Invitation to GA 2015
General Assembly 2014 Event 505
This report is part of a longer event. Go to General Session VIII for the complete video and order of business.
Transcript
JIM KEY: I think we need to hear from Ken Wheeler, the district coordinator for next year's General Assembly. Is he in the house? We are running really well ahead of schedule. We're challenging our guests to get here. Is he here?
Oh, there he is. While he's walking up, I'm delighted that next year's General Assembly is going to be in Portland. It's one of my favorite cities in the country. But I won't ramble on. I'll let Ken tell you about it.
KEN WHEELER: Well, good afternoon. It's my great pleasure to be the one to invite you to the next iteration of this great General Assembly. As District GA Coordinator, I sit with the GA planning committee. And there I've gotten something of a planners inside view of this meeting.
You will hear often what a great effort the committee puts into GA. And I've been there to see it. They are simply terrific and no amount of appreciation is truly enough.
I'm hear as I said, to invite you to just about the most exciting place there is to hold a General Assembly. I hope you've had a chance to stop by our booth for some flashy brochures and enticing literature. Many members of Portland nine UU congregations will be the volunteer to greet you and help you, in your GA time, meet your expectations.
Portland is a fabulous place to visit as a setting for General Assembly. When summer arrives, Portlanders make the most of it. There are restaurants and food festivals. Recent additions have broaden your options in fine dining. Local start ups, food cart, vegetarian fare abounds.
There are gardens. Our world renowned rose festival will just have ended. But the displays and plantings in the international rose garden, Chinese garden, and the most authentic Japanese garden east of the rising sun, and city parks, will be at their height. There's live music, both in our evening entertainment program for GA and in the downtown area. There's a lively music scene ranging from the symphonic to the latest contemporary offerings.
There is home hospitality. Local UUs will open their homes to GA visitors in the same way they do every year. There are kindred spirits to meet. And there's scenery.
You are only a short distance by car or on tour from the Columbia River gorge and its waterfalls. You can follow the river or the Crest highway for just fabulous views. And I simply cannot leave out the coast. Just some of the most spectacular, natural splendor in the world.
But my main point here is that although the setting is interesting and beautiful, the reason you should come to Portland from June 24 through 28 next year, is the General Assembly itself. The business is important. The worship will inspire. The programs will fascinate. You want to be there. I want you to be there. So I'll see you in Portland.