Welcome to The Point!

Campers at The Point 2018

By Southern Region of the UUA

What is The Point? The Point is a customizable Unitarian Universalist retreat for all. At The Point we worship, sing, play, explore, question, eat, laugh and learn while living in a covenantal community.

In late July 2018 at Lake Murray State Park, Oklahoma, our new home for The Point, 131 adults, youth and children attended the five day event. Five members of the Southern Region UUA staff team were onsite to live in community with The Point participants.

Programming at The Point started each morning with Southern Region Co-Lead Connie Goodbread as the Theme Speaker. Connie centered her morning talks around the “Five Smooth Stones” of liberal religion - hope, love, justice, courage, and joy - which are based on the work of 20th-century theologian James Luther Adams. Participants were challenged to grow in their understanding of the white supremacy work that is being recommended by our UUA and Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism. Connie also hosted an honest discussion about the future of our faith and the need for trust between congregations, staff, the UUA and members of our congregations.

As hard as The Point staff works to see that worship and programming are relevant, useful, and inspiring, we can’t manufacture the magic that happens year after year. Christine Purcell, a member of our Southern Region staff team, wrote:

I work hard at The Point, but I leave feeling refreshed, especially this year with the beautiful, new location and the schedule with plenty of down-time. Morning walks by the lake, evening walks in the moonlight, precious time to connect with folks I don’t see often enough, conversations that make me think for a long while, wonderful music, interacting with young adults who are thriving in UU community, hilarity at karaoke...it is all priceless!

When asked about bringing children to The Point Natalie Briscoe wrote:

My children are four and six years old, and this was their fifth and seventh year at the Point, respectively. They come home singing UU songs and feeling connected to their faith tradition and community. They are making lifelong friends and spending time with people who really care about them and their development. At The Point, our family grows in number and spirit every year.

Leila, a member of the Young Adult team, posted the following with a bunch of YA activity pictures on Facebook after leaving The Point 2018:

New year, new location, new people, same traditions, same community, same old friends. I’ve been attending The Point (SWUUSI) for as long as I can remember and each year I am reminded of my love for these people, this community, and the UU faith. These pictures do not do this past week justice in showing the learning, growing, and bonding that happens at this wonderful camp.

Leila ended her post with: The wide universe is the ocean I travel, and the Earth is my Blue Boat Home

This year at The Point, Rev. Joanna Crawford told us in worship that folks are members of their local church communities until they become Unitarian Universalists at larger gatherings like The Point or General Assembly.

We’d all love to see more folks realize the blessings of wider community at The Point. Our all ages retreat is an easy drive from a major airport (Dallas), and The Point 2019 won’t be the same without YOU! Mark your calendar, July 21-26, 2019 and make a plan! We will open registration for 2019 before Christmas 2018. What a great Christmas present for your family to share together.

See our Southern Region UUA website for more information about what we are doing in the region and sign up to receive our monthly e-newsletter to stay in touch.