Ethical eating is next Congregational Study/Action Issue
Ethical eating was chosen Saturday as the next Congregational Study/Action Issue, defeating nuclear disarmament by a large margin. The Rev. John Millspaugh, accompanied by members of the youth caucus, gave what may have been the most persuasive argument: “Eating is a delight for everyone, not just activists,” Millspaugh said. “UUs love to eat! It will [...]
Immigration group is GA service project
Hispanic Unity of Florida was designated as this year’s GA service project. Hispanic Unity of Florida is a private nonprofit human services agency founded in 1982 that works to empower Hispanics and others in the community. During Saturday’s plenary, Josie Bacallard, one of the group’s leaders, described the organization, which serves recently arrived immigrants in [...]
UUSC reports on partnerships, projects, relief funds
Dr. Charlie Clements, president of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, an independent human rights group, gave a report at Saturday’s plenary session on several of UUSC’s recent projects. UUSC has traditionally worked through partnerships with grassroots organizations (both domestic and international) serving the most marginalized in society. He described a recent effort in which UUSC [...]
Board outlines its initiatives; Treasurer describes investing impact
Saturday’s four-and-a-half-hour-long morning plenary featured a variety of reports, including annual reports from the Board of Trustees, the Treasurer, and the Green Sanctuary program. Charlie King, Charlie Burke, the Rev. José Ballester, and Tamara Payne-Alex, the four at-large members of the UUA’s Board of Trustees, summarized four of the major issues facing the board. These [...]
GA having a ‘green’ impact
This is the fourth GA since the UUA began making a concerted effort to make the annual gathering of congregational leaders “green.” From those first tentative efforts has grown a movement. Each year GA has been a little greener although each year it happens in different ways. The new thing this year is that we [...]
Forrest Church honored with Distinguished Service award
“I am proud of this award, and don’t feel particularly sinful saying it,” said the Rev. Dr. Forrest Church, accepting the 2008 Annual Award for Distinguished Service to the Cause of Unitarian Universalism at the Saturday morning plenary. Church, who was senior minister at All Souls Church in New York City for more than 20 [...]
Fewer at GA this year
General Assembly has a bit of a different feel to it this year here in Fort Lauderdale. For starters there are just under 3,000 people attending, about half the number who came to Portland a year ago. The decrease can be attributed to South Florida’s humidity, some anxiety about the need to pass through a [...]
Youth and young adult empowerment resolution passes
Youth and young adults were jubilant after passage of the youth and young adult empowerment resolution at this morning’s plenary session. The resolution calls for congregational, financial, and spiritual support for youth and young adults. The vote was preceded by a heated debate in which numerous youth and young adults spoke to the importance of [...]
Joy and sorrow at Service of the Living Tradition
Tonight was the Service of the Living Tradition, always a high point of General Assembly and an event which most people who come to GA attend. The worship service is the annual recognition of ministers who are beginning and ending their active ministries as well as a recognition of those ministers who have died within [...]
President’s report focuses on year’s successes, future goals
In his address to the assembled throng at the 2008 General Assembly on Thursday, UUA President William G. Sinkford reiterated his commitment to develop and support UU ministers of color and to achieve an effective and comprehensive youth ministry. He also referenced the success of the UUA’s advertising campaign, an increase in the number of [...]
