June 1, 2005
Present: Helen Bishop, Chair; Eva Marx, UUA Board liaison; Gene Burr; Vincent Licenziato; soon-to-be Rev. Wendy von ZirpoloAbsent: Rev. Laurie Thomas (in the hospital)
Reading: “One Wish,” by Rev. Lisa Friedman (from How We Are Called, edited by Mary Benard and Kirstie Anderson, published in 2003 by Skinner)
Check-in
- Gene is enjoying semi-retirement in east Tennessee, and is wondering how we’ll spend our time at GA.
- Eva’s enjoying the sunshine, and looking forward to seeing her granddaughter this summer.
- Wendy is basking because she’s just graduated from Boston University. She had shoulder surgery two weeks ago, has some rehab to do, but is enjoying not driving to Boston. She’ll be the interim assistant minister in Winchester, MA next year. Her daughter Amanda graduates from high school, and Wendy is being ordained in Haverhill, MA on June 19.
- Vincent is glad the sun is out in MA, and just got back from New York where he visited his parents.
- Helen just returned from New Mexico where her family celebrated her stepfather’s 100th birthday.
Report on the visit to Restoration Church in Philadelphia (Wendy)
Gene asked if anything had been published on our consultation with Restoration Church in Philadelphia. Wendy reported some back-and-forth things with Bruce, who wanted things held until he returned from Italy. Wendy is working on editing, and she’d appreciate some help with getting a report ready to send to the UU World. Vincent will read it when it’s ready.
New Accessibilities Committee website
Go to uua.org, then look for “Committees.”
General Assembly 2005
Vincent will be arriving on Friday. Gene, Helen, Wendy and Eva will be there earlier.
Meetings
- Thursday, June 23, 7:30 am.
- Friday, June 24, 7:30 am
- Daily, 10 – 15 minutes
- Discussion on data-gathering
- Plenary presentations
Documenting the experience of people with disabilities at GA
- Wendy proposed that the focus be on a learning and growing experience around awareness and accountability, and less on what the barriers at GA are. We would then be reporting on how we are all doing at creating that experience.
- Vincent suggested that we could get information from the Accessibilities Table on who’s present, how may scooters were rented, how many assistive listening devices were requested, etc. We would need input from Patti Knipstein.
- We could use stickers with a statement of commitment to raise awareness. Gene suggested that we use the button “Attitudes are the REAL disability” rather than stickers.
Plenaries
- “We’re hearing back that. . .”
- Establish a goal for the day, and an ongoing dialogue
- Gene asked Vincent to make a list of critical areas that we should be monitoring at GA.
District orientations
- Each person should plan to attend his/her district orientation
- Mention that we distributed the video, and will be asking for their
assistance in gathering information in the coming year
--Wendy – Clara Barton
--Wendy– Mass Bay
--Eva – Ballou Channing
--Gene – Thomas Jefferson
--Helen – Mid-South
To do list
- Find out how many buttons we have – Helen will ask Simona Munson
- Checklist (Vincent) on things that are likely to be problematic
- Information on which hotels people are staying at – send to Helen via email
- Request to Tom Stites if he’d be willing to run an article we’d provide, with photos – Helen will be in touch with Tom
- Contact with Patty for good candidates to follow around GA – Vincent
- Find out if they’re planning to offer a room for people with MCEs – Helen
- Bring your Access Ctte T shirts to Fort Worth
Committee on Committees questionnaire
Send to Nancy Lawrence at the UUA, 25 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108-2800
Meeting with the UUA Board working group in October (Eva)
- Every two years, people are re-assigned to the working groups, and to liaison responsibilities. The Committee on Committees will be making recommendations at the end of GA.
- We can meet with people from our working group on Friday, October 14. Helen will try to find out the time – sometime between 9 am and 3 pm.
Other business:
Vincent reported having heard that at an awareness workshop for UUA staff the brochure “What Do I Say? What Do I Do?” was considered offensive by some and was not being recommended by the workshop leaders. Vincent said that given his experience with training in this community, that he felt this was a minority opinion and that he would like to discuss this further with Identity Based Ministry staff.
Video (Gene) – Devorah is working on getting the video digitized and put on the UUA web site.
Logos – Vincent has been working with the man in Philadephia who sketched our portraits during the consult. He’ll bring examples to Fort Worth.
Consults – Wendy preached “Designed Out” in Canton, MA. She reported that the service was well-received.
Respectfully submitted,
Helen Bishop, Acting Recorder
Last updated on Friday, November 17, 2006.
