UUCF General Assembly Events

The UUCF at General Assembly 2009
Salt Lake City, June 24th -28th
Experiencing Theological Diversity, Depth

This year at the Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly in Salt Lake City, June 24-28, the UUCF is going to have our most extensive presence ever, our largest booth ever, and will be sharing that booth space and joint booth programming with the UU Buddhist Fellowship and UU Mystics in Community. We will be one of the major hubs, located right across from the UUA Bookstore, and thanks to partners with the Massachusetts Bay District, we will be offering a General Assembly program official Communion Service again, with sermon by the Rev. Earl Holt, senior minister of Kings Chapel in Boston. We will also have an important Annual Meeting, catered dinner, and hymn sing program at First Unitarian Church in Salt Lake City.

Come and See....If you would like to volunteer at the booth or help out at worship or some other way, contact RevRonRobinson.

Thursday, June 25, 1:00 to 2:15 p.m. at Our Expanded Booth

• Christian Voices in UUism: Based on the book by Skinner House, edited by UUCF President, Rev. Kathleen Rolenz, different UU Christians will talk about freely following Jesus as their spiritual path and how Unitarian Universalism has helped.

Friday, June 26, 2:45 to 4:00 p.m. at Our Booth

• UU Christian Spiritual Practices: What spiritual practices and disciplines from our own UU Christian history, and from other Christian traditions, do UU’s follow, and how can they grow the soul of all regardless of theological orientation?

Saturday June 27, at Our Booth

• 1:00 to 2:15 p.m. - Emerging Small Groups The Jesus Way:  Planting and nurturing and multiplying small groups of UU Christians and Jesus-followers in your church or, with other progressive Christians, in your wider area, and how the lessons from the Emergent Church movement can help.

• 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. in the  Salt Palace Room 255A - GA Communion Service  with Massachusetts Bay District Sponsorship: Rev. Earl Holt, senior minister King's Chapel, Boston.  "Something We Do" - Annual GA Communion Service, open to all, non-creedal, in the loving and liberating spirit of Jesus.

• 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. - Catered Dinner, Annual Meeting, Hymn Sing Program at the First Unitarian Church, 569 S. 1300 E.  Maps and carpooling signup available at the UUCF booth. RSVP Dinner ($25) to Rev. Ron Robinson, 918-691-3223 or RevRonRobinson@aol.com.  Skip the long Saturday dinner lines; come and celebrate.

Sunday, June 28, 1:00 to 2:15 p.m. at Our Booth

• Trialogue on Theological Diversity with UU Buddhist Fellowship, UU Mystics in Community.  A panel of representatives from UU Christians, UU Buddhists, and UU Mystics will discuss some of the themes from the 2005 report from the Commission on Appraisal. How are we informed and transformed by our theologies? How do we engage our theological diversity within the UUA? How can our theological interest groups further enrich UU congregational life? Attendees will be welcome to participate in the discussion.

Our booth will also have free books, journals, newsletters, pamphlets, our new web ministry, and DVD programs from contemporary progressive Christian biblical scholars and commentators.

Come to these Other Programs at our shared booth as well:

• Thursday, June 25, 2:45 to 4:00 p.m.:  100,000 Vajrasattva Mantras
  The Rev. Judith Wright will present slides and speak about her 5 month sabbatical journey in Nepal, January-June 2008. She stayed for this entire time in a Tibetan-Buddhist monastery/nunnery (Kopan) doing spiritual
  practices and teaching the nuns.

• Thursday, June 25, 4:30 to 5:30p.m.:  UU Mystics Community Gathering
  An informal gathering of members, friends, and all who share an interest in direct experience of transcending mystery and wonder. Our trustees will be on hand to discuss our purpose, objectives, activities, and our contribution to the spiritual life of UU congregations.

• Friday, June 26, 1:00 to 2:15 p.m.:  Mystical Naturalism
  Mystical naturalism means that basic religious truths can be found in nature, through observation and experience, and recognizes that some of that experience is beyond our natural abilities to understand. The universe is unknowable in its entirety and mystical naturalism respects the mystery of the wonder and wisdom that is there for all of us in times of need or out of the blue. Led by the Rev. Susan Manker-Seale.

• Saturday, June 27, 2:45 to 4:00p.m.:  Sharing Mystical Experience
  Many of us have had them, but not as many have found a place to share our mystical experiences with others of open mind and heart. These experiences can take on the shape of our religious backgrounds, but the commonalities are deep and connect us to one another. Led by the Rev. Susan Manker-Seale.

• Saturday, June 27, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.:  Fostering a UU Mindfulness Practice Group
  This workshop will help you foster your own lay-led, peer-led, UU Mindfulness Practice Group. The MPG model emphasizes practice and does not require teachers or adherence to any particular approach to Buddhism. Led by Robert Ertman.

Don't miss this exciting Unitarian Universalist adventure.