General Assembly 2020

This page is under construction. General Assembly events are available here in reverse chronological order:
Friday: 1:30-2:45 pm: General Assembly: General Session 4
6:00-7:00 pm: General Assembly: Synergy Bridging Worship
Saturday: 1:30-2:45 pm: General Assembly: General Session 5
4:00-5:00 pm: General Assembly: General Session 6
Sunday: 10:00-11:00 am: General Assembly: Sunday Morning Worship Service

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Sunday, June 28, at 10 am: Sunday Worship Service (Events 501, 503.1)

Order of Service:

“Beyond the Water’s Edge”
These are uncertain and volatile times. These are times that call on us to work towards our collective
liberation while also tending to our spiritual needs and caring for others. How do we ready ourselves
for what is being asked of us? How do we keep moving even when we don’t feel ready?

Gathering Music

Honoring the Land and Welcome Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray

Call to Worship and Chalice Lighting Rev. Joan Javier-Duval and
Rev. Mykal Slack

Opening Song “We Are...” by Ysaye Barnwell GA Virtual Choir
directed by Benjie Messer
Soloist: Dr. Ysaye Barnwell
A Message for Us All Rev. Mykal Slack

Offering Tomaquag Museum
Testimonial from Lorén Spears, Executive Director of the Tomaquag Museum
Flute music by Ridge E. Spears

Meditation and Prayer Rev. Mykal Slack

Responsive Music “Deep River” trad. African-American spiritual Philip Rogers,
Nivek Anderson

Reading adapted selection from Three Dreams in a Desert Clyde Grubbs
by Olive Schreiner Aja Davis
Yuri Yamamoto

Anthem “Tomorrow” by Kate Miner GA Virtual Choir

Sermon Beyond the Water’s Edge Rev. Joan Javier-Duval

Closing Song “Keep On Moving Forward” by Pat Humphries Emma’s Revolution

Benediction Rev. Joan Javier-Duval

The Unitarian Universalist Association's General Assembly
is available in part on this website. More details about these events are below and at https://www.uua.org/ga/off-site/2020

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Saturday, 4:00-5:00 pm: General Session 6 (Event 414)

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In case of technical difficulties, live responses will be posted here. If that happens, you will need to refresh this page in order to read the latest response. Sometimes all it takes is to refresh the screen and hit the play button again.

Session 6: 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Final Reports from Chaplains and Right Relationship Teams
Courageous Love Awards
Co-Moderators’ Report
Installation of Incoming Co-Moderators
Appreciation of Co-Moderators Rev. Mr. Barb Greve and Elandria Williams
Words of Thanks
Invitation to GA 2021
GA Theme—Rooted, Inspired, and Ready to Act
Final Credentials Report

Music at GA

Music is an important part of GA, with congregational singing and special musical performances always an important part of worship services and interspersed throughout the general sessions.

Musicians at a recent GA. (Photo by Nancy Pierce/UUA)

2019 GA choir (Photo by Nancy Pierce/UUA)

2019 GA band (Photo by Nancy Pierce/UUA)

Wednesday evening, Thursday afternoon through Saturday afternoon,
June 24 - 27: General Sessions

Delegates voting at a previous year's general session. (Photo by Nancy Pierce/UUA)

These are the sessions during which the business of the Association is conducted, moderated by Mr. Barb Greve and Elandria Williams. The schedule is:
1. Wednesday, 8:15 pm to 9:30 pm
2. Thursday, 1:30 pm to 2:45 pm
3. Thursday, 4 pm to 5 pm (COIC Report - see below)
4. Friday, 1:30 pm to 2:45 pm
5. Saturday, 1:30 pm to 2:45 pm
6. Saturday, 4 pm to 5 pm
The complete schedule is available at www.uua.org/sites/live-new.uua.org/files/2020_grid_east.pdf

commission_on_institutional_change_report_widening_the_circle-text_with_covers.pdf
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Sunday, June 28, at 10 am: Sunday Worship Service

Rev. Joan Javier-Duval

Join us for the largest annual gathering of UUs joining in worship. This powerful, communal worship experience will stream live right here. Each year a talented group of choral singers perform at the Sunday Morning Worship for the General Assembly audience. Worship Leader is Rev. Mykal O'Neal Slack and the sermon will be given by Rev. Joan Javier-Duval. The worship service will include a collection for the Tomaquag Museum, an indigenous museum featuring an extensive collection and archive of Southern New England tribal communities.

Rev. Mikal O'Neal Slak

Music at the Sunday Worship Service

2017 Sunday Morning Worship in New Orleans, Louisiana (Photo by Nancy Pierce/UUA)

Benjie Messer, music director at the Sunday morning worship service

For many, singing in the choir is a key part of coming together as UUs at General Assembly. This year, instead of joining voices in person, the choir members will join in a virtual choir! Each singer will record a video of themselves singing, and those individual videos will be edited into one glorious combined video to be premiered during GA’s Sunday morning worship service.

An example of what such a virtual choir might look and sound like is shown below. Click the Play button in the middle to start the video. Volume, settings and full screen buttons are at the bottom of the video. (If it does not play smoothly, change the quality settings to 240p.)

In their 11th year performing and exhibiting at General Assembly, the duo of Emma's Revolution notes that they will be leading the final song, with two wonderful guest musicians!

Zoom Coffee Hour at 11:00 am (immediately following the Sunday Service)

Contact our Office Manager at [email protected] if you'd like to participate with us.

Saturday, 1:30-2:45 pm: General Session 5 (event 413):

GA Theme—Rooted, Inspired, and Ready
Installation of Elected Volunteers to the Board of Trustees, General Assembly Planning Committee, and Nominating Committee
Voting Process Review
Consideration of Actions of Immediate Witness
Responsive Resolutions (if any)

Synergy Bridging Worship (event 322)

Synergy Bridging Worship at GA 2017. (Photo by Nancy Pierce/UUA)

Bridging (the transition out of youth communities and into young adulthood) is a moment of transformation. Join us for this public worship honoring those bridging, and reaffirm our commitment to multigenerational community. This year's service, planned by youth and young adults, explores this moment through a metaphor of compost.

This is a transformative multigenerational worship. Come be inspired and illuminated at a celebration of treasured worship elements, rites of passage and brilliant contemporary musical performances.

Part One: “Held in Love / In the compost heap”
Opening, Welcome, & Chalice Lighting
Reflection: “Returning to Wisdom”
Collection: The Katie Tyson Fund for Young & Young Adult Ministry
Song: “Lean on Me”

Part Two: “Transformed by Spirit / Becoming soil”
Reflection: “To Change & Be Changed”
Prayer & Meditation
Ceremony of Bridging
Song: “There’s a River”

Part Three: “Living in Faith / Nourishing the garden”
Reflection: “Sending You Forth”
Charge to the Gathered Congregation
Closing Words
Song: “Guide My Feet”

General Session 4 (event 315)

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Agenda

Call to Order
Opening Words
GA Theme—Rooted Inspiration
Chaplains, GA Planning Committee, Right Relationship Team Updates
Voting Process Review
Rules Review
Bylaw Amendments
Music
Business Resolutions
Closing Words
Announcements

Service of the Living Tradition (Event 216)

Led by the Ministries and Faith Development Staff Group, this service honors fellowshipped and credentialed religious leaders; remembering those who have died, recognizing those who have completed active service and welcoming those who have received fellowship or credentialed status in the past year. The service includes a collection to benefit the Living Tradition Fund.

2018 Service of the Living Tradition (Photo by Nancy Pierce/UUA)

General Session 3: Commission on Institutional Change Report
(download full report below)
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The complete schedule is available at www.uua.org/sites/live-new.uua.org/files/2020_grid_east.pdf

commission_on_institutional_change_report_widening_the_circle-text_with_covers.pdf
File Size:	1651 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

General Session 2 (event 213)
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General Sessions are the meetings during which the business of the Association is conducted.
The agenda's for Thursday's General Sessions are:
General Session 2
1:30 - 2:45 p.m.

GA Theme—Roots
Preliminary Credentials Report
President’s Report
Special Collection: UU the Vote
Commission on Social Witness Report
Presentation of Actions of Immediate Witness
Framing for Breakout Groups

The complete schedule is available at www.uua.org/sites/live-new.uua.org/files/2020_grid_east.pdf

General Session 1 (event 105)
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The agenda for Session 1 is:

Libations—honoring those who have come before
Introduction: GA Youth / Youth Caucus
Introduction: YA@GA—Young Adults at General Assembly
Introduction: Chaplains
Introduction: Right Relationship Team
Introduction: Accessibility
Adoption of Rules of Procedure

The complete schedule is available at www.uua.org/sites/live-new.uua.org/files/2020_grid_east.pdf