration and ideas.
Register Now! For questions, email socialwitness@uua.org

REGISTER NOW!

If you haven’t registered for Virtual GA 2021 already, there is no better time than right now! Registered attendees are among the first to hear program announcements, such as the Ware Lecturer and featured speakers, and only registered attendees will have access to the NEW! GA app. So, register early to join online discussions, familiarize yourself with the GA schedule, and find your place in our community of communities.

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