19:33:51:06    WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 2010                               1
20:03:12:13    8:00PM CST
20:03:12:13    OPENING WORSHIP & PLENARY I
20:03:12:13
20:03:12:13    CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY:
20:03:12:15    HEAR INK
20:03:12:13    INFO@HEARINK.COM
20:03:12:15    PHONE:  314-427-1113
20:03:12:15
20:03:12:16
19:38:57:10    HI.
20:03:13:15    I'M BETH MCGREGOR, CHAIR OF THE GENERAL
20:03:17:18    ASSEMBLY PLANNING COMMITTEE.
20:03:18:21    IT'S WEDNESDAY NIGHT, JUNE 23RD.
20:03:20:22    SO THIS MUST BE GA AT MINNEAPOLIS.
20:03:23:27    OKAY?  THANK YOU, GA BAND.
20:03:31:21    YOU'RE GOING TO BE  --
20:03:33:27     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:03:34:12    >> YOU'LL BE HEARING A LOT MORE FROM
20:03:36:00    THESE FOLKS AND FROM A LOT OF FANTASTIC
20:03:38:22    BUNCH OF OTHER MUSICIANS.
20:03:43:09    SO ARE YOU GLAD YOU'RE HERE?
20:03:48:00    I AM.
20:03:51:15    HOW MANY OF YOU ARE HERE FOR YOUR FIRST
20:03:53:00    GA?
20:03:53:18    SHOUT OUT.
20:03:54:16    ALL RIGHT.
20:03:56:25    WELCOME.
20:03:59:03    NOW, IF YOU'RE IN THE BACK LOOKING FOR A
20:04:00:24    FRIEND TO SIT WITH IN THE HALLS, SIT
20:04:04:22    DOWN WHERE A FEW ARE.
20:04:05:27    MAKE A NEW FRIEND.
20:04:07:12    EVERYONE, WOULD YOU JUST INTRODUCE
20:04:09:03    YOURSELF TO SOMEONE NEAR YOU AND FIND
20:04:12:22    OUT WHERE THEY'RE FROM?
20:04:21:13
20:04:50:27    OKAY.
20:05:01:24    JUST LIKE IN MY CONGREGATION, IT'S
20:05:03:28    REALLY DANGEROUS TO LET PEOPLE LOOSE TO
20:05:06:03    GREET EACH OTHER, BECAUSE YOU MAY NEVER
20:05:08:03    GET THEM BACK AGAIN, SO HERE WE ARE
20:05:13:27    GATHERED FROM EAST AND WEST, FROM NORTH
20:05:17:12    AND SOUTH, FROM FAR AND NEAR AT THIS
20:05:20:25    49TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITARIAN
20:05:23:15    UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION OF
20:05:26:09    CONGREGATIONS.
20:05:28:13    HERE WE ARE GATHERED, IN ONE STRONG
20:05:30:21    BODY, TOGETHER.
20:05:33:27    TOGETHER WE ARE THE VERY SPECIAL
20:05:36:09    COMMUNITY THAT IS GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
20:05:39:04    A SHORT-LIVED COMMUNITY, BUT A POWERFUL                2
20:05:42:21    ONE.
20:05:45:00    WE ARE ON HOLY GROUND AND THE ENERGY IS
20:05:47:07    REAL.
20:05:49:09    SO LET'S GET READY TO GIVE YOURSELVES
20:05:53:00    OVER WHOLEHEARTEDLY TO THIS COMMUNITY.
20:05:55:01    TO WORK AND WORSHIP, TO LISTEN AND
20:05:58:21    LEARN, TO WITNESS AND GOVERN THE
20:06:01:12    STRUGGLE AND TO SING.
20:06:04:25    TOGETHER AND LET'S START THE
20:06:06:21    CELEBRATION.
20:06:07:18    LET THE BANNER PARADE BEGIN!
20:06:11:13    [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
20:07:41:06    ¶¶
20:08:57:27     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:09:09:25    ¶¶ LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR YOUR BANNER
20:20:21:22    PARADE FOLKS.
20:20:22:12    GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
20:20:41:15     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:20:57:18    I MUST WITH IN THE GREAT SERVICE.
20:21:12:15     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:21:13:00    SO WELCOME.
20:21:17:12    WELCOME TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2010 IN THE
20:21:20:07    PRAIRIE STAR DISTRICT.
20:21:23:21    PRAIRIE STAR DISTRICT REACHES OVER THE
20:21:25:27    NORTH CENTRAL UNITED STATES, FROM THE
20:21:27:13    TALLGRASS PRAIRIES AND FLINT HILLS OF
20:21:29:12    KANSAS TO THE LAKES AND IRON MINING
20:21:36:25    RANGES OF NORTHERN MINNESOTA.
20:21:40:21    [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
20:21:42:00     FROM THE BADLANDS AND MOUNT RUSHMORE OF
20:21:47:01    THE WESTERN DAKOTAS TO OUR STAR SEA PORT
20:21:51:12    OF DULUTH ON LAKE SUPERIOR.
20:21:54:28    FROM THE SAND HILLS OF NEBRASKA TO THE
20:21:57:03    HEAD WATERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND
20:22:00:03    ITS LUSH VALLEY JOINING THE UPLANDS OF
20:22:03:01    WISCONSIN.
20:22:03:25     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:22:04:12    ALL THIS MAGNIFICENCE LIES TRANSECTED BY
20:22:09:00    THAT RIVER OF DISCOVERY FOR LEWIS AND
20:22:11:01    CLARK, THE MIGHTY MISSOURI, WHICH TAKES
20:22:14:03    YOU THROUGH MY HOMETOWN OF KANSAS CITY.
20:22:18:00     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:22:18:16    AND OUR PEOPLE AND OUR BELIEF SYSTEMS
20:22:22:24    ARE AS VARIED AS OUR GEOGRAPHY.
20:22:25:12    FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MIGHT SUSPECT WE'RE
20:22:27:19    NEWCOMERS TO THIS LIBERAL RELIGION OUT
20:22:30:03    HERE ON THE PRAIRIE, I'M PROUD TO INFORM
20:22:32:06    YOU THAT ONE OF EVERY EIGHT OF OUR
20:22:33:21    CONGREGATIONS WAS FOUNDED BEFORE 1870!
20:22:41:21    UNITARIAN ABOLITIONISTS WERE LEADERS OF                3
20:22:44:16    THE BLEEDING KANSAS BORDER WARS OF THE
20:22:47:03    1850'S THAT PRESAGED THE CIVIL WAR.
20:22:51:00    AN AMAZING GROUP OF 19TH CENTURY PIONEER
20:22:53:21    WOMEN, THE COURAGEOUS IOWA SISTERHOOD.
20:22:57:24     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:23:01:04    VENTURED ONTO OUR PRAIRIES ONVER 130
20:23:04:27    YEARS AGO AND TOOK UP THE CALL TO
20:23:07:19    MINISTRY THAT THEY'D BEEN DENIED IN THE
20:23:09:16    EAST.
20:23:11:18    PERHAPS IT WAS THESE VOICES WHO BEGAN
20:23:13:21    PRYING OPEN THE DOORS THAT LED TO IOWA'S
20:23:16:00    BECOMING THE ONLY STATE OUTSIDE THE
20:23:17:13    NORTHEAST TO LEGALIZE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE.
20:23:22:27    UNITARIAN-UNIVERSALISTS WERE FOUNDERS
20:24:04:15    150 YEARS AGO OF THIS GREAT CITY OF
20:24:06:16    MINNEAPOLIS.
20:24:07:22    YOU'LL SEE THEIR NAMES ON THE STREETS
20:24:09:00    AND PARKS AND YES, EVEN ON THAT BAG OF
20:24:11:24    PILLSBURY FLOUR IN YOUR CUPBOARD.
20:24:17:24    LEADERS LIKE REVEREND JOHN DIETRICH,
20:24:20:00    LEON BIRKHEAD, AND RAYMOND BRAGG WERE
20:24:23:25    ALL CREATORS AND SIGNERS OF THE
20:24:25:27    "HUMANIST MANIFESTO" IN 1933.
20:24:35:24    LOOKING AT PRAIRIE STAR TODAY YOU'LL
20:24:37:18    FIND EVERY VARIETY OF BELIEF SYSTEM THAT
20:24:39:19    YOU MIGHT SEE IN ANY OTHER REGION OF OUR
20:24:41:15    COUNTRY, BUT ONE DIFFERENCE YOU MIGHT
20:24:43:09    FIND HERE IS AT LEAST PARTIALLY DUE TO
20:24:45:09    THE SCALE OF OUR GEOGRAPHY IS THAT YOU
20:24:49:22    MIGHT FIND THEM ALL IN ONE CONGREGATION.
20:24:53:18    AS WE BEGIN OUR ASSEMBLY, WE ALSO WISH
20:24:55:28    TO REMEMBER AND HONOR THOSE INNUMERABLE
20:24:58:24    COMMUNITIES OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE WHO
20:25:01:06    INHABITED AND BEGAN CARING FOR THESE
20:25:03:06    LANDS LONG BEFORE OUR ARRIVAL.
20:25:08:03    [ APPLAUSE ]
20:25:08:12    I CALL OUT THE OPENING LINES FROM
20:25:17:21    REVEREND MARK BELLETINI'S POEM,
20:25:20:12    "SPIRITUAL HISTORY."
20:25:23:04    LET MY BODY REMEMBER.
20:25:26:21    LET MY HANDS AND FEET REMEMBER.
20:25:31:01    LET MY BREATH REMEMBER THOSE WHO HAVE
20:25:31:19    COME BEFORE ME, THOSE WHO HAVE COME
20:25:34:21    BEFORE US.
20:25:37:03    MAY WE CONTINUE TO NO ONE THEY ARE
20:25:38:18    LEGACY IN OUR WORK HERE TOGETHER THIS
20:25:42:06    WEEK AND BEYOND.
20:25:45:18    PRAIRIE STAR IS PROUD OF THE LEGACY OF
20:25:47:03    LIBERAL RELIGION THAT WE REPRESENT AND
20:25:48:25    LIVE OUT IN OUR COUNTRY'S HEARTLAND.                   4
20:25:53:03    WE HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING
20:25:54:09    DISTRICTS OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS AND WE
20:25:57:19    ARE 59 CONGREGATIONS STRONG WITH AT
20:25:59:15    LEAST SIX NEW ONES EMERGING, I READ
20:26:01:21    SEVEN ON THE SIGN HERE.
20:26:06:01    SIX EMERGING AND 36 OF THEM ARE
20:26:08:12    WELCOMING CONGREGATIONS.
20:26:10:27    WE ARE THE HOME  --
20:26:12:04    [ APPLAUSE ]
20:26:17:24    WE ARE THE HOME OF FOUR BREAKTHROUGH
20:26:20:03    CONGREGATIONS IN THE PAST SIX YEARS,
20:26:22:04    WITH MANKATO, MINNESOTA, BEING
20:26:23:25    RECOGNIZED AS THIS VERY GA.
20:26:26:15    [ APPLAUSE ]
20:26:27:03    AND WE HAVE BEEN ANTICIPATING YOUR
20:26:33:22    RETURN HERE FOR 35 YEARS, SINCE YOU LAST
20:26:37:24    MET HERE IN 1975.  SO WE'RE READY FOR
20:26:40:28    YOU.
20:26:42:15    AND NOW I'D LIKE TO ASK ALL THOSE
20:26:44:24    HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS OF PRAIRIE STAR TO
20:26:47:10    RISE, IN BODY OR SPIRIT, AND EXTEND YOUR
20:26:50:15    PERSONAL WELCOME TO OUR GUESTS.
20:26:52:15    PLEASE RISE.
20:26:58:27    [ APPLAUSE ]
20:26:59:07    SO ON BEHALF OF THE OVER 9,000 MEMBERS
20:27:10:00    OF THE PRAIRIE STAR DISTRICT, WE WELCOME
20:27:13:06    YOU TO OUR HOMELAND AND TO THIS
20:27:14:25    49TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITARIAN
20:27:16:13    UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION.
20:27:21:27    HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK.
20:27:23:07    [ APPLAUSE ]
20:27:23:22    INTO THE CIRCLE OF THE WIDE PRAIRIE SKY,
20:27:45:19    WE GATHER, EACH OF US CASTING OUR
20:27:50:15    PERSONALLY UNIQUE CIRCLES.
20:27:56:12    WE COME CARRYING AROUND US A CIRCLE OF
20:28:01:28    THOSE WHOM WE LOVE.
20:28:04:09    WE COME CARRYING UPON US THE CIRCLE OF
20:28:10:04    THOSE WHOM WE REPRESENT.
20:28:13:24    WE COME CARRYING WITHIN US THE CIRCLE OF
20:28:18:09    OUR APPREHENSIONS AND OUR ASPIRATIONS.
20:28:29:04    CIRCLES IN MOTION WHOSE BORDERS TOUCH,
20:28:35:03    MAY REPEL ONE ANOTHER.
20:28:38:10    MAY HOLD THEIR BORDERS.
20:28:41:18    MAY DEMAND SEPARATE STATES FOR SEPARATE
20:28:47:04    ACCOMMODATIONS.
20:28:55:24    OR CIRCLES IN MOTION WHOSE BORDERS
20:28:58:10    TOUCH, WITH A LITTLE PUSH, A LITTLE
20:29:01:12    RELEASE, MAY OVERLAP.
20:29:09:12    MAY I BELIEVE PENETRATE.
20:29:11:24    CAN EVEN SEEK EACH OTHER'S CENTER                      5
20:29:22:03    THERE'S FRICTION IN SUCH INNER
20:29:26:01    PENETRATION WAS CIRCLES PASS THROUGH
20:29:29:18    CIRCLES.
20:29:31:15    BUT IN ALL OF THE RUBBING, SHOULD TWO
20:29:34:22    CIRCLES' CENTERS FIND EACH OTHER, TOUCH,
20:29:46:01    THE SPARK, THE SPARK LIKE PRAIRIE STAR
20:29:55:01    CAN IGNITE A HOLY PRAIRIE FIRE.
20:30:25:19    ¶ WHEN I WAS A BOY, EACH WEEK
20:30:40:28    ON SUNDAY, WE WOULD GO TO CHURCH
20:30:46:00    AND PAY ATTENTION TO THE PRIEST
20:30:48:06    HE WOULD READ THE HOLY WORD
20:30:51:10    AND CONSECRATE THE HOLY BREAD
20:30:54:10    AND EVERYONE WOULD KNEEL AND BOW
20:30:57:21    TODAY THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS
20:31:01:12    EVERYTHING IS HOLY NOW
20:31:07:01    EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING
20:31:08:21    EVERYTHING IS HOLY NOW.
20:31:11:00
20:31:18:12    WHEN I WAS IN SUNDAY SCHOOL
20:31:22:16    WE WOULD LEARN ABOUT THE TIME
20:31:26:10    MOSES SPLIT THE SEA IN TWO
20:31:28:27    JESUS MADE THE WATER WINE
20:31:33:06    AND I REMEMBER FEELING SAD
20:31:35:09    THAT MIRACLES DON'T HAPPEN STILL.
20:31:39:24    BUT NOW I CAN'T KEEP TRACK
20:31:44:00    'CAUSE EVERYTHING'S A MIRACLE
20:31:47:10    EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING
20:31:50:00    EVERYTHING'S A MIRACLE
20:32:01:03    WINE FROM WATER IS NOT SO SMALL
20:32:05:27    BUT AN EVEN BETTER MAGIC TRICK
20:32:08:24    IS THAT ANYTHING IS HERE AT ALL
20:32:14:06    SO THE CHALLENGING THING BECOMES
20:32:18:15    NOT TO LOOK FOR MIRACLES
20:32:20:24    BUT FINDING WHERE THERE ISN'T ONE
20:32:29:06    WHEN HOLY WATER WAS RARE AT BEST
20:32:32:24    IT BARELY WET MY FINGERTIPS
20:32:36:15    BUT NOW I HAVE TO HOLD MY BREATH
20:32:43:19    LIKE I'M SWIMMING IN A SEA OF IT
20:32:45:06    IT USED TO BE A WORLD HALF THERE
20:32:46:24    HEAVEN'S SECOND RATE HAND-ME-DOWN
20:32:50:18    BUT I WALK IT WITH A REVERENT AIR
20:32:54:04    'CAUSE EVERYTHING IS HOLY NOW
20:32:57:00    EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING
20:32:59:18    EVERYTHING IS HOLY NOW
20:33:12:15    READ A QUESTIONING CHILD'S FACE
20:33:16:06    AND SAY IT'S NOT A TESTAMENT
20:33:19:13    THAT'D BE VERY HARD TO SAY
20:33:25:00    SEE ANOTHER NEW MORNING COME
20:33:30:00    AND SAY IT'S NOT A SACRAMENT
20:33:33:21    I TELL YOU THAT IT CAN'T BE DONE                       6
20:33:45:27    THIS MORNING, OUTSIDE I STOOD
20:33:49:15    AND SAW A LITTLE RED-WINGED BIRD
20:33:52:28    SHINING LIKE A BURNING BUSH
20:33:56:24    SINGING LIKE A SCRIPTURE VERSE
20:34:01:13    IT MADE ME WANT TO BOW MY HEAD
20:34:05:09    I REMEMBER WHEN CHURCH LET OUT
20:34:08:04    HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE THEN
20:34:13:06    EVERYTHING IS HOLY NOW
20:34:18:12    IT USED TO BE A WORLD HALF-THERE
20:34:21:13    HEAVEN'S SECOND RATE HAND-ME-DOWN
20:34:26:12    BUT I WALK IT WITH A REVERENT AIR
20:34:30:18    'CAUSE EVERYTHING IS HOLY NOW.
20:34:57:18    ¶¶
20:35:08:15     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:35:09:15    GOOD EVENING.
20:35:38:07    MY NAME IS DAVID LAUTH.
20:35:41:15    I AM A MEMBER OF FIRST UNIVERSALIST
20:35:44:16    CHURCH IN MINNEAPOLIS.
20:35:46:21     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:35:47:06    >> AND FOR THE PAST YEAR I'VE HAD THE
20:35:49:03    HONOR OF SERVING AS DISTRICT COORDINATOR
20:35:51:15    FOR THIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
20:35:53:13    IT IS A REAL THRILL TO BE HERE TONIGHT
20:35:55:18    AND WELCOME ALL OF YOU TO MINNEAPOLIS.
20:35:59:06     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:36:05:12    YOU HAVE A FABULOUS TIME AHEAD OF YOU.
20:36:08:15    IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE WORSHIP NERVES
20:36:11:13    AND WORKSHOPS AND PLENARY SESSIONS ON
20:36:13:27    THE SCHEDULE HERE AT GA, WE ARE GOING TO
20:36:16:15    HAVE A WEEKEND OF PRIDE AND WE ARE GOING
20:36:19:13    TO HAVE A WEEKEND OF HOPE.
20:36:22:24    THE TWIN CITIES PRIDE FESTIVAL WILL BE
20:36:25:18    GOING ON ALL AROUND US.
20:36:27:07    YOU'LL ALL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN
20:36:29:09    A PUBLIC WITNESS EVENT WITH THE FESTIVAL
20:36:31:18    AT LORING PARK, WHICH IS ONLY A FEW
20:36:34:01    BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER.
20:36:36:12    THIS WILL BE ON SATURDAY AT NOON.
20:36:39:18    WE WILL ALSO BE WORKING IN THE PHILLIPS
20:36:42:25    NEIGHBORHOOD NEARBY TO HELP HOPE
20:36:45:00    COMMUNITY IN HIS THEIR INSPIRING WORK TO
20:36:47:24    BUILD A SUSTAINABLE NEIGHBORHOOD THROUGH
20:36:50:13    COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION AND AFFORDABLE
20:36:53:21    HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
20:36:55:18    THERE IS INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PROJECT
20:36:58:00    IN YOUR PROGRAM BOOK AND I ENCOURAGE TO
20:37:00:16    YOU STOP BY THE HOPE COMMUNITY BOOTH IN
20:37:02:15    THE EXHIBIT HALL TO LEARN MORE.
20:37:05:18    THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN                    7
20:37:07:06    WORKING VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU
20:37:09:07    HAVE A GREAT GA AND I'D LIKE YOU TO MEET
20:37:11:09    A FEW OF THEM.
20:37:12:27    THESE ARE THE MEMBERS OF OUR VOLUNTEER
20:37:14:25    COMMITTEE.
20:37:15:22    GINNY ALLEN.
20:37:17:18     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:37:24:04    MARLENE BROWN.
20:37:25:13     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:37:25:25    PATTY CAMERON.
20:37:32:00     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:37:32:09    KATHY CHARLES.
20:37:36:27     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:37:37:12    BETTY DEMARS.
20:37:41:21     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:37:42:06    MARY ENGELMANN.
20:37:47:03     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:37:47:15    MARK GIBBONS, WHO MADE IT FROM THE TOP
20:37:57:09    DECK.
20:37:57:24     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:37:58:09    RUBY SPRINKLE.
20:38:00:22     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:38:01:04    JEFF SYLVESTRE.
20:38:05:21     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:38:06:03    AND TIM WILSON.
20:38:10:22     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:38:11:04    THESE FOLKS WILL BE WORKING WITH ALMOST
20:38:18:03    200 VOLUNTEERS, WHO YOU WILL SEE
20:38:21:07    THROUGHOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER.
20:38:22:24    YOU'LL KNOW WHO THERAPY THE GREEN
20:38:25:27    T-SHIRTS THEY'RE GOING TO BE WEARING.
20:38:27:25    THESE ARE YOUR "ASK ME" VOLUNTEERS, AND
20:38:31:03    OTHER PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP YOU NAVIGATE
20:38:32:27    GA.
20:38:35:15    NOT ONLY ARE OUR VOLUNTEERS AT THE READY
20:38:37:21    TO HELP YOU AROUND THE CONVENTION
20:38:38:21    CENTER, BUT THEY CAN ALSO HELP YOU FIND
20:38:40:09    YOUR WAY AROUND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND
20:38:41:24    THROUGHOUT ALL OF DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS.
20:38:45:04    PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO ASK THEM FOR
20:38:47:03    HELP WHENEVER YOU NEED IT.
20:38:49:06    I NOW HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF INTRODUCING
20:38:51:25    ANN REED AND THE PRAIRIE STAR DISTRICT
20:38:54:12    SINGERS.
20:38:55:21     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:39:03:16    ANN IS A MINNESOTA TREASURE.
20:39:06:18    SHE'S  -- YEAH.
20:39:08:18     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:39:09:04    SHE'S BEEN A TOURING MUSICIAN FOR MORE
20:39:15:09    THAN 30 YEARS.                                         8
20:39:16:03    SHE HAS WON MINNESOTA MUSIC ACADEMY
20:39:19:01    AWARDS FOR PERFORMER OF THE YEAR,
20:39:21:03    SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR, AND BEST
20:39:23:18    RECORDING OF THE YEAR.
20:39:25:19    SHE HAS BEEN HONORED BY A NUMBER OF
20:39:27:25    NONPROFITS THAT SHE HAS SUPPORTED WHILE
20:39:30:06    DONATING 25 PERCENT OF HER TIME AND
20:39:32:15    EFFORTS TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT PRIMARILY
20:39:34:28    BENEFIT WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
20:39:38:15    ANN HAS MADE COUNTLESS APPEARANCE ON HIS
20:39:42:00    A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION AND ON NPR'S
20:39:44:16    MORNING EDITION.
20:39:46:09    AND WE AT FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH WERE
20:39:50:09    HONORED JUST LAST YEAR WHEN ANN WROTE
20:39:53:18    AND PERFORMED THE SONG THAT YOU'RE ABOUT
20:39:55:06    TO HEAR TO COMMEMORATE OUR CONGREGATIONS
20:39:57:18    150TH ANNIVERSARY.
20:40:02:00    WE ARE SO PLEASED THAT ANN AGREED TO
20:40:04:00    SHARE THE SONG WITH ALL OF US TONIGHT.
20:40:05:15    SO PLEASE LEONARDO DECAPRIO ANN REED AND
20:40:07:16    THE PRAIRIE STAR DISTRICT SINGERS.
20:40:10:18     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:40:15:09    ¶ IT'S A LONG ROAD WE'VE SET OUR FEET
20:40:15:09    UPON
20:40:15:21    WE HAVE A LONG ROAD WE'VE SET OUR FEET
20:40:39:27    UPON.
20:40:39:27
20:40:41:12    AND WITH LOVING HEARTS WE WALK ON
20:40:45:15    WITH LOVING HEARTS WE WALK ON.
20:40:47:07
20:40:51:13    WE WILL WALK ON ...
20:40:48:13    WE WILL WALK ON.
20:41:01:06    BRIDGES ARE BUILT WITH OPEN HANDS.
20:41:20:15    BRIDGES ARE BUILT WITH OPEN HANDS AND WE
20:41:26:21    BEGIN TO HEAL THE WORLD.
20:41:31:09    WE BEGIN TO HEAL THE WORLD.
20:41:34:27
20:41:40:24    WE WILL HEAL THE WORLD ...
20:41:44:10    WE WILL HEAL THE WORLD ...
20:41:50:27    WE WILL HEAL THE WORLD ...
20:41:59:09    WHEN THE SUN SHINES THROUGH ALL OF US
20:42:02:15    THERE ON THE ROAD
20:42:05:07    WILL BE A RAINBOW IN FRONT OF US
20:42:07:15    WHEREVER WE GO
20:42:10:06    WHEREVER WE GO
20:42:19:15    TAKE A SINGLE FLAME AND PASS IT ON
20:42:25:18    TAKE A SINGLE FLAME AND PASS IT ON
20:42:31:19    AND IT'S ENOUGH TO LIGHT THE WAY.
20:42:35:15    IT'S ENOUGH TO LIGHT THE WAY
20:42:41:19    WE WILL LIGHT THE WAY ...                              9
20:42:47:21    WE WILL LIGHT THE WAY ...
20:42:54:22    WE WILL LIGHT THE WAY ...
20:43:02:06    WHEN THE SUN SHINES THROUGH ALL OF US
20:43:05:15    THERE ON THE ROAD
20:43:07:27    WILL BE A RAINBOW IN FRONT OF US
20:43:10:24    WHEREVER WE GO
20:43:14:21    WHEREVER WE GO
20:43:23:09    ALL THE SOULS WHO CAME BEFORE ARE
20:43:23:09    STANDING HERE
20:43:29:07    ALL THE SOULS WHO CAME BEFORE ARE
20:43:29:07    STANDING HERE
20:43:35:15    YOU CAN HEAR THEM WHISPER LOW
20:43:43:01    YOU CAN HEAR THEM WHISPER LOW
20:43:49:06    WE WILL WALK WITH YOU ...
20:43:52:18    WE WILL WALK WITH YOU ...
20:44:04:06    WE WILL LIGHT THE WAY.
20:44:06:16    WE WILL LIGHT THE WAY.
20:44:14:21    WE WILL LIGHT THE WAY.
20:44:21:15    WE WILL.
20:44:25:07    WE WILL WALK WITH YOU.
20:44:29:09    WE WILL WALK WITH YOU.
20:44:36:07    WE WILL WALK.
20:44:41:03    WE WILL WALK WITH YOU.
20:44:51:00    [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
20:44:51:15     I NOW CALL TO ORDER THE 49TH GENERAL
20:45:12:09    ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST
20:45:15:01    ASSOCIATION.
20:45:16:10     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:45:16:25    PLEASE WELCOME THE TRUSTEE FROM THE
20:45:25:07    CLARA BARTON DISTRICT AND FIRST-VICE
20:45:28:09    MODERATOR OF YOUR UUA BOARD OF TRUSTEES,
20:45:31:15    JACKIE SHANTI.
20:45:33:22     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:45:34:01    THANK YOU, MADAM MODERATOR.
20:45:40:03    ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING APPEARANCES
20:45:42:10    EACH YEAR AT GA IS WELCOMING NEW
20:45:45:00    CONGREGATIONS INTO OUR UUA FAMILY.
20:45:48:21    STARTING A NEW CONGREGATION IS AN
20:45:51:10    EXTRAORDINARY PIECE OF WORK AND AN
20:45:56:15    ASTOUNDING ACT OF FAITH.
20:45:58:04    IT TAKES VISION, COURAGE, LEADERSHIP,
20:46:05:03    PATIENCE, BUREAUCRATIC BRILLIANCE,
20:46:07:10    JUMPING OVER HURDLES, AND THROUGH HOOPS.
20:46:11:03    BUT MOST OF ALL, IT TAKES LOVE.
20:46:15:04    THE LEADERS THAT YOU WILL MEET IN A
20:46:17:27    MOMENT HAVE GIVEN ALL OF THIS AND MORE
20:46:19:18    TO THEIR DREAM OF A UNITARIAN
20:46:20:27    UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION SERVING THEIR
20:46:24:07    COMMUNITIES.
20:46:26:21    NEW CONGREGATIONS COME INTO BEING                     10
20:46:28:15    BECAUSE LOCAL UU'S WORK CLOSELY WITH
20:46:33:16    DISTRICT STAFF AND DISTRICT PRESIDENTS.
20:46:36:00    AND SO IT IS MY PLEASURE TONIGHT TO
20:46:38:15    INTRODUCE TO YOU PEOPLE OF VISION AND
20:46:42:18    FAITH IN THEIR DISTRICTS WHO HAVE
20:46:45:15    PLANTED AND NURTURED TWO NEW
20:46:47:28    CONGREGATIONS.
20:46:49:28    I WILL ASK PRESIDENT PETER MORALES AND
20:46:53:18    MODERATOR GINI COURTER TO JOIN ME IN
20:46:57:22    GREETING OUR NEWEST UU MEMBER
20:47:00:03    CONGREGATIONS AND ASK YOU TO WELCOME
20:47:01:09    THEM WITH HEARTY APPLAUSE AS THEY ARE
20:47:02:27    INTRODUCED.  FIRST OF ALL, PLEASE
20:47:09:12    WELCOME CAROLINE MACKEY, STANDING IN FOR
20:47:12:21    ROE MACKEY, PRESIDENT OF THE SAN GABRIEL
20:47:15:07    UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF
20:47:17:03    GEORGETOWN, TEXAS.
20:47:19:00     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:47:19:09    AND FROM THE HEARTLAND DISTRICT,
20:47:41:03    DISTRICT PRESIDENT JUDY BUXTON, AND
20:47:44:13    PLEASE BECOME DICK GUERNSEY, FOUNDING
20:47:46:24    MEMBER OF THE HEARTLAND UNITARIAN
20:47:49:15    UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN INDIANAPOLIS,
20:47:51:15    INDIANA.
20:47:54:01     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:47:54:12    FRIENDS, MEMBERS OF THE GREAT UU FAMILY,
20:48:12:19    LET US ONCE AGAIN WELCOME THESE TWO
20:48:15:00    SPECTACULAR NEW CONGREGATIONS TO OUR
20:48:17:12    ASSOCIATION, WITH HOPES THAT THEY WILL
20:48:20:16    BE AS ENRICHED BY OUR ASSOCIATION, BY
20:48:25:09    THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH US AS WE ARE BY
20:48:28:13    THEIR PRESENCE AMONG US.
20:48:32:27     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:48:33:09    GOOD EVENING AGAIN.
20:48:50:10    WE HAVE A LITTLE BUSINESS TO DO
20:48:51:27    TOGETHER.
20:48:52:24    ONE OF THE THINGS WE NORMALLY DO IN THIS
20:48:54:27    OPENING PLENARY IS WE INTRODUCE MANAGERS
20:48:57:09    OF THE YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT CAUCUSES,
20:48:59:12    AND THAT WOULD BE EASIER IF THEY CAME
20:49:01:03    DOWN TO THE FRONT OF THE HALL IN THE
20:49:02:27    NEXT FEW MINUTES, RIGHT DOWN HERE WOULD
20:49:04:19    BE NICE.
20:49:05:16    THANK YOU.
20:49:07:18    OUR MAJOR BUSINESS ITEM FOR TONIGHT'S
20:49:09:09    PLENARY SESSION IS THE ADOPTION OF OUR
20:49:11:12    RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR THIS GENERAL
20:49:12:21    ASSEMBLY.
20:49:13:28    THE PROPOSED RULES OF PROCEDURE CAN BE
20:49:16:00    FOUND ON PAGES SEVEN THROUGH NINE OF THE              11
20:49:18:24    FINAL AGENDA.
20:49:21:25    YOU CAN GET IT OUT NOW IF YOU WANT.
20:49:23:18    THAT'S OKAY.
20:49:24:15    THESE RULES WILL GOVERN OUR
20:49:26:00    CONSIDERATION OF AND VOTING UPON THE
20:49:27:15    BUSINESS ITEMS THAT COME BEFORE US
20:49:28:28    DURING OUR PLENARY SESSIONS.
20:49:30:25    THE RULES ARE LARGELY THE SAME AS IN
20:49:33:18    PREVIOUS YEARS.
20:49:34:24    THERE ARE A COUPLE OF RULES THAT I WANT
20:49:36:19    TO DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO.
20:49:39:21    PLEASE NOTE THAT RULE 5 PROVIDES THAT NO
20:49:42:06    AMENDMENTS TO A BUSINESS RESOLUTION,
20:49:45:13    BYLAW CHANGE, OR RULE CHANGE WILL BE IN
20:49:47:24    ORDER IN THIS HALL UNLESS SUBMITTED FOR
20:49:50:21    CONSIDERATION AT THE MINI ASSEMBLY FOR
20:49:53:10    THAT ITEM.
20:49:55:00    ALSO, PLEASE NOTE THAT RULE 2 PROVIDES
20:49:57:21    THAT UNLESS THE ASSOCIATION'S BYLAWS
20:50:00:00    OTHERWISE REQUIRE, ACTION ON ALL MATTERS
20:50:03:06    WILL BE DECIDED BY AN UNCOUNTED SHOW OF
20:50:06:03    VOTING CARDS, OR BY AN UNCOUNTED
20:50:08:25    STANDING VOTE.
20:50:10:25    A VOTE WILL BE COUNTED IN ONLY TWO
20:50:13:12    INSTANCES.
20:50:14:24    IF THERE IS DOUBT ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF A
20:50:16:25    VOTE, I WILL CALL FOR A COUNT.
20:50:20:15    A COUNT WILL ALSO BE TAKEN IF SO
20:50:22:21    REQUESTED BY A DELEGATE AND 99 OF THEIR
20:50:28:27    FRIENDS JOIN IN THAT REQUEST.
20:50:30:18    IN EITHER INSTANCE, THAT COUNT IS MADE
20:50:33:07    BY THE TELLERS WHO ARE PRESENT ON THE
20:50:34:22    FLOOR OF THE ASSEMBLY.
20:50:36:21    THEY'RE WEARING GA TEA SHIRTS AND VESTS.
20:50:39:27    WHERE ARE OUR TELLERS?
20:50:41:25    LET'S HEAR FROM OUR TELLERS.
20:50:43:21    LET'S HEAR FROM THEM.
20:50:46:15    RAISE YOUR HANDS.
20:50:47:12    MAKE SOME NOISE.
20:50:48:06    THEY'RE LOW ENERGY TELLERS TONIGHT.
20:50:51:27    WE'RE GOING TO TREAT ALL OF OUR GA
20:50:53:21    VOLUNTEERS WITH EXTRAORDINARY KINDNESS
20:50:56:09    THROUGHOUT THIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SO
20:50:58:01    LET'S BEGIN BY THANKING OUR USHERS AND
20:51:00:03    TELLERS.
20:51:01:06     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:51:01:18    IN ADDITION, RULE 7 PROVIDES THAT
20:51:11:12    SEPARATE MICROPHONES WILL BE DESIGNATED
20:51:14:03    AS PRO AND CON FOR DISCUSSION OF
20:51:15:22    PROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENTS, RULES,                     12
20:51:18:00    RESOLUTIONS OR ACTIONS.
20:51:19:21    THE PRO MICROPHONE IS UP FRONT OVER HERE
20:51:23:13    ON YOUR RIGHT.
20:51:24:13    THE CON MICROPHONE IS ON YOUR LEFT.
20:51:28:18    THERE'S ALSO AN AMENDMENT MICROPHONE
20:51:31:06    THAT DOESN'T HAVE A SPOTLIGHT.
20:51:33:15    I'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT MAGIC.
20:51:34:21    AN AMENDMENT MICROPHONE OVER THERE.
20:51:36:24    AND A PROCEDURAL MICROPHONE THAT'S RIGHT
20:51:38:19    HERE IN FRONT OF ME.
20:51:41:24    PLEASE NOTE THAT POINTS OF PERSONAL
20:51:43:12    PRIVILEGE AND POINTS OF INFORMATION MUST
20:51:45:15    BE MADE INTO A PROCEDURAL MICROPHONE,
20:51:48:01    NOT FROM THE PRO OR THE CON OR THE
20:51:50:12    AMENDMENT MICROPHONE.
20:51:51:27    AND BY THE WAY, ONLY DELEGATES MAY SPEAK
20:51:54:24    FROM ANY MICROPHONE, EXCEPT BY EXPRESS
20:51:58:00    PERMISSION OF THE MODERATOR.
20:51:59:03    THAT WOULD BE ME.
20:52:00:03    I STRONGLY URGE THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE
20:52:01:25    ATTENDING GENERAL ASSEMBLY PLENARY
20:52:04:00    SESSIONS FOR THE FIRST TIME TO READ THE
20:52:05:27    RULES OF PROCEDURE.
20:52:07:24    PARTICULARLY LOOK AT RULE SIX SO THAT
20:52:10:22    YOU MAY UNDERSTAND THE TIME LIMITS IN
20:52:12:21    EFFECT.
20:52:13:18    NO PERSON MAY SPEAK ON ANY MOTION FOR
20:52:16:03    MORE THAN TWO MINUTES.
20:52:17:15    30 MINUTES IS THE TIME ALLOWED FOR
20:52:19:22    DISCUSSION OF ANY PROPOSED BYLAW
20:52:21:12    AMENDMENT, RULE CHANGE, RESOLUTION, OR
20:52:23:21    ACTION ON A REPORT THAT IS ON OR
20:52:25:24    ADMITTED TO THE FINAL AGENDA.
20:52:28:10    TIME LIMITS FOR DEBATE ON ACTIONS OF
20:52:31:00    IMMEDIATE WITNESS ARE FOUND IN RULE 13.
20:52:35:22    BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH OUR BUSINESS, I
20:52:37:06    WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO TWO MEN SEATED
20:52:40:03    AT MY LEFT WHO WILL HELP US WITH ALL OF
20:52:42:09    THESE PROCEEDINGS.
20:52:44:04    FIRST, LET ME INTRODUCE NED
20:52:46:18    LEIBENSPERGER, OUR LEGAL COUNSEL WHO HAS
20:52:50:19    SERVED IN THIS CAPACITY FOR MORE THAN 17
20:52:52:27    YEARS.
20:52:53:15     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:52:53:27    NEXT, PLEASE SAY HELLO TO RETIRED
20:53:01:22    MASSACHUSETTS DISTRICT COURT JUDGE
20:53:03:12    GORDON MARTIN, WHO WILL SERVE AS OUR
20:53:05:24    PARLIAMENTARIAN AND HAS DONE SO SINCE
20:53:08:04    THE 1969 GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
20:53:09:21     [ APPLAUSE ]                                         13
20:53:10:06    WILL THE CHAIR OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
20:53:22:24    PLANNING COMMITTEE NOW MAKE THE
20:53:24:15    APPROPRIATE MOTION WITH RESPECT TO THE
20:53:26:22    RULES FOUND ON PAGES SEVEN THROUGH NINE?
20:53:31:27    >> MOVED THAT THE RULES OF PROCEDURE OF
20:53:33:28    THIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY AS SET FORTH IN
20:53:35:28    FULL ON PAGES SEVEN THROUGH NINE OF THE
20:53:38:00    FINAL AGENDA BE ADOPTED.
20:53:42:06    >> DISCUSSION?
20:53:47:06      OKAY.
20:53:49:24    YOU NEED TO FIND YOUR VOTING CARDS NOW.
20:53:53:19    GO GRAB ONE OF THOSE.
20:53:55:06    WE'RE GOING TO GET A LITTLE EXERCISE.
20:53:57:18    THERE BEING NO DISCUSSION OF THE RULES
20:54:01:04    OF PROCEDURE, DISCUSSION IS NOW CLOSED
20:54:03:12    AND A VOTE IS IN ORDER.
20:54:04:21    ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THE RULES
20:54:06:27    OF PROCEDURE, PLEASE DO SO BY RAISING
20:54:09:04    YOUR VOTING CARD.
20:54:10:07    THANK YOU.
20:54:14:06    ALL THOSE OPPOSED.
20:54:15:24    THE MOTION CLEARLY CARRIES.
20:54:22:18    I DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO AN IMPORTANT
20:54:24:12    MATTER SET OUT IN RULE 13, DEFINING THE
20:54:27:15    TWO DEADLINES FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSED
20:54:29:12    ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS.
20:54:32:00    A COPY OF YOUR PROPOSED ACTION OF
20:54:34:19    IMMEDIATE WITNESS OR AIW, WITHOUT SIGNED
20:54:37:09    PETITIONS ATTACHED, MUST BE DELIVERED TO
20:54:40:06    THE BOOTH OF THE COMMISSION ON SOCIAL
20:54:41:28    WITNESS IN THE EXHIBIT HALL BY 5:00 P.M.
20:54:45:06    THURSDAY.
20:54:46:18    THE PROPOSED ACTION OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS
20:54:48:12    WILL BE POSTED THERE FOR PUBLIC VIEW.
20:54:50:28    THE PROPOSED ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE
20:54:52:15    WITNESS MUST ALSO BE FILED, WITH THE
20:54:55:15    REQUISITE DELEGATE SUPPORT, IN THE
20:54:58:19    GENERAL ASSEMBLY OFFICE BY 5:00 P.M. ON
20:55:01:00    FRIDAY.
20:55:02:12    IF ANY OF THIS IS ONE CLEAR, IT IS ALL
20:55:05:03    SET OUT IN RULE 13 ON PAGE NINE OF THE
20:55:07:22    RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE FINAL AGENDA.
20:55:10:27    WE'RE DOING SOMETHING THIS YEAR THAT WE
20:55:13:00    HAVEN'T DONE BEFORE, SO I'D LIKE TO CALL
20:55:15:16    TRUSTIES FROM THE PACIFIC CENTRAL
20:55:18:15    DISTRICT, LINDA KAGOWSKI FORWARD, ABOUT
20:55:22:15    A NEW INITIATIVE WE'RE MAKING AT THIS                 14
20:55:24:16    GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE GO
20:55:26:00    UNNOTICED BY MOST OF US.
20:55:27:18    LET'S CHEER HER ALL THE WAY UP HERE.
20:55:30:13    [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
20:55:30:22
20:55:37:09    >> THERE.
20:55:43:04    SO YOU HOLD IT.
20:55:47:09    THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN BEING WITH
20:55:49:21    THIS MANY UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS.
20:55:52:21     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:55:53:03    AND NOT EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO BE HERE
20:55:58:04    CAN BE.
20:56:00:16    SOME PEOPLE CAN'T BE HERE BECAUSE OF
20:56:02:18    RESOURCES, EITHER TIME OR MONEY.
20:56:04:27    AND SOME PEOPLE CAN'T BE HERE BECAUSE
20:56:06:24    THEY HAVE COMMITMENTS THAT THEY JUST
20:56:08:25    CAN'T CHANGE.
20:56:09:21    AND SO THAT'S WHY THIS YEAR, THE UUA
20:56:12:18    BOARD, YOUR UUA BOARD HAS PARTNERED WITH
20:56:15:13    THE UU FELLOWSHIP OF KEY WEST, THE BAY
20:56:20:06    AREA UU CHURCH IN HOUSTON, THE UU
20:56:22:15    FELLOWSHIP OF ATHENS, GEORGIA, AND FIRST
20:56:26:03    PARISH BREWSTER UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST
20:56:30:00    IN MASSACHUSETTS TO DO AN OFF-SITE
20:56:34:18    DELEGATE TRIAL.
20:56:35:18    SO THERE ARE 11 OFF-SITE DELEGATES AND
20:56:38:18    THEY ARE REAL DELEGATES WHO HAVE BEEN
20:56:40:16    CREDENTIALED WHO HAVE THE ABILITY TO
20:56:43:21    WATCH STREAMING VIDEO AND WHO WILL BE
20:56:45:12    ABLE TO SPEAK AT THE MICROPHONE.
20:56:47:04    AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN JUST A
20:56:48:22    SECOND.
20:56:49:01    AND VOTE, EVEN THOUGH THOSE VOTES WON'T
20:56:51:00    COUNT.
20:56:51:15    SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE  --
20:56:52:24     [ LAUGHTER ]
20:56:54:28    SORRY ABOUT THAT.
20:56:55:28    BUT WE HAVE PARTNERED, THEN, WITH
20:56:57:22    MEMBERS OF THE YOUNG ADULT CAUCUS, WHO
20:57:00:24    WEAR THESE SHIRTS, TO BE THEIR PROXIES,
20:57:02:27    TO STAND IN LINE FOR THEM AND READ THEIR
20:57:04:19    STATEMENTS.
20:57:05:16    IT'S A SMALL TRIAL.
20:57:06:15    IT'S A BEGINNING.
20:57:07:18    BUT IT'S A WAY OF BRINGING PEOPLE HERE
20:57:09:12    IN OTHER WAYS.    AND SO IF YOUR
20:57:10:24    CONGREGATION IS INTERESTED IN BEING PART
20:57:13:22    OF THAT, TALK TO YOUR BOARD.
20:57:15:06    THANK YOU.
20:57:15:12     [ APPLAUSE ]                                         15
20:57:15:24    THAT'S REALLY COOL.
20:57:26:06    OKAY.
20:57:26:15    SO DO WE HAVE THE LEADERS OF OUR YOUTH
20:57:28:15    AND YOUNG ADULT CAUCUSES HERE?
20:57:30:10    COME ON UP.
20:57:31:15     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:57:32:00    CHEER THEM UP.
20:57:35:12     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:57:35:27    MICHAEL, TAKE IT AWAY.
20:57:38:19    >> HELLO.
20:57:45:03    I AM MICHAEL HAHN.
20:57:46:25    AND I'M NOEL BURKE.
20:57:49:03    AND WE'RE THE HOOPERS OR DEANS OF YOUTH
20:57:52:15    CAUCUS.
20:57:52:24
20:57:53:00    >> WE HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT PROGRAMMING
20:57:55:16    READY FOR THE YOUTH THIS WEEK.
20:57:56:22    >> WE MEET IN ROOM M101 DOWN BY THE
20:57:59:09    ESCALATOR NEAR REGISTRATION.
20:58:01:15    >> THIS YEAR WE'RE INTERESTED IN PUTTING
20:58:03:07    ON A WORK IN COOPERATION WITH THE YOUNG
20:58:05:21    ADULT CAUCUS.
20:58:06:18    >> IT WILL BE ON SATURDAY AFTER THE WARE
20:58:09:25    LECTURE.
20:58:10:13    CHECK YOUR PROGRAM BOOK FOR DETAILS.
20:58:12:03    IF YOU'RE EVER LOOKING FOR A YOUTH STAFF
20:58:13:21    MEMBER, LOOK FOR THESE PINK BANDANNAS.
20:58:15:24    WE'RE ALL WEARING THEM IN DIFFERENT
20:58:17:06    WAYS.
20:58:17:21     [ LAUGHTER ]
20:58:18:07    >> AND IF YOU'RE EVER WONDERING WHERE
20:58:20:15    THE YOUTH ARE, WE SIT RIGHT OVER THERE.
20:58:25:09     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:58:33:12    >> HE.
20:58:34:09    I'M MORELLE FOR HE HAVE.
20:58:36:10    >> I'M VICTORIA MITCHELL.
20:58:38:12    >> WE'RE THE YOUNG ADULT CAUCUS STAFF.
20:58:40:27    >> I'M MICHELLE COLLINS FROM THE YOUNG
20:58:43:04    ADULT CAUCUS STAFF.
20:58:46:06    >> YOU CAN IDENTIFY THE YOUNG ADULT
20:58:51:03    CAUCUS STAFF WITH THESE RIBBONS HERE.
20:58:54:10    THEY ARE PURPLE, LAVENDER, AND BLUE, OUR
20:58:57:09    FAVORITE COLORS.
20:58:58:00    AND THE YOUNG ADULT CAUCUS IS SITTING
20:59:00:25    OVER THERE IN FRONT OF THE SOUND BOOTH.
20:59:07:06     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:59:07:18    >> WE CAN BE FOUND THIS YEAR IN OUR VERY
20:59:10:01    OWN ROOM UPSTAIRS IN ROOM 202.
20:59:13:27    >> WE ALSO, ALL YOUNG ADULTS THIS YEAR,
20:59:16:28    WE HAVE LITTLE BEE STICKERS ON OUR NAME               16
20:59:21:00    BADGES.
20:59:21:12    IF YOU SEE A BEE, YOUNG ADULT.
20:59:23:15    ALSO, WE HAVE TWO WORKSHOPS THIS GA.
20:59:25:25    ALL YOU MINISTERS OUT THERE, CONSIDER
20:59:28:00    ATTENDING OUR WORKSHOPS.
20:59:31:24    IT'S HAPPENING TOMORROW.
20:59:33:13    AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SPIRITUAL
20:59:35:10    ENGAGEMENT THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE FOR YOUR
20:59:37:00    YOUNG ADULTS IN YOUR CONGREGATION.
20:59:38:15    WE'RE GOING TO ALSO HAVE ANOTHER
20:59:39:18    WORKSHOP CALLED WHAT YOUNG ADULTS LOOK
20:59:42:04    FOR IN CONGREGATIONS.
20:59:43:03    SO COME WITH YOUR QUESTIONS AND WE'LL BE
20:59:44:21    THERE TO ANSWER YOU.
20:59:45:21    FINALLY, ALL THESE DETAILS CAN BE FOUND
20:59:48:03    ON PAGE 13 OF YOUR PROGRAM BOOK.
20:59:49:28    THANKS, AND HAVE A FABULOUS GA.
20:59:52:15     [ APPLAUSE ]
20:59:53:03    >> MOST EXCELLENT.
21:00:07:06    NOW PLEASE GIVE A WARM WELCOME TO GARNER
21:00:10:18    TAKAHASHI MORRIS, SCOTT MCNEILL,
21:00:12:00    CONVENERS OF YOUR RIGHT RELATIONSHIP
21:00:13:27    TEAM.
21:00:15:10     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:00:16:01    >> GOOD EVENING, BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE!  MY
21:00:25:28    NAME IS GARNER TAKAHASHI MORRIS.
21:00:27:27    I'M THE CO-CHAIR OF THE RIGHT
21:00:29:06    RELATIONSHIP TEAM AT THIS GA.
21:00:32:06    THERE ARE QUITE A LOT OF YOU OUT THERE.
21:00:34:13    I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.
21:00:35:25    SO HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE MET SOMEBODY NEW
21:00:38:03    SINCE YOU CAME TO GA?
21:00:41:00    THAT'S WHAT I LIKE TO SEE.
21:00:42:28    HOW MANY OF YOU ARE SITTING NEXT TO
21:00:45:12    SOMEBODY THAT YOU'VE NEVER MET BEFORE
21:00:46:24    THIS EVENING?
21:00:49:12    FANTASTIC!  WHETHER YOU'RE NEW TO GA OR
21:00:52:25    THIS IS YOUR 49TH, YOU'LL KNOW THAT THIS
21:00:55:27    GATHERING IS ALL ABOUT SHARING IDEAS,
21:00:58:06    MEETING NEW PEOPLE, AND FOR A BRIEF FEW
21:01:01:18    DAYS, BUILDING A CONTINENTAL COMMUNITY.
21:01:04:06    WE EACH BRING A MULTITUDE OF STORIES, OF
21:01:07:04    AGES, SEXUALITIES, RACIAL, CULTURAL,
21:01:10:18    CLASS, AND GENDER-BASED IDENTITIES TO
21:01:12:27    THIS TABLE IN WAYS THAT ARE BOTH VISIBLE
21:01:15:10    AND INVISIBLE.
21:01:16:27    WE ARE BLESSED TO BE SO MANY.
21:01:19:21    AND ALONG WITH THAT MULTITUDE OF
21:01:22:06    EXPERIENCE, WE BRING A CULTURE OF
21:01:23:25    OPPRESSION AND MISTRUST.                              17
21:01:26:15    WE WANT OUR COMMUNITIES TO BE A SAFE AND
21:01:29:21    LOVING PLACE AND THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES
21:01:31:10    ARE ONE GUIDE FOR US ON THAT PATH.
21:01:34:09    AS UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS, WE HAVE A
21:01:37:15    MORAL CALLING TO LIVE AGAINST
21:01:39:04    OPPRESSION, AND THE PLACE TO BEGIN THAT
21:01:41:15    WORK IS INSIDE OURSELVES.
21:01:44:00    AS YOU GO THROUGH THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS,
21:01:46:13    WE CHALLENGE YOU AND OURSELVES TO ACT
21:01:48:27    WITH INTENTION.
21:01:50:12    ASK YOURSELF QUESTIONS.
21:01:53:00    WHO AM I SPEAKING TO?
21:01:55:25    WHO AM I SPEAKING FOR?
21:01:58:18    WHAT DO I ASSUME I KNOW ABOUT OTHERS?
21:02:01:27    WHAT DID THEY ASSUME THEY KNOW ABOUT ME?
21:02:04:25    ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND WHERE WE ARE COMING
21:02:07:27    FROM?
21:02:09:27    WE KNOW THIS GA CAN BE AN AFFIRMING AND
21:02:12:13    UPLIFTING EXPERIENCE WHERE WE FEEL LOVED
21:02:17:03    AND VISIBLE AND RESPECTED.
21:02:19:24    WE TREAT OTHERS WITH THAT LOVE AND
21:02:20:28    RESPECT.
21:02:21:10    AS THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIP TEAM, PLEASE
21:02:24:09    SHARE THOSE EXPERIENCES WITH US.
21:02:25:27    OPPRESSION IS DEEPLY EMBEDDED IN OUR
21:02:27:25    SOCIETY AND SEEPS INTO OUR INTERACTION
21:02:30:07    IN HIS WAYS WE MAY NOT EVEN BE AWARE OF.
21:02:32:21    WE WILL DISAGREE ON THINGS THAT ARE VERY
21:02:34:18    IMPORTANT TO US, BUT THAT IS PART OF THE
21:02:36:25    BLESSINGS OF OUR DIVERSITY.
21:02:40:06    BEING IN COMMUNITY, IN RIGHT
21:02:42:00    RELATIONSHIP, MEANS LEARNING TO BE
21:02:43:06    ACCOUNTABLE TO EACH OTHER, AND THE TEAM
21:02:45:15    IS HERE TO KEEP US IN CONVERSATION EVEN
21:02:48:00    WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH.
21:02:50:15    WE ARE ALL LEARNING.
21:02:52:07    WE WANT TO UPLIFT THE VOICES OF PAINFUL
21:02:55:00    EXPERIENCES ALONG WITH THE AFFIRMING TO
21:02:57:06    ENSURE ALL ARE HEARD.
21:02:58:24    THE TEAM IS NOT HERE TO BE THE
21:03:00:28    GREEN-SHIRTED "BE NICE BRIGADE."
21:03:04:18    WE ARE HERE TO HELP FACILITATE AN
21:03:08:04    ONGOING CONVERSATION, BECAUSE IT IS
21:03:09:22    IMPORTANT TO BE IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIP
21:03:11:09    WITH EACH OTHER AND THEREBY GROW AS A
21:03:13:24    COMMUNITY AND AS A FAITH.
21:03:14:24    NOW TO MEET THE REST OF YOUR TEAM.
21:03:16:28    SCOTT MCNEILL FROM THE WHOLENESS
21:03:19:21    TRANSFORMATION COMMITTEE AND THE CORE
21:03:21:27    CHAIR OF THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIP TEAM.                 18
21:03:24:25    GARNER TAKAHASHI MORRIS FROM DIVERSE
21:03:28:12    MULTI-CULTURAL MINISTRIES.
21:03:30:12    CALEB GRABLE SPARK, YOUTH CHAPLAIN.
21:03:34:28    YOUNG ADULT CAUCUS MODERATOR.
21:03:36:15    NICK ALLEN FROM THE UUA BOARD OF
21:03:38:18    TRUSTEES.
21:03:40:09    ALSO ON THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
21:03:42:19    WENDY [INAUDIBLE] OR ARE.
21:03:46:15    MICHAEL KENO, ALSO FROM ARE.
21:03:49:06    HOPE JOHNSON, GA CHAPLAIN.
21:03:53:21    ESTHER RIVADO, AND TIM MURPHY.
21:03:58:19    IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO A TEAM MEMBER,
21:04:02:06    CALL 925-586-8150.
21:04:05:18    THAT NUMBER IS IN THE BULLETIN SO YOU
21:04:07:01    DON'T HAVE TO REMEMBER IT.
21:04:08:01    OR ASK A CHAPLAIN.
21:04:09:12    WE'LL BE WEARING A BRIGHT GREEN T-SHIRT
21:04:15:01    AND YOU'LL SEE US IN WORKSHOPS AND
21:04:16:24    WALKING AROUND THE HALL.
21:04:17:24    WE ALSO HAVE OFFICE HOURS FROM TWO TO
21:04:19:06    THREE IN THE CHAPLAIN ROOM AND WE'D LOVE
21:04:21:00    TO TALK TO YOU ANY TIME.
21:04:22:07    THANK YOU.
21:04:22:13     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:04:23:01    >> THIS HAS THE HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF BEING
21:04:41:19    A VERY INTERESTING GENERAL ASSEMBLY, A
21:04:45:27    MEETING WHERE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS
21:04:48:06    DEBATE AND DISCUSS AND VOTE AND CONCERN
21:04:52:19    ON THE IMPORTANT ISSUES OF OUR TIME.
21:04:54:03    A MEETING WHERE WE SET THE DIRECTION FOR
21:04:55:18    OUR FUTURES IN WAYS THAT WE CAN NOT
21:04:58:04    FULLY KNOW.
21:05:00:01    AFTER THE PUBLICATION OF THE FINAL
21:05:01:18    AGENDA, OTHER ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE TO
21:05:03:27    MAKE MORE TIME FOR DISCUSSION, INCLUDING
21:05:06:00    ADDITIONAL TIME FOR MINI-ASSEMBLIES AND
21:05:08:27    TO MOVE SOME MINI-ASSEMBLIES TO LARGER
21:05:11:18    VENUES.
21:05:12:12    WE WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THESE
21:05:14:19    ADJUSTMENTS TOMORROW MORNING, SO IF YOU
21:05:17:18    ARE A DELEGATE THIS YEAR OR ARE SIMPLY
21:05:19:21    INTERESTED IN OBSERVING THE BUSINESS OF
21:05:21:18    THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, BE SURE TO BE IN
21:05:23:19    PLENARY TOMORROW MORNING WITH YOUR
21:05:25:21    PROGRAM BOOK AND YOUR AGENDA SO YOU CAN
21:05:28:03    KNOW WHEN TO HE KNOW GAGE IN BUSINESS
21:05:32:06    AND SOCIAL WITNESS ISSUES AT THIS
21:05:33:24    GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
21:05:34:09    I UNDERSTAND WE MIGHT ALSO SING.
21:05:39:09    THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME               19
21:05:41:16    BEFORE US AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
21:05:43:12    SCHEDULE SET FORTH IN YOUR PROGRAM BOOK,
21:05:45:09    I DECLARE THAT THIS PLENARY SESSION OF
21:05:47:10    THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL STAND IN
21:05:48:25    RECESS UNTIL 8:00 A.M. ON THURSDAY,
21:05:51:24    JUNE 24TH, 2010, BUT DON'T GO ANYWHERE,
21:05:54:18    BECAUSE THERE'S MORE STUFF UP HERE.
21:05:56:10    SEE YOU TOMORROW.
21:05:57:16     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:05:58:01    >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
21:06:09:03    IT IS WITH GREAT EXCITEMENT THAT I
21:06:10:18    INTRODUCE TO YOU THE WONDERFUL MUSICIAN
21:06:13:06    WHO YOU HEARD BEFORE, PETER MAYER.
21:06:16:27    [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
21:06:17:06     PETER WRITES SONGS FOR A SMALL PLANET.
21:06:27:00    SONGS ABOUT INTERCONNECTEDNESS AND THE
21:06:29:09    HUMAN JOURNEY, ABOUT THE BEAUTY AND THE
21:06:32:01    MYSTERY OF THE WORLD.
21:06:33:21    WHIMSICAL, HUMOROUS, AND PROFOUND, HIS
21:06:37:03    MUSIC BREAKS THE BOUNDARIES OF FOLK AND
21:06:40:13    TRANSCENDS TO A REALM BEYOND THE
21:06:42:09    EVERYDAY LOVE SONG TO A PLACE OF WONDER
21:06:44:09    AT THE VERY FACT OF LIFE ITSELF.
21:06:46:25    AS UU'S, WE ARE BLESSED TO CALL PETER
21:06:50:00    ONE OF OUR OWN, AS HE IS AFFILIATED  --
21:06:53:21    WE ARE BLESSED.
21:06:54:16     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:06:57:15    >> HE IS AFFILIATED WITH THE WHITE BEAR
21:06:59:18    UU CHURCH IN THE METRO AREA.
21:07:02:28    PETER HAS WRITTEN A NEW SONG FOR US FOR
21:07:05:27    GA THIS YEAR CALLED COME RISING THAT HE
21:07:08:12    WILL NOW SHARE WITH YOU.
21:07:10:06    EVERYONE, PLEASE WELCOME PETER MAYER!
21:07:13:12    [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
21:07:13:24
21:07:14:21    >> THANK YOU.
21:07:16:27    THANK YOU.
21:07:18:28    WHAT I LIKE TO DO IS INVITE YOU ALL TO
21:07:23:15    SING ON THE CHORUSES OF THIS SONG, SO
21:07:27:04    LET ME SING THROUGH THE FIRST CHORUS
21:07:34:24    ONCE AND THEN ASK THAT YOU SING IT WITH
21:07:36:15    ME.
21:07:37:06    IT GOES LIKE THIS.
21:07:38:01    EARTH COME RISING, COME RISING.
21:07:44:03    EARTH COME RISING UP INSIDE OF US.
21:07:49:00    RISING, COME RISING, EARTH COME RISING
21:07:52:24    UP INSIDE OF US CAN WE TRY THAT?
21:08:00:24    LET'S TRY IT TOGETHER.
21:08:01:27    ¶ EARTH COME RISING, COME RISING, EARTH
21:08:05:07    COME RISING UP INSIDE OF US.                          20
21:08:09:24    RISING, COME RISING, EARTH COME RISING
21:08:13:25    UP INSIDE OF US.
21:08:20:21    >> NOW, THE CHORUSES WILL CHANGE.
21:08:22:13    THAT'S THE FIRST CHORUS.
21:08:24:03    THE SECOND CHORUS WILL BE LIGHT COME
21:08:26:21    RISING, LIGHT COME RISING UP INSIDE OF
21:08:28:27    US, AND THE THIRD CHORUS WILL BE GOD
21:08:31:10    COME RISING UP INSIDE OF US.
21:08:34:03    AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK THROUGH THE
21:08:35:18    CHORUSES, EARTH AND LIGHT, AT THE END.
21:08:38:16    SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU SING THEM WITH
21:08:40:21    SPIRIT AND FOR DOING SO.
21:08:46:04    OKAY.
21:08:54:03    ¶¶
21:09:04:12    TO THE WIND
21:09:09:13    TO THE BURNING SUN
21:09:13:03    TO THE TURNING FROM NIGHT INTO DAY
21:09:21:18    TO THE SEA
21:09:24:27    TO THE MOUNTAIN PEAKS
21:09:29:15    TO THE FIRE BENEATH, WE SAY
21:09:35:00    EARTH COME RISING! COME RISING!
21:09:39:01    EARTH COME RISING UP INSIDE OF US
21:09:42:25    RISING, COME RISING
21:09:46:06    EARTH COME RISING UP INSIDE OF US
21:09:50:13    TO THE BREATH
21:09:55:06    TO THE BEATING HEART
21:10:00:00    TO THE MORNING LARK THAT CALLS IN THE
21:10:00:00    SPRING
21:10:05:10    TO THE SEED
21:10:10:00    THAT HAS BEEN GROWING HERE
21:10:14:04    THESE FOUR BILLION YEARS, WE SING
21:10:20:12    LIFE COME RISING! COME RISING
21:10:25:07    LIFE COME RISING UP INSIDE OF US
21:10:29:06    RISING, COME RISING
21:10:32:28    LIFE COME RISING UP INSIDE OF US
21:10:33:28
21:10:39:15    TEACH US WISDOM
21:10:46:09    TEACH US WISDOM
21:10:59:15    TO THE SOURCE
21:11:04:04    FROM WHICH ALL PROCEED
21:11:09:21    TO THE MYSTERY THAT MOVES
21:11:17:07    TO THE LOVE
21:11:18:15    THAT INTERTWINES OUR LIVES
21:11:23:15    TO THE HIGHER MIND, WE PRAY
21:11:30:03    GOD COME RISING! COME RISING
21:11:33:18    GOD COME RISING UP INSIDE OF US.
21:11:37:06    RISING, COME RISING
21:11:41:28    GOD COME RISING UP INSIDE OF US
21:11:44:03    EARTH COME RISING, COME RISING.
21:11:48:00    EARTH COME RISING UP INSIDE OF US.                    21
21:11:51:03    RISING, COME RISING,TH COME RISING UP
21:11:56:16    INSIDE OF US.
21:12:00:12    LIFE COME RISING, LIFE COME RISING UP
21:12:04:00    INSIDE OF US RISING, COME RISING, LIFE
21:12:11:00    COME RISING UP INSIDE OF US.
21:12:27:01     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:12:28:06    >> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
21:12:49:21    AND LET'S HEAR IT FOR ALL OF THESE
21:12:51:15    MUSICIANS THIS EVENING.
21:12:52:15    FABULOUS.
21:12:53:06    FABULOUS.
21:12:54:00     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:12:54:21    >> IT IS SO GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL.
21:13:06:25    I LOVE WATCHING PEOPLE COME TO GA.
21:13:10:18    I CAN FEEL THE EXCITEMENT IN THE AIR.
21:13:13:07    I LOVE WATCHING OLD FRIENDS SEE ONE
21:13:17:00    ANOTHER AND RUSH UP AND GIVE A BIG HUG.
21:13:20:12    EVERY GENERAL ASSEMBLY REMINDS US THAT
21:13:22:22    WE ARE NOT ISOLATED IN OUR
21:13:25:03    CONGREGATIONS.
21:13:27:00    AS WE GATHER WITH THOUSANDS OF UNITARIAN
21:13:28:24    UNIVERSALISTS FROM ACROSS THIS CONTINENT
21:13:32:21    AND FROM ACROSS THE WORLD, WE REALIZE
21:13:36:18    THAT WE ARE PART OF AN INTERNATIONAL
21:13:39:07    RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT.
21:13:41:03    AND I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO
21:13:43:15    RECOGNIZE SOME OF OUR INTERNATIONAL
21:13:45:15    GUESTS, WITH WHOM I HAD DINNER TODAY.
21:13:47:13    THEY HAVE SO MUCH TO TEACH US.
21:13:48:24    WE HAVE SO MUCH TO LEARN FROM THESE
21:13:50:15    CULTURAL INTERCHANGES.
21:13:52:18    AND WOULD YOU PLEASE RISE AND BE
21:13:54:00    RECOGNIZED, THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE
21:13:55:13    VISITING FROM JAPAN AND ROMANIA AND MANY
21:14:00:09    OTHER PLACES?
21:14:01:06    CANADA?
21:14:01:15
21:14:01:15
21:14:01:15
21:14:02:19     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:14:05:27    GOODS TO HAVE YOU.
21:14:17:09    WE ARE INDEED CONNECTED TO THOUSANDS
21:14:20:21    UPON THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF
21:14:23:01    UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS AND THESE
21:14:26:15    CONNECTIONS, THESE CONNECTIONS CREATE
21:14:28:12    BREATH TAKING POSSIBILITIES.
21:14:31:06    WE COME TOGETHER AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY, AS
21:14:34:18    OUR BYLAWS SAY, TO DO THE BUSINESS OF
21:14:36:15    THE ASSOCIATION.
21:14:38:12    AND IF YOU'VE GLANCED AT THE AGENDA FOR               22
21:14:41:01    THE PLENARY SESSION, YOU'LL SEE THAT,
21:14:43:27    ONCE AGAIN, WE HAVE PLENTY OF BUSINESS
21:14:48:04    BEFORE US.
21:14:48:22    OUR BUSINESS MEETINGS WILL DEAL WITH
21:14:51:03    IMPORTANT MATTERS.
21:14:52:09    DECISIONS THAT WILL HAVE FAR-REACHING
21:14:54:21    CONSEQUENCES, AND WE WILL, AS IS OUR
21:14:59:00    WONT, DISCUSS, DEBATE, CONFER, EDIT, AND
21:15:03:04    AMEND.
21:15:05:16    AND YET WHEN I THINK OF THE ESSENTIAL
21:15:08:24    BUSINESS OF OUR ASSOCIATION, I DON'T
21:15:11:24    THINK IMMEDIATELY OF RESOLUTIONS AND
21:15:14:01    VOTING.
21:15:15:15    I THINK OF WORSHIP SERVICES IN MORE THAN
21:15:19:00    A THOUSAND CONGREGATIONS, WORSHIP
21:15:21:04    SERVICES THAT TOUCH SOULS AND HELP US
21:15:23:24    SHAPE OUR LIVES.
21:15:25:15    I THINK OF CHILDREN LEARNING COMPASSION,
21:15:28:06    UNDERSTANDING AND RESPONSIBILITY IN OUR
21:15:31:12    RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
21:15:33:21    I THINK OF THE DEEP, ENDURING SPIRITUAL
21:15:36:12    FRIENDSHIPS BEING FORMED IN SMALL
21:15:38:28    GROUPS.
21:15:41:18    I THINK OF PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER TO
21:15:44:03    MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES,
21:15:46:16    PEOPLE HELPING OTHERS, PEOPLE SPEAKING
21:15:48:27    OUT AGAINST HATRED AND VIOLENCE.
21:15:53:18    WHEN I THINK OF OUR BUSINESS, I THINK OF
21:15:55:22    MEMORIAL SERVICES WHERE FAMILY AND
21:15:58:15    FRIENDS GATHER TO CELEBRATE LIVES LIVED
21:16:01:24    WITH PURPOSE AND FILLED WITH LOVE.
21:16:04:19    I THINK OF YOUNG PEOPLE GATHERING AT
21:16:06:24    CLUSTER AND DISTRICT "CONS" WHERE THEY
21:16:10:24    FEEL SAFE AND WHERE HUMAN DIVERSITY IS
21:16:14:00    CELEBRATED AND WHERE SLEEP DEPRIVATION
21:16:16:24    BECOMES A KIND OF SPIRITUAL PRACTICE.
21:16:20:10     [ LAUGHTER ]
21:16:22:15    OUR REAL BUSINESS IS RELIGION.
21:16:26:09    OUR REAL BUSINESS IS HELPING PEOPLE LEAD
21:16:28:16    LIVES FILLED WITH MEANING AND PURPOSE.
21:16:32:00    OUR REAL BUSINESS IS LOVING ONE ANOTHER.
21:16:35:12    OUR REAL BUSINESS IS HELPING TO HEAL THE
21:16:38:04    BROKENNESS IN OUR WORLD.
21:16:40:12    OUR REAL BUSINESS IS BRINGING HOPE WHERE
21:16:43:09    THERE IS DESPAIR, COMFORT WHERE THERE IS
21:16:46:04    PAIN, COMMUNITY WHERE THERE IS
21:16:48:24    ISOLATION, ACCEPTANCE WHERE THERE IS
21:16:52:03    MARGINALIZATION.
21:16:54:19    OUR REAL BUSINESS IS SPEAKING TRUTH TO
21:16:56:21    POWER.                                                23
21:16:57:24    OUR REAL BUSINESS IS TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER
21:17:00:27    AND TO STAND ON THE SIDE OF LOVE
21:17:04:01    TOGETHER.
21:17:07:06    [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
21:17:07:21
21:17:14:04    >> AND I WOULD REMIND US THAT HOW WE
21:17:16:03    GATHER HERE AT GA IS AN EXPRESSION OF
21:17:18:24    WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE VALUE.
21:17:21:22    SO LET OUR TIME TOGETHER BE ONE THAT
21:17:23:27    EXPRESSES THE BEST OF WHO WE ARE.
21:17:28:13    WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN A PEOPLE WHO VALUE
21:17:29:28    DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
21:17:32:24    AND THIS GROWS OUT OF OUR CORE
21:17:34:06    CONVICTION THAT EVERYONE MATTERS AND
21:17:37:10    THAT OUR COMMUNITIES SHOULD BE
21:17:39:00    INCLUSIVE.
21:17:40:15    TO AFFIRM THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS ALSO
21:17:43:03    MEANS THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PEOPLE
21:17:46:01    WILL HAVE DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW.
21:17:48:18    THE ONLY REASON TO DISCUSS AND DEBATE A
21:17:51:12    TOPIC BEFORE VOTING IS SO THAT WE CAN
21:17:53:28    OPEN OURSELVES TO SEEING THINGS FROM
21:17:57:06    ANOTHER PERSON'S POINT OF VIEW.
21:18:00:03    PEOPLE WHO HAVE A POINT OF VIEW
21:18:01:19    DIFFERENT FROM MINE OR DIFFERENT FROM
21:18:05:00    YOURS DO NOT DISAGREE BECAUSE THEY ARE
21:18:08:18    AGENTS OF THE DEVIL.
21:18:15:15    SO LET US GATHER AT THIS GENERAL
21:18:16:24    ASSEMBLY.
21:18:17:09    LET US LISTEN.
21:18:18:09    LET US REFLECT.
21:18:20:01    LET US DISCOVER OUR COMMON GROUND AND WE
21:18:28:09    ALSO GATHER TO BEAR WITNESS.
21:18:29:25    LAST YEAR WE STOOD WITH IMMIGRANT
21:18:31:24    FAMILIES IN SALT LAKE CITY, CALLING FOR
21:18:33:27    COMPREHENSIVE AND HUMANE IMMIGRATION
21:18:35:27    REFORM.
21:18:36:15    AT THIS GA WE'VE SCHEDULED TIME POST
21:18:39:27    OFFICE PUBLIC WITNESS WITH GAY PRIDE AND
21:18:42:03    TO STAND FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY.
21:18:46:07    AND THIS DEMONSTRATION SATURDAY IS NOT
21:18:47:21    JUST A BREAK IN OUR BUSINESS MEETINGS.
21:18:49:12    I URGE YOU TO JOIN ME ON SATURDAY,
21:18:52:21    BECAUSE FOR UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS
21:18:54:25    STANDING ON THE SIDE OF LOVE IS NOT AN
21:18:57:21    OPTIONAL ACTIVITY.
21:19:00:03     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:19:00:15    AND WE GATHER TO CELEBRATE, TO WORSHIP
21:19:14:16    AND MARK IMPORTANT TRANSITIONS.
21:19:16:09    OUR SERVICE OF THE LIVING TRADITION IS A              24
21:19:18:12    SACRED TIME, A TIME TO HONOR PAST
21:19:20:16    SERVICE AND TO EMBRACE NEW BEGINNINGS.
21:19:25:00    THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT THE
21:19:25:27    SOUND OF THOUSANDS OF UU'S SINGING.
21:19:30:28    IT RENEWS THE SPIRIT AND TOUCHES THE
21:19:33:03    HEART.
21:19:33:15    THERE'S A MYSTERIOUS POWER WE CAN ALL
21:19:37:25    SENSE WHEN WE PRAY TOGETHER.
21:19:39:10    SO LET WORSHIP BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF
21:19:41:27    YOUR GA EXPERIENCE AND LET THERE BE JOY
21:19:43:21    IN OUR GATHERING.
21:19:48:27    WE ALSO GATHER TO LEARN.
21:19:50:09    ONE OF THE UNFORTUNATE ASPECTS OF
21:19:51:24    SERVING AS YOUR PRESIDENT IS THAT MY
21:19:54:01    SCHEDULE DOESN'T ALLOW ME TO ATTEND ALL
21:19:56:07    THE WORKSHOPS I'D LIKE TO ATTEND.
21:19:58:06    YEAR AFTER YEAR, I WOULD LEAVE GA FILLED
21:20:00:09    WITH NEW IDEAS ABOUT HOW I COULD MAKE MY
21:20:03:13    CONGREGATION BETTER.
21:20:05:12    OURS IS A TRADITION THAT HAS ALWAYS
21:20:07:18    TAKEN DELIGHT IN HUMAN EARNING AND HAS
21:20:10:16    EMBRACED CHANGE.
21:20:11:19    WE ARE MOVING INTO A NEW ERA.
21:20:14:09    LET'S GATHER WITH OPEN MINDS THAT ARE
21:20:16:03    EAGER TO LEARN.
21:20:18:16    AND LET'S GATHER TO DREAM TOGETHER.
21:20:22:09    WHAT IS TRULY POSSIBLE FOR OUR
21:20:24:03    CONGREGATIONS AND OUR MOVEMENT TODAY?
21:20:27:19    I HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE POSSIBILITIES.
21:20:30:21    I WAS PRIVILEGED TO SERVE A CHURCH THAT
21:20:32:18    KEPT SURPRISING ME, THAT GREW BEYOND
21:20:36:07    WHAT I DARED TO DREAM AND SERVED PEOPLE
21:20:37:24    IN WAYS THAT TOUCHED MY HEART.
21:20:41:27    AND I HAVE SEEN OVER AND OVER IN
21:20:43:28    CONGREGATIONS ALL OVER OUR MOVEMENT WHAT
21:20:46:03    WE CAN DO IF WE HARNESS THE SPIRIT, THE
21:20:48:24    DEDICATION, THE COMPASSION AND THE
21:20:51:06    VISION OF OUR PEOPLE.
21:20:54:12    WE HAVE ONLY BEGUN, ONLY BEGUN TO
21:20:57:15    GLIMPSE WHAT IS POSSIBLE FOR US AS WE
21:21:01:16    JOIN HANDS AND WORK TOGETHER.
21:21:02:21    SO WE GATHER, THEN, IN HOPE, IN A HOPE
21:21:06:06    THAT IS GROUNDED IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT
21:21:07:15    TOGETHER WE CAN DO AMAZING AND WONDERFUL
21:21:11:12    THINGS.
21:21:14:09    IN A FEW DAYS, THIS GA WILL BE OVER.
21:21:18:04    WE WILL BE EXHAUSTED.
21:21:21:09    AT LEAST I WILL.
21:21:24:09    BUT THE REAL MEASURE, THE REAL MEASURE
21:21:28:01    OF THIS GA WILL NOT BE WHAT WE DID HERE               25
21:21:30:09    IN MINNEAPOLIS.
21:21:32:12    THE REAL MEASURE OF THIS GA WILL BE WHAT
21:21:35:07    WE DO AFTER WE LEAVE.
21:21:38:03    LET US GATHER, THEN, OPEN TO HOW THIS GA
21:21:41:13    CAN CHANGE OUR LIVES.
21:21:43:04    LET US GATHER IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE
21:21:45:24    LEAVE WITH HEARTS FILLED WITH HOPE, WITH
21:21:48:18    OUR HEADS FILLED WITH NEW IDEAS, AND
21:21:51:01    WITH OUR SPIRITS RENEWED BY OUR BEING
21:21:54:00    TOGETHER.
21:21:56:06    MAY THIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY BE A BLESSING
21:21:59:16    FOR EACH ONE OF US, A BLESSING TO THIS
21:22:03:24    MOVEMENT WE ALL LOVE, AND TO THE WORLD.
21:22:05:24    HAVE A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL GENERAL
21:22:07:25    ASSEMBLY.
21:22:11:21     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:22:12:06    >> JIM SCOTT HAS WRITTEN A SONG THAT I
21:22:40:07    THINK WE ALL KNOW.
21:22:42:12    GATHER IN SPIRIT, NUMBER 347 IN YOUR
21:22:46:21    HYMNAL.
21:22:47:25    AND HE'D LIKE TO LEAD THAT HERE FOR YOU.
21:22:50:15    (SINGING "GATHER IN PEACE")
21:22:54:21     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:26:27:24    >> WE GATHER TO CELEBRATE THE LEGACY AND
21:26:42:28    TRADITION OF OUR COMMUNITY, THE MESSAGE
21:26:46:18    AND MISSION OF OUR FAITH, AND THE
21:26:49:13    PROMISE OF OUR FUTURE.
21:26:51:16    WE BRING TOGETHER IN THIS PLACE THE
21:26:54:21    VOICES OF UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM.
21:27:08:16    >>> OUR LEGACY IS THE WORK OF THE
21:27:10:03    FOUNDERS.
21:27:11:15    SO CARRY THE LIGHT OF EXPERIENCE FOR
21:27:12:24    THOSE WHO FOLLOW.
21:27:14:09    MY NAME IS DOYLE MULLIN AND I AM 76
21:27:17:21    YEARS OLD.
21:27:20:03    I AM ONE OF THOSE WHO SIGNED THE
21:27:22:03    ORIGINAL INCORPORATION DOCUMENTS FOR THE
21:27:24:04    MICHAEL SERVETUS CONGREGATION IN
21:27:28:15    FRIDLEY, MINNESOTA, 44 YEARS AGO THIS
21:27:31:19    MONTH.
21:27:32:22     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:27:33:04    AND THIS IS MY FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
21:27:45:27     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:27:46:09    I AM THE UUA.
21:28:10:09    >> OUR MISSION IS THE WISDOM OF THE
21:28:12:13    ELDERS, WHO HAVE MADE CHANGE TO STRUGGLE
21:28:15:27    FOR JUSTICE IN OUR WORLD FOR
21:28:17:18    GENERATIONS.
21:28:18:09    MY NAME IS NAN CORLISS.
21:28:19:28    I AM 68 YEARS OLD AND I AM A BORN AND                 26
21:28:22:09    RAISED UU.
21:28:24:27    I HAVE EXERCISED MY COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL
21:28:28:25    ACTIVISM FOR HALF A CENTURY AS A MEMBER
21:28:33:03    OF OUR CONGREGATIONS IN IN NEW YORK,
21:28:41:00    ELKHART, INDIANA; HINSDALE, ILLINOIS;
21:28:47:01    WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA; WAYZATA,
21:28:53:06    MINNESOTA; BRIDGE HAMPTON, NEW YORK; AND
21:29:00:09    THE MINNESOTA VALLEY YOU FEEL U
21:29:01:21    FELLOWSHIP IN BLOOMINGTON, MINNESOTA.
21:29:04:19     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:29:11:15    AND THIS IS MY FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
21:29:16:03     [ LAUGHTER ]
21:29:16:03
21:29:17:27    >> I AM THE UUA.
21:29:21:09     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:29:21:25    >> OUR HERITAGE IS THE SERVICE OF
21:29:31:25    MINISTRY IN ITS MANY FORMS THAT HAS
21:29:35:12    INSPIRED, ENCOURAGED, INSTALLED, AND
21:29:41:04    GUIDED OUR COMMUNITIES OVER THE
21:29:43:12    GENERATIONS.
21:29:45:03    MY NAME IS KENDYL GIBBONS.
21:29:47:03    I'M 55 YEARS OLD.
21:29:49:10    I AM THE SENIOR MINISTER OF THE FIRST
21:29:51:27    UNITARIAN SOCIETY HERE IN MINNEAPOLIS
21:29:54:18    AND I HAVE RECENTLY CELEBRATED THE
21:29:56:22    30TH ANNIVERSARY OF MY ORDINATION.
21:29:59:27    THIS IS MY 26TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
21:30:02:24    I AM THE UUA.
21:30:13:28     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:30:14:16    >> OUR MESSAGE IS THE DELIGHT OF THOSE
21:30:20:15    WHO DISCOVER AFTER YEARS OF WANDERING
21:30:23:16    THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE IN OUR LONGING FOR
21:30:26:18    A RELIGION OF REASON, REALITY, AND
21:30:30:06    COMPASSION AND FIND A HOME IN OUR
21:30:32:22    CONGREGATIONS.
21:30:33:16    MY NAME IS ALISON ALBRECHT AND I AM 48
21:30:36:15    YEARS OLD.
21:30:38:09    I RECENTLY COMPLETED BY TERM AS CHAIR OF
21:30:40:22    THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AT THE UNITARIAN
21:30:42:27    UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF MINNETONKA IN
21:30:47:25    WAYZATA, MINNESOTA.
21:30:49:22     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:30:50:06    AND THIS IS MY FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
21:30:55:06    AND I AM THE UUA.
21:30:57:07     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:30:57:19    >>> OUR FAITH IS THE DEDICATION OF LAY
21:31:09:21    LEADERS WHO FIND A PATH OF SPIRITUAL
21:31:12:06    GROWTH IN SERVICE TO OUR RELIGIOUS
21:31:15:04    COMMUNITIES.
21:31:16:16    MY NAME IS MARK KOTZ AND I AM 46 YEARS                27
21:31:19:24    OLD.
21:31:20:12    I COORDINATE THE CONCERT SERIES AND
21:31:22:16    PERFORM ORIGINAL MUSIC AT THE WHITE BEAR
21:31:24:21    UU CHURCH IN MAHTOMEDI, MINNESOTA, AND
21:31:29:15    THIS IS MY FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
21:31:30:25    I AM THE UUA.
21:31:33:00     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:31:34:09    >> OUR TRADITION IS THE HERITAGE WE PASS
21:31:47:00    ON TO GENERATIONS OF CHILDREN WHO
21:31:50:22    RECEIVE FREEDOM, REASON AND ACCEPTANCE
21:31:55:03    OF ONE ANOTHER AS THEIR BIRTH RIGHT FROM
21:31:57:28    US.
21:32:01:18    MY NAME IS KRISTI SCHUCK.
21:32:03:09    I'M 37 YEARS OLD.
21:32:04:18    I'M IN MY THIRD YEAR AT DIRECTOR OF
21:32:06:25    RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AT THE BREAKTHROUGH
21:32:10:24    CONGREGATION OF UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST
21:32:12:12    FELLOWSHIP OF MANKATO.
21:32:19:00    AND I'M RECENTLY ELECTED TO SERVE ON THE
21:32:21:12    BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE PRAIRIE STAR
21:32:23:07    DISTRICT.
21:32:26:18    THIS IS MY FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND I
21:32:28:12    AM THE UUA.
21:32:31:00     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:32:31:13    OUR PROMISE IS THE ENERGY OF OUR YOUNG
21:32:43:27    ADULTS.
21:32:47:09     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:32:48:24    WHO GROUND THE SHAPE OF OUR EMERGING
21:32:50:28    LIVES IN THE VALUE OF OUR FAITH.
21:32:54:00    MY NAME IS NEELY CRANE-SMITH AND I AM 26
21:32:57:13    YEARS OLD.
21:32:59:04    I STARTED MY  -- I BECAME ACTIVE AT
21:33:02:03    UNITY CHURCH UNITARIAN IN ST. PAUL,
21:33:04:15    MINNESOTA.
21:33:06:16     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:33:09:00    WHILE A STUDENT AT MACALESTER COLLEGE.
21:33:11:12    AND THIS IS MY FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
21:33:14:21    I AM THE UUA.
21:33:18:15     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:33:19:03    >> OUR COMMUNITY IS THE HOPE OF THE
21:33:32:00    TEENAGERS WHO COME TO MATURITY HERE,
21:33:34:10    BELIEVING IN OUR ABILITY TO MAKE A
21:33:36:12    BETTER WORLD.
21:33:37:18    MY NAME IS ELLIOT ALTBAUM AND I AM 18
21:33:42:19    YEARS OLD.
21:33:43:22    I'M A MEMBER OF THE YOUTH GROUP AT THE
21:33:45:21    FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF
21:33:47:15    MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.
21:33:50:01     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:33:53:24    WHICH I'VE TENDED MY WHOLE LIFE.                      28
21:33:57:00    AND THIS IS MY FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
21:33:59:16    I AM THE UUA.
21:34:02:15     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:34:03:03    >> OUR FUTURE IS THE CRADLE OF A NEW
21:34:18:16    GENERATION TO GROW IN WISDOM, KINDNESS,
21:34:21:09    AND JOY AS THE CHILDREN OF OUR
21:34:22:21    CONGREGATIONS.
21:34:23:24    MY NAME IS BRONIA BOGEN GROSE AND I AM
21:34:26:22    12 YEARS OLD.
21:34:28:00    I AM A MEMBER OF THE CHALICE LIGHTERS
21:34:32:03    CLUB OF THE FIRST UNITARIAN SOCIETY OF
21:34:33:28    MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, AND THIS IS MY
21:34:35:21    FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
21:34:36:24    I AM THE UUA.
21:34:38:18     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:34:39:00    WE ARE THE UUA!
21:34:56:03     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:34:56:18    >> I WOULD ASK THAT  -- WE'RE GOING TO
21:35:22:04    DO BLUE BOAT HOME.
21:35:23:10    I WOULD ASK THAT YOU JOIN US ON THE
21:35:26:09    SECOND AND THIRD VERSE.
21:35:29:13    THE FIRST VERSE WILL BE SUNG BY THE
21:35:32:01    CHOIR AND THEN I'LL SING THE THIRD  --
21:35:35:15    OR THE FIRST VERSE AGAIN SOLO.
21:35:38:01    AND PLEASE JOIN US IN THE FINAL TWO
21:35:40:18    VERSES.
21:35:43:03    ¶ THOUGH BELOW ME I FEEL NO MOTION.
21:35:58:01    ¶ STANDING ON THESE MOUNTAINS AND
21:36:04:18    PLAINS.
21:36:05:18    ¶ FAR AWAY FROM THE ROLLING OCEAN.
21:36:15:06    ¶ STILL MY DRY LAND HEART CAN SAY.
21:36:24:00    ¶ I'VE BEEN SAILING ALL MY LIFE NOW.
21:36:33:09    ¶ NEVER HARBOR OR PORT HAVE I KNOWN.
21:36:41:18    ¶ THE WIDE UNIVERSE IS THE OCEAN I
21:36:49:27    TRAVEL.
21:36:51:27    ¶ AND THE EARTH IS MY BLUE BOAT HOME.
21:40:11:09     [ APPLAUSE ]
21:40:11:21    PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR OUR
21:40:27:21    BENEDICTION.
21:40:29:01    AND I INVITE TO YOU TAKE THE HAND OF THE
21:40:31:12    PERSON AT YOUR SIDE AND FOR THOSE OF YOU
21:40:34:15    ON THE STAGE, WE ARE ONE PEOPLE.
21:40:44:18    LET US FEEL THAT AS WE GO FROM HERE.
21:40:47:25    AND LET US DRAW FROM ONE ANOTHER
21:40:50:12    STRENGTH AND HOPE TOGETHER.
21:41:00:15    AND WE CAN DO WONDERFUL THINGS.
21:41:04:10    GO NOW WITH LOVE.
21:41:06:15    GO WITH JOY.
21:41:07:18    BE A BLESSING TO ONE ANOTHER.
21:41:14:04     [ APPLAUSE ]                                         29
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21:41:14:10              HEAR INK
21:41:14:10            314-427-1113
21:43:19:18           WWW.HEARINK.COM