PeaceBang

What I LIKED About GA: All Dressed Up and Lookin’ Like Family

July 5, 2007 on 9:57 am | In Unitarian Universalism, Unitarian Universalism: Events |

Since a few of you asked:

1. I loved Barbara Pescan and Carl Scovel’s 25 and 50 year sermon at Ministry Days. LOVED them.

2. I loved the UU Christian Fellowship Communion Service, for which I crafted the liturgy and co-officiated with Tom Schade, who gave a wonderful sermon. The best part was giving communion to so many people who come with tears in their eyes and such a deep hunger for this ancient ritual — a ritual that wasn’t designed to resemble an ancient ritual but actually IS one, that doesn’t carefully omit words and phrases that might offend, but that just retells a story that they know and can make their own and invites them to the table as they are, with all their doubts and translating, all their skepticism and all their frailty. Jesus doesn’t care about any of our doubts and linguistic gymnastics, he just wants us for the work of love and justice. As I said before, in an earlier post, we UUs tend to look at people and see victims. Jesus looks at people and sees disciples. It’s no wonder our Communion services get more and more crowded every year.

3. I loved the UUCF Hymn Sing on Saturday night. For the person who asked whether I feel especially nourished by my time with that group, the answer is an emphatic YES. I have been involved with the UUCF since I was an active Wiccan in seminary (yes, I once self-identified as a Transcendentalist Christian Witch! And only half-jokingly!) and have been held in the bosom of UUism through that group since then. I was on the UUCF board for a time, and take pride in having been one of the people who worked extremely hard to make our GA offerings better and bigger. I am also extremely proud to have been on the planning team for our first ever REVIVAL conference which was held in New Orleans in 1999. Back then, we had no idea what to expect and no idea who would show. As it turns out, close to 100 people came and we sang the old hymns without censoring any lyrics (trusting that everyone could deal with them in their own way, being people of inherent worth and dignity and all), prayed to and unapologetically praised God, had a healing service that was one of the most powerful experiences of my religious life in community (Thomas Mikelson preached and we offered laying on of hands in teams), and had an incredible time. REVIVAL conferences are now offered yearly in various cities and draw a healthy attendance each time, and often big name speakers. This year will be in Cleveland in November and will feature John Dominick Crossan.
I have published several articles in the “Good News” and have an essay in the collection Christian Voices in Unitarian Universalism, edited by UUCF board member Kathleen Rolenz.

4. I always cry at the banner parade, and I especially loved the music this year.

5. I loved seeing friends from all over the country, and hearing stories about congregations that are doing great things. I always learn the most from spending time with people one on one and picking their brains about what they’re doing and how it’s working.

6. I really enjoyed Meg Barnhouse and Doug Muder’s talk on spiritual writing, and loved being invited to sing Meg’s song “All Will Be Well” with her.

7. While Open Space Technology wasn’t really my thing, I could see that some people were getting a very positive experience out of it, and that was happy to see.

8. I loved knowing that two of my congregation’s delegates got great stuff from UU University, and I loved knowing that an excellent team from my church was out and about soaking up inspiration to bring home. They are relentlessly creative and upbeat when I am mopey, and I would have a very hard time attending GA if my peeps weren’t there.

9. I loved attending most of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee dinner and hearing about their projects, and I especially loved seeing one of my congregants win one of their three national representative awards. I was proud, mama!

10. It was fun to come in at the end of the Blogger Dinner and then to have very swanky drinks at a bar with Chalice Chick, Linguish Friend, Reverend Ricky, Chutney, Philocrites and Hafidha Sofia (Never Say Never To Your Traveling Self).

Speaking of which, here’s a wonderful moment from GA:

The aforementioned gang and I are walking down the streets of Portland finding our way to the next restaurant/bar and we come to a homeless shelter or mission house of some kind. There are folk sitting in the doorway and milling about on the street in front, and a police office is having a very unpleasant verbal exchange with a belligerent woman.
As I start to get through the small crowd, a tall, very skinny black man wearing a knit cap steps in front of me and blocks my way. Not threatening or anything; he just wants to get my attention. I look up at him and he says, in the most slow, snarky but affectionate drawl you can imagine:

“Well…. would you look at everyone all dressed up and LOOKIN’ LIKE FAMILY.”

And this becomes my favorite expression for GA. And maybe for church life in general.

All dressed up and LOOKIN LIKE FAMILY.