Seed Money: District Assembly

I'm in the Fremont Marriott at my first UU District Assembly (Pacific - Central District) on the tail end of District Assembly. It's been a good experience, I got to meet both Candidates for UUA President, learn all about Youth Conferences, and even spread some of the Good News of the Berkeley Student Co-ops to a few UUs.

I may do a longer response later, but just wanted to say that after meeting both Candidates for UUA President, I am strongly endorsing Rev Laurel Hallman for President.

As far as credentials, I find both candidates equally qualified for the position. As far as their policies, I could live with either. Rev Morales is right the UUA and District does need an administrative overhaul and successful congregations should be encouraged to share their knowledge with less successful ones. I also agree with Rev Laurel that we need to focus on a deepening of theology in our worship, so we not only attract new members to our congregations, but give a more firm ground for our current youth as they bridge out (not to mention ourselves) to Young Adulthood. Quoting the Oakland Poet, she proclaimed, in a lot of our services, "there is no there, there." Which spoke right to my heart.

Earlier in the day at a separate workshop about "creating" multi-cultural worship, I posed in an "open-ended" (meaning a specific answer was not expected) session, "how can we reach our minority voices inside our congregations, if we can't even reach our youth that have all the privileges already?"

In short, Rev Morales came across to me as an Administrator, while Rev Laurel came across as a spiritual leader. What really won me over to Rev Laurel side that I felt she really engaged with me when I asked her a question during her reception on day one of the convention. I asked her if we should "go to the colleges" and she answered an emphatic "yes," and we went back and forth on that a little bit.

During Rev Morales reception, I felt like he didn't really see me. Oh sure, he motioned me up to join his circle, but while I was introducing myself he just drifted off and turned to the next person. Also after his Keynote Address, I asked him, speaking as a Veteran, "What will we do for the victims of war?" Frankly, I think I caught him off guard, because I didn't feel he answered the question other that a half hearted, "we can't do it alone" and we will need to find partners and allies... Honestly, I wasn't really looking for a specific answer, I really just wanted to see if he would express any "concern." I wanted the minister to come out; wanted to see his humanity, what I got was a politicians "safe" answer, and it left me cold.

After Rev Laurel's keynote address, I told her about my wish to specialize in Youth and Young Adult Ministry, and my mentor's earnest response to me that "if I really want to do that, then I would either need to do my own fund raising or switch my denomination" because UUA doesn't have the resources. Rev Laurel knew my mentor (Rev Charlie Kast) and expressed that Charlie is probably right that the support won't come from UUA, but we need and should make these ministries a priority in our congregations. I didn't necessarily like the answer, but in some respects I already knew the answer (I've been researching this for months) and thanked her inwardly for being straight forward and honest.

Interestingly enough, after my question to Rev Laurel's, a donor that shall remain anonymous, handed my check with a small amount challenging me "grow it." To quote the Dean Pollard of UC Berkeley, "Colleagues, it has begun."

that's all for now, got to get ready to check out.