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The music you heard before the service was the soundtrack for our road trip across the country last month. That's what some 17 yr. olds are listening to these days. I wanted our son, Jeff to experience a UU General Assembly, and he brought along a friend.

I was the only adult delegate from Eliot this year. With our size, we qualify for many more possible votes.

GA can be an expensive trip. But we combined it with visiting prospective colleges and friends and relatives.

We ran into Susan Maginn, our intern minister this past year. She will be our youth director next year. And Lydia Pelot-hobbs, who's a sophomore at Oberlin college had a youth leadership position. I've posted some pictures in the hallway. I bring greetings from Susan Gray and Sonja Montana. I renewed friendships with music director friends from around the country. Gail Rock could not attend at the last minute, but her 14 yr. old son, Philip was there. He's a veteran GA attendee. Gail kept up by way of the streaming web-site.

The General Assembly is a wonderful experience of being with thousands of people "just like us". It's where the essence of our democratic process takes place in business meetings. It's where we gather for worship, recognition, and inspiration on a national scale. It's where we have the opportunity to share our knowledge and learn from each other in workshops. It's a convention where everyone can share their messages and their wares in an exhibition hall. You could even attend covenant groups.

If you're like me, afraid of missing out on something, there's a danger of exhaustion. The extensive choices of workshops can keep you running. Add to that the choir rehearsals, by choice, and the youth caucus meetings, mandatory, and it gets hard to squeeze in a meal. Not to mention trying to take in the sights and weather of southern California.

This was the program for GA. I'll have it on display with other materials in Adams hall after the service.

This is our new banner, made by Marilyn Fallert and Rev. Daniel O'Connell. Jeff carried it in the opening ceremony parade.

I went to workshops on congregational stewardship, dealing with mental illness, how to get people to vote, why UU's should take marriage more seriously, and faith based community organizing. One workshop about nurturing volunteers was called Veni, Vidi, Velcro: I came, I saw, I stuck around.

A highlight for me was a youth extra curricular activity. We bought out a theatre for a private screening of Fahrenheit 911. I thought Jeff had an interesting comment. When I asked him what he thought of the movie he said it made him feel satisfied.

My friends, by law, a church cannot act in partisan politics. I will not tell you who to vote for. But the strong message I brought away from GA is that this is a living faith. We are called to act on our principles and convictions. We do take official stands on civil rights. We have a long history of progressive activism and we have an opportunity now, to make the world a better place for the future. Please become informed, and do vote. Each one of us CAN make a difference.

Next year GA will be in Fort Worth, TX. In 2006 it will be here in St. Louis. I hope we'll be ready for it.

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