Connections
Dear GPUC Members and Friends,
We are not alone. As the Rev. John Buehrens said, “To be religious is to make connection.” Unitarian Universalist is a small but mighty movement building religious homes for hundreds of thousands of people. As a certified Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Grosse Pointe is in covenant with all other Unitarian Universalist congregations. We covenant to affirm and promote seven principles. They are:
The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
Throughout this Interim period the Grosse Pointe Unitarian Church has been rethinking our linkage to the Unitarian Universalist Association and begun to build healthy partnerships with our movement. Strengthening the connection to our Association and establishing a relationship of interdependence and trust is a vital part of the Interim time.
A wonderful opportunity to engage with this “connecting” work is at the Annual District Conference this April (9th-11th). Every year our District sponsors a conference of members where workshops, fellowship, worship, and governance can happen. This year is the tenth anniversary of the Heartland District Spring Conference. The conference theme is the “Ten Best.” Workshops will focus on the ten best tips, suggestions, or ideas for how to “do church” in a variety of areas. The keynote speaker will be Kay Montgomery, the Executive Vice President of the UUA. All members of the Grosse Pointe Unitarian Church are invited.
Fortunately, this year the conference will be held close to home, which is a perfect opportunity for our church to emerge in the District. The Heartland Meeting and Spring Conference will be:
April 9th-11th. 2010 : First Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Generally the conference begins that Friday evening and runs through Sunday morning. For registration information please go to heartlanduu.org and/or let our office know you plan to attend so we can make sure you are connected to others in our Grosse Pointe community who are attending. I hope you will consider participating in “making connection” with our fellow Unitarian Universalists.
With Love,
Rev. Mitra