CROSSROADS

SOCIAL WITNESS SERMON CONTEST AWARD

4:45 – 6:00PM | D135-136

Commission on Social Witness

Rev. Rob Keithan, the winner of The Social Witness Sermon Contest, will preach his sermon “Sex, Religion, Abortion, and Justice”. The CSAI for 2012-2016 is “Reproductive Justice: Expanding Our Social Justice Calling.”

Rev. Rob Keithan and Rev. Christina Sillari

LET OURS BE NO SILENT WITNESS 

4:45 - 6:00PM | Oregon Ballroom 202 

UU History and Heritage Society and UU Women's Federation. 

Diminished in churches that stifled their voices and vision 100 years ago, liberal women went outside the walls to practice a larger, more generous faith of inclusive community uplift. This lecture and panel response will explore how these early rebellions can help our own witness become more prophetic today. 

Dr. Cynthia Grant Tucker, Rev. Gail Seavey, Rev. Dr. Susan Ritchie.

GA COMMUNION SERVICE: CELEBRATING THE MISSIONAL WAY OF JESUS HOSPITALITY 

4:45 - 6:00PM | C123-124, UU Christian Fellowship. 

For 70 years the UU Christian Fellowship has been connecting UUs with the open, inclusive, dynamic, radical hospitality way of Jesus. The communion service uplifts and celebrates that way of going out into the world to create justice meals with different peoples to make a difference in the world. This ancient model of service and spirit is a way forward for today's church. 

Rev. Ron Robinson, Kim Hampton.

LAMENT: HEALING RITUALS OF SORROW AND REGRET 

4:45 - 6:00PM | Portland Ballroom 255, Harvard Divinity School and UU Collegium.

Lament is integral to healing: it helps people express intense feelings of sorrow or regret so they can "carry on" including with social justice work. We will explore theologies of lament and offer Unitarian-Universalist-friendly rituals to integrate into spiritual practices and worship services. Come experience rituals of lament and share those that are important to you. 

Rev. Myriam Renaud, Karen Bray, Rev. Darrick Jackson. 

FAITH IN THE MARGINS: FIRST CENTURY GUIDE FOR THE 21st 

3:00 - 4:15PM UU Christian Fellowship| D137-138. 

Learn lessons for today's church from the early diverse missional groups following the radical way of Jesus: small units multiplying rapidly through communal hospitality, their risky counter cultural focus to be with the outcast and vulnerable; by renouncing privilege; and through their own theological engagement with religious traditions and dominant cultural currents. 

Rev. Tom Schade, Rev. Kim Beach, Rev. Ron Robinson.

A NEW APPROACH TO RECOVERY MINISTRY 

3:00 - 4:15PM | D133-134 PNWD Addictions Ministry Project, 

Eastrose Fellowship UU, Universalist Recovery Church. 

Within the frame of a small-group worship experience, we'll explore ways congregations can support people affected by addiction and mental health challenges. We'll identify common issues congregations may face when doing recovery ministry. Come prepared to share concerns you have and solutions that have worked for you. 

Rev. Barbara Stevens, Chris Poole, Rev. Barbara Cornell.

FAITHIFY: CROWDFUNDING BUILDS A NEW WAY 

Faithify 3:00 - 4:15PM| Portland Ballroom 255. 

A collaborative discussion of how FAITHIFY, our UU crowdfunding website, is building a new way of democratizing resources, inspiring imaginations, and providing the architecture for our interdependence. Join us to hear directly from those using FAITHIFY in their congregations and communities and the innovation we are seeing as a result. 

Rev. Sue Phillips, Rev. Tera Little, Rev. Kierstin Homblette, Hilary Allen. 

COMMIT2RESPOND: BUILDING A NEW COMMUNITY - RACE, CLASS AND CLIMATE

3:00 - 4:15PM | F151-152 Commit2Respond

Designing new ways of living that address climate change, provides opportunities to dismantle many forms of oppression. This two-part workshop showcases innovative multicultural projects that achieve multiple benefits, provides time to strategize together, and invites us through art and ritual to express how a worldview of domination holds us back. 

Rev. Peggy Clarke, Christopher Sims, Pamela Sparr, Rev. Susan Leslie 

CONNECTING WITH PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY AND WITNESS IN YOUR STATE 

1:15 – 2:30PM | D139-140 

Coalition of UU State Action Networks 

Representatives of statewide advocacy networks will share their stories of struggle, challenges and successes, demonstrating how UUs can become engaged in meaningful advocacy and witness, using environmental activism as a common focus.

Stephen Buckingham, Kindra Muntz, Laura Wagner, and Jolinda Stephens

FEELING OUR GRIEF, HEALING THE EARTH: A CEREMONY 

1:15 - 2:30PM | Oregon Ballroom 204, 

UU Environmental Justice Collaboratory, UU Ministry for Earth. 

People paralyzed by grief and fear over the state of Earth need to feel our real feelings, in community, to convert them into energy for change. The interfaith, multicultural Ceremony of Grieving and Healing makes this possible. Participants will experience the Ceremony and learn how to take it home. 

Rev. Dr. Leisa Huyck, Rev. Kate Lore, Christopher Sims.