Here’s the UUCF’s line-up at General Assembly.
Workshops: Christian Voices in Unitarian Universalism, Friday, June 23, 4-5:15 p.m. in America’s Center Room 226, and Sunday June 25, 1:45 to 3 p.m. in AC Room 260. Facilitated by the Rev. Kathleen Rolenz (bio below).
Worships: We will offer two communion services at GA this year in AC Room 274: Friday, June 23rd from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and Saturday, June 24, 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. Friday’s Preacher will be the Rev. Derek Parker. Saturday’s preacher will be the Rev. Naomi King. See their bios below.
Catered Banquet, Hymn Sing, Meeting, and Speaker: Saturday, June 24, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the beautiful Episcopal Christ Church Cathedral in downtown St. Louis just a few blocks from the convention center and hotels at 1210 Locust St.
RSVP Ron Robinson for the dinner.
The cathedral is the oldest Episcopal church west of the Mississippi River and the building is on the National Registry of Historical Places. Our speaker is the Rev. Thom Belote. See bio below. The catered dinner will again be a great opportunity for people to have a wonderful meal at an affordable price ($20 range) without having to wait in long lines for Saturday night in local restaurants. Please RSVP as soon as possible by notifying Rev. Ron Robinson at RevRonRobinson at aol.com or by calling the UUCF office at 918-691-3223, and supply any special dining requests such as vegetarian or vegan. Please invite others as well.
Booth Events and Service Project:
First, we will be creating a prayer chapel with our booth space this year, an opportunity for everyone regardless of theological orientations to come and receive prayer and blessings not only for their lives, joys and sorrows, but also for their varied ministries and missions and plans and dreams for the UUA itself.
Second, we will offer two healing ministries for GA-goers: foot-washing at the booth, and a repeat of last year’s successful distribution of free bottles of water out on the hot city streets outside the convention center. We will also have free back issues of the UU Christian journal and Good News and pamphlets, as well as for sale items.
If you can volunteer an hour or two at the booth or help with our service projects in particular, please let us know.
Speaker Bios:
The Rev. Kathleen Rolenz has served on the Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship (UUCF) Board of Trustees since 2004. She is the editor of Good News, a newsletter of the UUCF organization and has been an active member of UUCF groups in Charlottesville, Virginia, and Cleveland, Ohio. Rolenz is parish co-minister of West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church in Cleveland, Ohio, with her husband, Wayne Arnason.
The Rev. Derek Lee Parker is a graduate of the University of Chicago (BA Geophysics) and the Earlham School of Religion (MDiv). He was ordained by Epiphany Community Church (UUA) in Fenton, Michigan. After a brief career as a paleontologist studying evolution and climate change, he has gone on to serve campus ministries, churches, and non-profit organizations affiliated with the UUA, the United Church of Christ, the Society of Friends (Quakers), and the Episcopal Church. He presently lives with his partner in Greenfield, Indiana; serves as Minister for Youth and Children at the Friends Meeting of Irvington, Indiana; and as Program Administrator for National Episcopal Health Ministries.
The Rev. Naomi King serves the Unitarian Universalist Church of Utica, in the rolling hills of central New York. Naomi also serves on the Board of Project Harvest Hope, is the liaison between the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association and the Annual Program Fund of the UUA, and the publications taskforce of the UU Historical Society. She was granted preliminary fellowship in 2004, graduated with her M.Div. from Meadville Lombard Theological School in 2005, and was ordained by her home congregation First Universalist Church of Yarmouth, Maine in 2005. She won the UUMA-APF-LREDA Stewardship Sermon Award in 2005, for a sermon preached at her internship site, Horizon Unitarian Universalist Church of Carrollton, Texas. She lives in Kirkland, New York, with her partner, the Rev. Dr. Thandeka, where they can enjoy the creek and woods by their home and the terrific cultural, environmental, and personal blessings of the area.
The Rev. Thom Belote has served the Shawnee Mission UU Church in Overland Park, Kansas since 2003. He prepared for the ministry at Harvard Divinity School and earned an undergraduate degree in religion from Reed College. Thom grew up attending First Parish in Wayland, MA and is a life-long Unitarian Universalist. Thom is 28 years old.