When they attend in person, many Canadian Unitarians find the very large Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) General Assemblies (GAs) to be inspiring and comforting. This year, in virtual mode, UUA’s GA promises to be something quite different!
The UUA lists 11 events that will be live streamed sessions open to the public without prior registration. Click here to go to the UUA page that gives instructions for live-streaming any of these 11 open events.
The first UUA open event is scheduled for 5:45- 6:30 pm Pacific Time, Wednesday, 24 June 2020. This is the first of six sessions of the UUA General Business Meeting – perhaps of particular interest to UU policy nerds. Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Co-Moderators Mr. Barb Greve and Elandria Williams will preside over the general sessions in which the business of the Association is conducted.
Other live-streaming events from the GA that Canadian Unitarians may find of more interest include the following:
SERVICE OF THE LIVING TRADITION, GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2020
Thursday, June 25, 2020; 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight; 3:00 – 4:00 pm Pacific Time
The Ministries and Faith Development Staff Group invites you to join us at this service where we honor those who have died, recognize those who have completed active service, and welcome those who have received fellowship, credentialed, or certified status in the past year.
The sermon will be delivered by Rev. Danielle Di Bona. Rev. Di Bona has served Unitarian Universalism for 30 years, and is the 2018 recipient of the Award for Distinguished Service to the Cause of Unitarian Universalism. In her retirement, she serves as the Palliative Care chaplain at South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, MA. She has served as a member of the UU Nominating Committee and on the UU Women’s Federation board. She is the former President of the Diverse and Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries, and continues to serve DRUUMM as Chaplain. Rev. Di Bona also serves on the Board of the Church of the Larger Fellowship. She is a Chaplain to the UUA Board of Trustees and Finding Our Way Home.
Dr. Zanaida Stewart Robles, Service of the Living Tradition Music Director, is a fierce advocate for diversity and inclusion in music education and performance. Born, raised, and educated in Southern California, she is in demand as a vocalist, conductor, clinician and adjudicator for competitions, festivals, and conferences related to choral and solo vocal music. She serves on the national board of the National Association of Negro Musicians and is co-chair of the board of directors of Tonality, a non-profit organization that promotes peace, unity, and social justice through choral music performance in Los Angeles.
The service includes a collection to benefit the Living Tradition Fund. Members of the public are welcome.
SYNERGY BRIDGING WORSHIP, GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2020
Friday, June 26, 2020; 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, 3:00 – 4:00 pm Pacific Time,
This is a transformative multigenerational worship. Come be inspired and illuminated at a celebration of treasured worship elements, rites of passage and brilliant contemporary musical performances.
SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP: “BEYOND THE WATER’S EDGE,” UUA GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2020
This event is scheduled to occur twice on Sunday, June 28, 2020:
- 7:00 – 8:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time
- 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time
- The service will also be available for on-demand viewing at 11:00 a.m. PDT.
“Join us for the largest annual gathering of UUs joining in worship. This powerful, communal worship experience is open to the public. Rev. Joan Javier-Duval will deliver the sermon at the 2020 General Assembly Sunday Morning Worship. She serves as Minister of the Unitarian Church of Montpelier, VT. She is the daughter of immigrants from the Philippines, mother of a kindergartener, and spouse of a proud Vermonter. Beauty, gratitude, and love are at the heart of her faithful striving for collective liberation and a thriving planet.
The worship service will include a collection for the Tomaquag Museum, an indigenous museum featuring an extensive collection and archive of Southern New England tribal communities.”
If you’d like to take part in the whole UUA GA you can register here for US$150 and will then have live access to all sessions including the Opening Ceremonies, Ware Lecture, and nine Featured Speakers.
Other resources are also mentioned in the UUA documentation, including a resource of accessible liturgical music composed by the late Rev Dr Andy Backus. Many Vancouver Unitarians will remember Andy who served as UCV’s interim minister from 2000-2002. Andy died on 15 Jan 2020. An obituary for Rev Backus will be listed separately on this blog and Andy will be remembered as part of the UUA GA Service of the Living Tradition on Thursday, 25 June.