The City of St. Louis was founded in 1764 at almost the mid-point along the banks of the Mississippi River and it was soon dubbed the Gateway to the West. Because of the important historical role the Mississippi and its tributaries have played in America’s political and commercial development, the city of St. Louis played a prominent role in facilitating the settlement of the West. It is the seat of the oldest UU Congregation west of the Mississippi.

Today, the city is famous for its soaring Gateway Arch rising from the riverbank—a landmark for miles around. The America’s Center, where UUs from all over gathered for the General Assembly 2006, is several blocks northwest of the arch at the eastern edge of the city’s business district. About 4398 people attended GA 2006, including 2010 credentialed delegates, 332 ministers, 13 ministers emeritus, along with others who had come to attend workshops and other events.

		This year, our delegation included: co-chairs Alexandra Collier and James Moskin; Susan Cushman, Jack and Megan Friedman, Mary Ann Lang, Dick and Polly Leonard, Melaney Mashburn, Inez Miller, Peggy Montgomery, Nathan Shewmaker, Kurt Steele, and Scott Will. All Souls non-delegate participants at GA included our ministers, Galen Guengerich and Cheryl Walker, as well as Dick Ford and Helio Fred Garcia.
Our delegates met for a Delegate Dinner at the Tapas/Fusion restaurant Mosaic before the Service of the Living Tradition: Front (L-to-R): Inez Miller, Kurt Steele, Judy Chang, Alex Collier, Nathan Shewmaker, Alison & Scott Will; Back: Susan Cushman, Mary Ann Lang, Melaney Mashburn, Jim Moskin, Peggy Montgomery; Not in picture: Dick & Polly Leonard, Jack & Megan Friedman, Galen Guenguerich, Cheryl Walker, Dick Ford, Helio Fred Garcia (photographer).

The theme of this year’s General Assembly, “Towards Right Relations,” was introduced during the Opening Celebration, and explained as reflecting such characteristics as humility, awe and faithfulness. Scott Will, one of our delegates, reported in particular on this theme:

THE RIPPLE EFFECT OF RIGHT RELATIONSHIP AT GA, 2006
The theme of this year’s General Assembly in St. Louis, Missouri, was Right Relationship. The idea of Right Relationship derives from Buddhist teachings and is part of an approach to right living that includes such things as Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, and Right Thought. Implicit in the idea of Right Relationship is the idea that how we behave impacts our orientation to the world, and it impacts others as well.

Also implicit is the idea that application of any of these arenas of right living tends to pull the others along: Right Relationship can lead to or is achieved through Right Speech, Right Thought and Right Action; Right Thought affects Right Relationship, Right Speech and Right Action, and so on.

These two consequences of being in Right Relationship were in evidence throughout GA on the macro and micro levels, pervading everything from plenary sessions to services to workshops and informal gatherings.

The tone was set for sobering self-reflection at the Opening Ceremony. Patsy Sherrill Madden, the District Coordinator for this year’s GA Planning Committee, relayed that in line with General Assembly tradition, the Planning Committee had asked a representative from the Cahokia Native American Nation to speak at the Opening Ceremony as a way to acknowledge that we are on lands that were taken from them by Europeans. A representative wrote back: “Why should we drive four hours to speak for a few minutes just so you can feel better about yourselves? We have very real problems that we need to be addressing here.”

We woke up.

During plenary sessions, Moderator Gini Courter was steadfast in holding up Right Relationship whenever she found herself faced with its breakdown. At one point, a speaker at a mike made a comment that strongly did not reflect the sentiment in the room, and was booed by several attendees. Before the proceedings continued, Gini made it clear that the purpose of these proceedings is to allow diverse views to be expressed, and it is important to respect them. She did this without attacking those who sneered at the speaker’s comment—she simply spoke her truth.

We woke up again.

This approach prevailed throughout. At another point in plenary, a speaker at the procedural mike asked that we be careful in our language while speaking to issues. The Special Review Commission presented a report responding to the symptoms of what is felt to be a larger right relationship issue, presented by last year’s General Assembly regarding the way youth, and especially youth of color, are treated by the adults at GA. I also found myself in—and witnessed—several conversations with other attendees about the ways we tend to interact with each other within and beyond the denomination.

On the workshop front, and for the first time, there were multiple workshops on conflict management, a new workshop, “The Enneagram and Church Leadership,” on the typology of the Enneagram (which is all about understanding Right Relationship, Right Speech, Right Action and Right Thought), and peacemaking. I think it is no accident that the 2006-2010 congregational Study Action Issue is Peacemaking—to me, Right Relationship in its highest form.

The Sunday service provided the capstone to the week: The Rev. Gail Geisenhainer, minister of the UU Fellowship of Vero Beach, FL, gave a sermon entitled, “We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest.” She told the story of how long before she was a UU minister, on her reluctant second or third visit to a new UU church after being un-churched for years, she witnessed a speaker during “Joys and Concerns” make harsh and disparaging comments about homosexuals.

Rev. Geisenhainer, a lesbian who had strong misgivings about going to any church, almost did not come back the following week. But she chose to return, and found that several members got up during Joys and Concerns to make it clear that the views of one member did not represent the views of all members. Moreover, she was struck by the fact that there was no effort to attack or ostracize the member who made the original comments. Her worth and dignity were being respected, despite the specifics of her views being radically different from those around her.

Rev. Geisenhainer quoted the Buddha: “Never does hatred cease by hating in return.” She added, “I was learning my first lesson about being in covenant. When things get ugly, we do not walk away.” She experienced Right Speech in support of Right Relationship. I find it a powerful message that this was a pivotal moment in this minister’s life, as she went from being an unhappy snow plow driver to being a UU minister who is able to get up in front of us at GA and inspire us with this story. The ripple effect again.

I suspect (and am hoping) that a significant goal has been achieved at GA 2006: to have the modeling and discussion of Right Relationship generate enough of a critical mass to ripple out into our congregations and our overall “gestalt” as a denomination, and further impact our thought, speech and action in the world. The world needs this, and we can be examples in the way we run our churches and live our lives as Unitarian Universalists.

The opening celebration also featured the usual colorful parade of banners. Alex Collier and Nathan Shewmaker proudly carried the blue and white All Souls banner in the parade. Four new congregations were welcomed into the UUA that night.

The All Souls delegation was uncharacteristically small this year and was jointly led by Alex Collier and Jim Moskin. The group included an unusually large component of first time delegates. Since they were scattered in a number of hotels, communications between delegates at non-Plenary hours was difficult to maintain. Still, a number of enthusiastic reports about the events at the General Assembly were received from those who attended for the first time. Here is an excerpt from the report by Mary Ann Lang:

As a first time attendee at the UUA General Assembly, I was somewhat overwhelmed by the array of choices that filled each day. I was there as a delegate for All Souls and in that capacity, I knew that participation in the plenary sessions was essential. There was only one Statement of Conscience (SOC) being debated and considered for adoption. This statement on the “Threat of Global Warming” had been sent to the congregations in 2004 for two years of study, action and reflection. In order to become fully informed about the SOC and the reactions to it, I participated in several mini-assemblies as a member of the group that reviewed the scientific section. The democracy in action on this topic at these assemblies and the plenary session was animated and impressive. At the end of GA, the delegates did adopt the “Threat of Global Warming” SOC, but it was somewhat a cliffhanger.

As Mary Ann pointed out, casting votes for our congregation at the long and often confusing Plenary Sessions is one of the major obligations for members of the official delegation. Aside from the general Statement of Conscience considered at each GA, there are always a number of Study Action Issues (SAIs) and Actions of Immediate Witness (AIWs) to be debated, amended and accepted or voted down. Mini-workshops are held each day to acquaint delegates with the pros and cons of these issues.

During Plenary III, for example, ten potential AIWs were discussed:

1. A Call to Establish a United States Department of Peace
2. End Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining
3. Endorse “The Declaration of Peace” Campaign
4. Gulf Coast Workers Deserve Justice Now
5. Protection for Farm Worker Children in the Fields
6. Pass the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act
7. Provide Living Wages and Promised Benefits to Armed Services Personnel
8. Rebuild New Orleans
9. Stand Up for the United Nations Human Rights Council
10. Support Immigrant Justice—Sí, Se Puede! Yes We Can!

At subsequent meetings, these proposals were whittled down to six of which five were accepted in the final voting, including the one to End Mountain Top Removal Coal Mining, the “Declarations of Peace” Campaign proposal, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, the proposal for the United Nations Human Rights Council, and Support Immigrant Justice.

The Statement of Conscience this year was about the Threat of Global Warming. Amended during GA, it was eventually passed in its amended form. It states in part that the earth is our home and that life on this planet will be gravely affected unless we embrace new practices, ethics and values to guide our lives on a warming planet. The purpose of adopting such a statement in the name of the UUA is to state the position on such matters of our denomination that can be used by the President and Moderator in Washington or in the world at large.

A new Study/Action Issue for the coming years, “Peace Making,” was proposed, discussed, and approved for referral to congregations for further study and review along the way to becoming a Statement of Conscience. The focus of this SAI is to more clearly define our responses to human conflict, balancing our belief in non-violence with our belief in “just war” and a right to self defense—when to respond and how to respond so as to honor our various principles and values especially when they conflict.

At the Plenary Sessions, delegates also hear about the work of related organizations, such as the UUWA (UU Women’s Association), UUSC (UU Service Committee) UU-UNO (UU United Nations Organization), and a host of committees doing the work of the UUA reporting on such matters as budgets, awards, education, socially responsible investing, accreditation, and rules and procedures. Finally, a lot of time is usually devoted to By-Law changes that the delegates have to discuss and accept. A large number of such changes were enacted during this GA.

At the Plenaries, delegates also hear speeches by the leadership, such as President William Sinkford and Moderator Gini Courter. A particularly stirring presentation about the idea of a new reformation was made by the Meadville Lombard Theological Seminary calling for a change in UU theology. This is an excerpt from the program:

UUism looks to show that we can even be enriched by religious differences, but how are we helping? How can we get beyond it? Do we offer alternatives? Have we adequately articulated our usefulness? Does liberal religion live up to its promise by working in the world? And so, we have much to do because we are not providing religious leadership; living up to our potential to guide the world; we are limited by our very success. Our strengths lead to our undoing: strengths such as freedom of language of religious experience—but this leads us too far beyond tradition to help people of other traditions. We believe in religious pluralism—but this leads people to believe we are not leaders from our own theology, but merely theological grazers. We are ready for a new reformation to revise our approach and make us less dysfunctional. Our self-absorption and our fear of orthodoxy has cut us off; our tolerance of differences has become diffusive. UUism now means almost nothing without qualification; hyphenated identities. We must redefine ourselves and recover our theological literacy: Commitment to the openness of revelation—A new way of listening; Commitments to the true and good and symbols to inform this new approach; Organic and holistic—We must work individually, in congregations, and in the denomination as a whole. We must look at our history and the value of all our sources; Service rather than maintenance oriented mission—We must commit our talents and resources to a renewal of theological literacy. Theism joins with humanism in service to Spirit of Life. A Third way is needed between militant Religionism and a Secular Consumer society.

Aside from attending all of the plenary sessions, our hard-working delegates also attended a large roster of workshops and lectures where they could mingle and interact with delegates from congregations all over the United States. Their reports or excerpts from reports (to avoid duplication) reflect their specific interests and particularly from new delegates, their reactions to very different and new experiences.

Susan Cushman, for example, writes about her bewilderment when she first arrived in St. Louis:

There was a fleeting moment when, upon first arriving in St. Louis for the 45th General Assembly of Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, I thought maybe I shouldn’t have come. I’d spent the day before at LaGuardia, waiting on a delayed flight that eventually cancelled due to bad weather, with the next (and only) flight out being the following morning at 6am. After arriving in St. Louis that hot and hazy afternoon, I learned that my luggage hadn’t arrived, and the hotel I’d booked was a good half-hour commute from the convention site. Undaunted by the delay, my missing baggage, the St. Louis humidity, and the commute to the convention center, I excitedly approached the registration desk where I was told “the computers are down, and we aren’t sure if you will be able to vote in the first plenary session.” At that moment, I thought I’d been the victim of some cruel, inexplicable joke. “I can still turn back now,” I thought, “get back to New York by nightfall, crawl into my bed for some much-needed sleep, and nobody would miss me.” But for some reason, I didn’t. I had come a long way; I’d spent hours reading the program and putting together my itinerary for the weekend. There were interesting workshops to attend, new people to meet, and, above all, an obligation to my church to fulfill. I would stay. And today, I am so glad I did.

Sure, the first hour or so, I walked around a bit dumbfounded—taking in all the congregational banners, the crowds, the exhibit hall, gradually finding my way around the mall-like convention center. I was still “unregistered” and a little unsure of myself when I attended my first workshop, “Toolkits for Activism on UN Issues.” Well, what a relief it was to see Peggy Montgomery and Jim Nelson at the helm. They were two friendly faces I recognized, and from that point on, I felt connected and certain that my purpose for coming to GA would reveal itself in time. Indeed, it did. I’d “signed up” to learn more about Unitarian-Universalism, and to serve the church if I could; I have returned, with both more knowledge about my new faith family and an energized call toward continued service at All Souls.

During the rest of her stay she did all the things she was supposed to do as a delegate. She wrote:

While I can’t possibly cover all the workshops I attended, I can mention some highlights. Some sessions were informative; others moved or inspired me personally. Among the most informative were: “Growing UU Congregations in a Post Denominational World,” “Implementing the Newly Adopted UUA Statement of Conscience on Global Warming,” and “Leaders Wanted—Apply Within.” In the first of these sessions, the Rev. Dr. William McKinney talked about the relationship between the decrease in membership of Protestant churches and the increase in the general population. His research suggests that incoming immigrants are of non-Protestant faiths. He also explained how older denominations have higher death rates. Dr. McKinney, a UCC minister who calls himself a “right-wing Unitarian,” would like to see the UU faith “get back on Main St.” He says we need to better articulate our core beliefs in order to respond to the prevailing fundamentalist discourse. He concluded by asking the audience a question: how do we “re-claim liberalism without totalizing like the Right?” It is this question that the next generation of theologians needs to address.

After learning more about the SOC in the Plenaries, she took extra steps to inform herself more:

After attending a couple of plenary sessions, I learned that a Statement of Conscience (SOC) on the threat of global warming had been approved by our denomination, but that it was still in the revision stages; any changes to be made would have to be voted upon on the last day of this GA meeting. To learn more about the issue and the democratic process by which we execute a report on the issue, I attended a mini-session where folks were passionately engaged. I regretted not having more knowledge about the issue (or process) beforehand, but appreciated the democratic nature of the forum, where so many UUs with different opinions gathered to exchange information and make their voices heard. Rob Keithan from the Washington office presided. Many amendments were debated, and there was a general consensus that stronger, more specific language was needed for the SOC to have impact in the media. At one point, there was a call for professional editors who would work on eliminating repetitive language, so I, along with a few others, volunteered to assist; but it was later decided that such a move might violate the protocol since the SOC was already approved as is. I appreciated the integrity of the decision, but was slightly disappointed that I didn’t have a chance to participate in the way I knew best (through writing and editing).

Susan in fact became interested enough to attend a workshop about volunteer opportunities within UUA, an avenue she intends to explore further. In fact, in her long report she encourages others in our congregation to search out and apply for such positions and offers information if contacted. The rest of her report reflects her enthusiasm for her GA experience:

And now with the “business” reporting out of the way, I save the best for last—a few memorable moments that spoke directly to my heart. I was awed by the Service of the Living Tradition, at which the music alone moved me to tears. It was also special to witness and participate in the UUA’s official recognition of Cheryl M. Walker’s accomplishments in ministry. On another occasion, I was invited to worship with a group of new friends I’d met at a session on Christian UUs. It gave me great joy to meet this group at a local St. Louis Episcopal church, where we would break bread, sing hymns, and hear a short sermon together. Here, I learned that the diversity within the UU faith is not just rhetoric, but really true. With a Christian background, but a newfound excitement about UU principles and practice, I felt right at home with the Christian UU group; it helped me reconcile some conflicting ideas about my “two faiths.” I suppose I learned that they could co-exist, and they do for a good many people. I’ll never forget sharing the good news of this experience with Inez Miller, and her positive support. She may have even inspired me to start a reading or discussion group with (and for) other Christian UUs in our congregation, should folks be interested.

And, yet, I attended the session on Darwin, sponsored by the Humanist-UU Association, and was comforted to learn what I’d sensed all along about the great evolutionary biologist: that he did have a spiritual side. We like to think of Darwin’s theory in contrast to Creationism, but the dramatic re-enactment I observed challenges that old duality; it seems Darwin retained a faith in the unknown in spite of his scientific research. One of my favorite, and most memorable lines from this session was when the character playing Darwin’s wife said: “Charles, I fear that your theory of natural selection applied to humans will leave us separated in the next world,” and Darwin assured her: “Whatever we will face in the next world, we will face it together.”

There were many moments like these, when I felt moved or enlightened; part of democracy in action; or just part of a community of “good souls”—people who care about equality, justice, and social progress. I had experienced a rough start on this trip—and even a day or so into GA, felt moments of loneliness and uncertainty about my place there. I took a few meals alone, and initially felt disconnected from our delegation at that first seemingly exhaustive plenary. But there was a spiritual presence in this great place and among the literally thousands in attendance, that guided me to the right sessions, and to the right people—so that in due time, I understood how special this meeting was. I soon felt not only comfortable, but proud of my role as an All Souls GA delegate. It was a weekend of learning, of risk-taking, of discovery. And, in the end, it was a weekend of bonding. My favorite meal was with fellow delegates, Jim Moskin, Alex Collier, and Nathan Shewmaker who too, stayed the course through the final plenary on Sunday. Tired, hungry, and yet each of us in our own way uplifted by the weekend’s events, the four of us shared impressions and questions, joys and concerns.

I wish to thank Alex, in particular, for encouraging me to attend GA, and our church for financial support. It was truly a life-changing experience for me, as I made new friends, and deepened my spiritual calling in this faith and to our church. Especially since I will begin co-chairing the Peace Task Force in January 2007, I hope that in the fall, our delegation and ministers can reconvene to discuss the Study Action Issue for 2006-2008, which is “Peacemaking.” Until then, I close with a poem of thanks by Mary Oliver, nature poet extraordinaire and GA 2006 Ware lecturer:

There are a lot of words meaning thanks
Some you can only whisper.
Others you can only sing.
The pewee whistles instead,
The snake turns in circles,
The beaver slaps his tail
On the surface of the pond.
The deer in the pinewoods stamps his hoof.
Goldfinches shine as they float through the air.
A person, sometimes, will hum a little Mahler.
Or put arms around old oak tree.
Or take out lovely pencil and notebook to find a few
Touching, kissing words.