A multi-day conference centered on connecting across individuals, congregations, and regions. Friday, April 19 - Saturday, April 20th. Registration for in person attendance closes on Friday, April 12, 2024.
Come for a short visit or for the entire weekend. The business and programs of the Pacific Western Regional Assembly will conclude on Saturday afternoon. Local dinners are being organized for Saturday night. Inspirational Earth Day worship at local Denver and Boulder congregations is being planned for Sunday, to welcome those who want an entire UU weekend of connection.
People can attend either in person, at First Universalist in Denver, or remotely. We are planning a family friendly event and children are welcome. This is a great chance to connect with our larger faith and connect with new and old friends
REGISTER TODAY!
Location:
- Join us in First Universalist Church of Denver, CO 4101 E. Hampden Ave.
Denver, CO 80222. - Join us in First Unitarian Society Madison, WI 900 University Bay Drive, Madison WI 53705- Find out more about the event.
- and Online! WHOVA app will open the week in April, 2024.
Highlights:
- Friday Keynote speaker(s): Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt & Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia A. Thompson
- On-demand workshops
- WHOVA app access!
Brief Agenda: note this agenda is set to Mountain Standard Time.
Friday, April 19
6:00 pm - Doors open
6:45 pm - Opening & Welcome
7:00 pm - Keynote
8:00 pm - Reception & tours of the congregation
Saturday, April 20
8:00 am - doors open - continental breakfast
9:00 am - 9:30am Welcome
9:30am - 10:30am Session 1 workshops
- Workshop 1A: Visioning Multigenerational Futures* | Facilitator(s): Kristin Famula | Marena McGregor | Rev. Samantha Wilson | Location: Sanctuary
- Description: How do we learn to live and die on a transforming planet? What would the Unitarian Universalism of our dreams look like? I wonder what would happen if we sat together in the spaces between doom and solutions? These are just some of the questions we’ve been exploring in an emergent process in the PCD at a time when districts dissolve and Unitarian Universalism transforms. This emergent process has taken the shape of dynamic, multi-day retreats across stakeholders. Come get a taste of a visionary approach to dissolution.
- Workshop 1B: UU Camps & Conference in the PWR* | Facilitator(s): TBD | Location: Colvin Commons
- Description: TBD
- Workshop 1C: Moving Toward Transformation: Leading Anti-racism/Anti-oppression/Multicultural efforts in our congregations* | Facilitator(s): Dr. Melissa James, Congregational life consultant | Location: Youth room 2
- Description: In this workshop participants will hear from PWR congregations engaged in effective anti-racism/anti-oppression/multicultural (AR/AO/MC) ministry and share stories, best practices, and insights. They will also be introduced to the UUA Mosaic Hub, a new initiative to equip leaders and congregations for AR/AO/MC work in their congregations and communities.
10:30am - 11:00am Break
11:00am - 12:00pm Session 2 workshops
- Workshop 2A: In Times Like These: A Worship on Living Out Our Faith* | Facilitator(s): Rev. Summer Albayati and Rev. Sarah Gibb Millspaugh, Pacific Western Region UUA Staff | Location: Sanctuary (multi-platform)
- Description: In a world that seems so intent on dehumanization and “othering,” and a nation that has not only failed to stop, but has actively funded the devastation of a people, it takes spiritual strength to resist, to claim our full humanity and the full human rights of every person. What spiritual resources do we Unitarian Universalists have that can help us live into our interdependent reality, where every person is sacred, inherently worthy, and entitled to flourish? What songs, stories, scriptures, and experiences can nourish us as we strive to help ourselves not only survive, but thrive, in this world of violence and fear?
- Workshop 2B: Newsletter Editor’s Network* | Facilitator(s): Scott Fitzgerald | Location: Colvin Commons
- Description: In this workshop we are meeting to discuss building a network of local congregation newsletter editors to provide connections, communications, and mutual support, and serving as a means of developing, sharing, and distributing informational content among the local congregations and between the congregations and the PWR staff. This group could include regular online meetups, an active mailing list or list-serve, and an online forum, as well as mechanisms for regularly sharing information between local editors and regional staff.
- Workshop 2C: Boulder Valley UU Fellowship Collects 140 Weapons. They Were Transformed Into Life-giving Garden Tools* | Facilitator(s): Bob Braudes, Nancy Clairmont, TK Smith, Constance Holden, Boulder Valley | Location: Youth room C.
- Description: The goal of this workshop is to equip other UU congregations with info needed to host a gun surrender program
12:15pm - 2:00 pm Lunch & tours of the congregation
12:30pm - 1:30pm Zoom lunch topic: Establishing an Elandria Williams Memorial Fund for Inclusion and Belonging to the Western Regional Meeting for consideration. Facilitator(s): Cecelia Hayes. Location: online only. Learn more on the WHOVA app.
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm What’s All this I Hear about a New Pacific Western Region?* | Facilitator(s): PWR Transitions team | Location: Sanctuary
Description: The Pacific Western Region (PWR) is about to become real. Come and explore how it will work to facilitate collaboration among congregations and groups of congregations across the region. How can we work together to support one another in these challenging times and make a difference in the world as we live our UU values? What structures will help us to make that happen? Purpose of the gathering: Update on what has happened, what is happening, and what we hope to happen with Pacific Western Region
4:00 - 5:00pm Tours of the congregation
Note multi-platform workshops are marked with and asterisk *.
Registration fee: Registration fees are on a sliding scale, based on your assessment of your ability to pay. Those who pay at the highest level are making a donation to help those in financial need for this event. Please remember that for a sliding scale to work, we need the same number of people with means to generously pay more to balance the needs of those who can afford less.
- In-person registration fee: $50-$100-$150-$200
- Online registration fee: $25-$50-$75-$100
Hotels
Please secure your reservation in one of the conference hotels below. These reservations are from Wed, Apr 17 – Mon, Apr 22, 2024. You can edit this time frame in the link:
- Courtyard by Marriott Denver Cherry Creek - $119/nt (+ tax). Note, you have until March 27th to book a room at this rate.
In-Person participation with COVID: This will be a masked event except during meal breaks time. To maximize the safety of the participants, presenters, and their friends and families...
- Participants and presenters are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.
- Participants are required to always wear a mask over mouth and nose during the training. Masks must be multi-layer - no neck gaiters or valves. We will provide surgical masks for participants who need a mask.
- Staff are asked to rapid test before traveling.
- Masks remain required for group settings when we are together, and the default for all shared spaces.
- Eating should be in limited spaces away from the main gathering space
- We recognize that in smaller groups people may choose the level of safety that all can consent to – e.g. eating lunch together or having a small conversation without masks.
General Cancellation Policy:
- All cancellation requests for any paid congregational life event or training (i.e. OWL or Renaissance module) must be submitted in writing using this refund request form.
Refunds:
- Refund requests made before the event registration deadline will be eligible for a refund, minus a $5 administrative fee.
- Refund requests made after the registration deadline, but before the event date will be eligible for a 50% refund of the registration fee.
- For refund requests made within one week of the event due to illness or emergencies, full refunds will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
- Refunds will not be provided after the event for no-shows. Note, if you registered for an event only to receive the event recording and resources you will still receive all these resources.
- There is no penalty for finding someone to replace you if you cannot attend. Please inform the program staff of the replacement attendee's details.
Cancellation Due to Extraordinary Circumstances:
In the case of event cancellation due to low enrollment or unprecedented conditions such as high COVID-19 infection rates in the hosting area, poor weather conditions, acts by government authorities, natural disasters, epidemic or pandemic emergencies, registration fees will be 100% refunded. We strongly recommend securing travel insurance for instances like these in your travel planning.
We ask for your understanding in respecting this policy, which supports our organizational efforts and expenses.
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