Women & Religion held its annual gathering in the morning of the day on which General Assembly began in the evening. It was therefore a small gathering, perhaps twenty people. We took some moments to appreciate the beautiful altar that had been created by Florida District W&R’s Susan Pendergraft, and to remember with sorrow, and some anger, the two UU W&R women and their children who had been murdered a few months earlier in Clearwater, Florida. We did make some important decisions. One was to support Laurel Hallman for President of the UUA. Another was to choose Gretchen Ohmann and me (Shirley Ranck) as the new Co-Conveners. I, also, gave a talk about prophetic women who have lived on thresholds in the past, focusing especially on the work of Sophia Lyon Fahs.
“Cakes for the Queen of Heaven” was credited on its introduction 21 years ago with providing women an opportunity of discovery and empowerment within the UUA goddess movement. Now, this revised, multi-session curriculum by Unitarian Universalist Minister Shirley Ranck will bring the break-out feminist theology curriculum in its updated version to those who wish to teach it in their local congregations to the many young and new UUs who have never experienced it. Or to others who want an injection of inspiration. “Cakes: In Ancient Times” is rising again in UU congregations all over the continent.
Would you like to present this curriculum in your congregation? This is an opportunity to receive facilitator training and purchase the curriculum.
CAKES Train-the-Trainer (T3) workshops include:
A GA workshop I attended, “Rev X: How Generation X Ministers Are Shaping Unitarian Universalism”, gave me the thrill of being in evolutionary synch with “the most hyperinstitutional movement” in UUism today (as the Program Book blurb said.) The Generation X ministers are leading the way for redefining UUism for a new era. The workshop gave me the impression their movement is growing out of seeing congregations as being bodies of small groups, is a rebellion in the form of “re-traditioning” the whole lexicon of religious words, is “raising the community of silence” for examination in our congregations, and is using today’s tools for communicating our saving message of “They would love us if only they could find us.” The change I heard from these new ministers would come in the form of Sunday services having spiritual practice that would deepen our experience of being. They seek to use the UU Principles as starting points for belief. They ask each of us to answer what leads us to a profound commitment to one’s faith. They are deeply listening to us in the laity for guidance to shape the contemporary Unitarian Universalist movement and to have our “hearts cracked open” through wholistic religious experiences. They are frustrated with the same old issues that have been around in UUism for a long time.
