Getting ready for GA: so you think we have jargon today?

Cover from a “getting ready for General Convention 1915” newsletter. On the special train that took delegates to California! But where does the name come from? My guess: UGC: Universalist General Convention WUMA: Women’s Universalist Missionary Association (I’m guessing. The organization tended to change names. A precursor to the UU Women’s Federation.) YPCU: Young People’s… Continue reading Getting ready for GA: so you think we have jargon today?

Make your own unconference within General Assembly

I’ll probably be very tired at GA this year; I have been each year I’ve been. But I intend to attend it differently this year. I have helped plan, worked and attended Sunlight Foundation’s hybrid-unconference TransparencyCamp for several years, and have attended at least one other unconference, not to mention a bunch of meetings built… Continue reading Make your own unconference within General Assembly

Getting ready for GA: a request for presenters, attendees

If you’re presenting at General Assembly, please consider posting your notes, slides or other media in a place online where others can find them later, and announce or post the URL. Need a place? Google Drive seems to be a popular option. (One congregation drops its newsletters there; a link to show my point.)  Flickr… Continue reading Getting ready for GA: a request for presenters, attendees

Are any new congregations to be added at June meeting?

I looked at the June meeting Unitarian Universalist Association Board packet, but couldn’t find any reference to any congregations being proposed for admission. That would be unusual for the pre-GA meeting. Are there any, or have you see where they would be? Perhaps I’m looking in the wrong place, or that report isn’t out or… Continue reading Are any new congregations to be added at June meeting?

Getting ready for GA: Providence Denominational Meeting! 1858!

Getting ready for General Assembly in Providence, the first hosted in the city since the 1961 Unitarian-Universalist consolidation? But the pre-consolidation Universalists met there several times. Let’s see what the Universalists in 1858. There’s this little tidbit from the report on the State of the Church, referencing the Panic of 1857. Then came the great… Continue reading Getting ready for GA: Providence Denominational Meeting! 1858!

Getting ready for GA: Looking back at Providence

So, General Assembly is this month. I thought I’d begin my preparations by looking back to the last time we were in Providence. Not the Unitarian Universalist Association, of course. This is our first General Assembly there. But the Universalist General Convention met in Providence in 1842, 1858, 1868, 1878 and 1923. So I’m looking… Continue reading Getting ready for GA: Looking back at Providence