1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,714 2 00:00:01,714 --> 00:00:02,380 Pat Kahn: Great. 3 00:00:02,380 --> 00:00:06,370 Thank you, Alicia, and welcome everybody to the December Faith 4 00:00:06,370 --> 00:00:08,720 Development Office webinar. 5 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:13,120 This month, it is meet the international office. 6 00:00:13,120 --> 00:00:15,720 Our presenters are Eric Cherry, who's 7 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:18,220 the director of the International Office, 8 00:00:18,220 --> 00:00:20,940 and Jessica York, who's the director of the Faith 9 00:00:20,940 --> 00:00:23,820 Development Office. 10 00:00:23,820 --> 00:00:26,810 I will host-- I'm Pat Kahn, and I also 11 00:00:26,810 --> 00:00:29,330 work in the Faith Development Office 12 00:00:29,330 --> 00:00:33,180 along with Alicia LeBlanc, who is our tech support today. 13 00:00:33,180 --> 00:00:36,660 She's the administrative editorial assistant 14 00:00:36,660 --> 00:00:38,894 also in the Faith Development Office. 15 00:00:38,894 --> 00:00:40,560 And so, I'm going to turn it over to you 16 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:44,720 now, Jessica, to say a little bit more about this series. 17 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:48,375 Jessica York: Thank you, Pat and Alicia for getting started 18 00:00:48,375 --> 00:00:52,780 and calling to you all today from a nice and warm 19 00:00:52,780 --> 00:00:54,800 Birmingham, Alabama. 20 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:57,650 Unseasonably warm, as I think many of us 21 00:00:57,650 --> 00:01:02,620 are right now on the East Coast, not that I'm complaining. 22 00:01:02,620 --> 00:01:07,530 And I want to welcome everyone here today to a new series 23 00:01:07,530 --> 00:01:13,190 in the Faith Development webinars that we've been doing. 24 00:01:13,190 --> 00:01:18,500 In this new series, we ask from various UUA offices 25 00:01:18,500 --> 00:01:21,290 to share with you about their ministry. 26 00:01:21,290 --> 00:01:24,010 And our hope in doing this is that you not only understand 27 00:01:24,010 --> 00:01:26,950 more about the work of the UUA, but you might also 28 00:01:26,950 --> 00:01:31,920 find new ways to connect and engage with the various offices 29 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:36,450 that all exist to support the Ministry of our member 30 00:01:36,450 --> 00:01:38,830 congregations and UU communities. 31 00:01:38,830 --> 00:01:43,330 We are-- you're UUA, and I hope you will find out 32 00:01:43,330 --> 00:01:45,270 more about your UUA. 33 00:01:45,270 --> 00:01:48,710 And get to put some faces to the names, 34 00:01:48,710 --> 00:01:51,670 maybe, if you haven't been able to do before as we 35 00:01:51,670 --> 00:01:53,330 go through this new series. 36 00:01:53,330 --> 00:01:55,710 They won't follow sequentially. 37 00:01:55,710 --> 00:01:58,410 We will have other topics for the webinars 38 00:01:58,410 --> 00:02:02,190 in between, so just always watch our schedule 39 00:02:02,190 --> 00:02:05,450 of monthly webinars to see when we may have another 40 00:02:05,450 --> 00:02:09,300 meet the UUA office webinar. 41 00:02:09,300 --> 00:02:11,540 I definitely want to think Eric and the staff 42 00:02:11,540 --> 00:02:13,300 of the international office for leading 43 00:02:13,300 --> 00:02:16,755 the way in our new series. 44 00:02:16,755 --> 00:02:18,630 In this webinar, we also have a chance 45 00:02:18,630 --> 00:02:20,910 to do things a little bit differently. 46 00:02:20,910 --> 00:02:24,240 As Eric talks, you might have questions for him 47 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:27,460 about the various programs that he's describing to you. 48 00:02:27,460 --> 00:02:29,990 Feel free to type those questions into the chat 49 00:02:29,990 --> 00:02:32,730 box at any time during Eric's talk, 50 00:02:32,730 --> 00:02:36,670 and Pat and I will direct them to Eric. 51 00:02:36,670 --> 00:02:39,760 After talking about the various programs in the International 52 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:43,300 Office, Eric and I will also talk a bit specifically 53 00:02:43,300 --> 00:02:46,350 about the parliament of the world's religion, which we 54 00:02:46,350 --> 00:02:49,365 both attended back in October. 55 00:02:49,365 --> 00:02:51,755 And before we start that part, we'll 56 00:02:51,755 --> 00:02:53,460 probably stop and take any questions 57 00:02:53,460 --> 00:02:56,270 that you may have about the first part 58 00:02:56,270 --> 00:02:59,970 of Eric's presentation. 59 00:02:59,970 --> 00:03:02,560 And with that said, we can proceed 60 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:05,600 to our chalice lighting. 61 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:06,710 Pat Kahn: Great. 62 00:03:06,710 --> 00:03:09,530 Our chalice lighting words are part 63 00:03:09,530 --> 00:03:12,750 of the global chalice lightings that are available 64 00:03:12,750 --> 00:03:17,310 online from the Sociedad Unitaria Universalista de 65 00:03:17,310 --> 00:03:19,750 Espana. 66 00:03:19,750 --> 00:03:23,550 Lighting this chalice, we invoke the presence of love 67 00:03:23,550 --> 00:03:27,370 in our hearts to share it today among us, 68 00:03:27,370 --> 00:03:30,060 and then spread it to the world. 69 00:03:30,060 --> 00:03:34,340 Therefore, let nobody feel a stranger in this circle 70 00:03:34,340 --> 00:03:39,560 and they all feel welcome. 71 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:41,960 Thank you for that, Pat, and Jessica, 72 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:44,390 thank you as well for the invitation 73 00:03:44,390 --> 00:03:48,610 to participate in the webinar series this month. 74 00:03:48,610 --> 00:03:52,510 I might just mention briefly that the writers 75 00:03:52,510 --> 00:03:55,500 of the chalice lighting for today's webinar 76 00:03:55,500 --> 00:04:00,070 are in the midst of organizing, or reorganizing Unitarian 77 00:04:00,070 --> 00:04:02,710 Universalism in Spain. 78 00:04:02,710 --> 00:04:06,530 Most of the involvement is in and around 79 00:04:06,530 --> 00:04:08,810 the city of Barcelona these days, 80 00:04:08,810 --> 00:04:11,220 but there's a history of Unitarian Universalism 81 00:04:11,220 --> 00:04:14,150 in Madrid and other parts of the country. 82 00:04:14,150 --> 00:04:19,290 And it's wonderful to hear their voice as the chalice is 83 00:04:19,290 --> 00:04:21,089 lit for our webinar today. 84 00:04:21,089 --> 00:04:25,350 Thank you so much, Pat. 85 00:04:25,350 --> 00:04:29,260 Eric Cherry: Like to start just by thanking everyone 86 00:04:29,260 --> 00:04:34,040 who has been paying attention to and involved 87 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:38,180 in support for the Unitarian community 88 00:04:38,180 --> 00:04:40,820 in Bujumbura, Burundi. 89 00:04:40,820 --> 00:04:44,260 As many of you know, the founding minister 90 00:04:44,260 --> 00:04:48,530 of that church, Reverend Fulgence Ndagijimana 91 00:04:48,530 --> 00:04:53,930 suffered some very difficult days in November. 92 00:04:53,930 --> 00:04:58,590 Those started with a kidnapping, and during that kidnapping, 93 00:04:58,590 --> 00:05:01,960 his life was really very much in jeopardy. 94 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:06,680 That was followed by detention by state actors. 95 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:11,920 And a week after his detention, in some ways 96 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:16,710 due to the international outcry of support for Revered 97 00:05:16,710 --> 00:05:19,010 Ndagijimana, he was released. 98 00:05:19,010 --> 00:05:24,170 And following his release, he left Burundi quickly 99 00:05:24,170 --> 00:05:29,880 even though the court case still exists against him. 100 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:37,170 Traveled to Belgium and has now traveled to another country. 101 00:05:37,170 --> 00:05:41,660 Reverend Fulgence is genuinely safe at the moment. 102 00:05:41,660 --> 00:05:46,590 He is in communication with us regularly, 103 00:05:46,590 --> 00:05:51,610 and hardly a day goes by that he doesn't 104 00:05:51,610 --> 00:05:55,480 offer a word of gratitude for the support 105 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:58,410 that the international community has been providing 106 00:05:58,410 --> 00:06:00,270 to the Unitarians of Burundi. 107 00:06:00,270 --> 00:06:03,620 Other leaders from that church in Bujumbura 108 00:06:03,620 --> 00:06:12,130 have also left Burundi, and there is a concerted attention 109 00:06:12,130 --> 00:06:16,740 with the Unitarians who remain there trying to provide support 110 00:06:16,740 --> 00:06:22,410 to them in the midst of a very, very difficult time in Burundi. 111 00:06:22,410 --> 00:06:26,440 Please keep an eye out on social media for further information 112 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:31,320 about what's happening there, particularly Reverend Fulgence 113 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:34,810 has promised an online article that 114 00:06:34,810 --> 00:06:37,530 will help Unitarian Universalists put 115 00:06:37,530 --> 00:06:42,780 the civil unrest, the violence that's taking place in Burundi, 116 00:06:42,780 --> 00:06:44,860 currently into context. 117 00:06:44,860 --> 00:06:47,820 So we go forward with appreciation 118 00:06:47,820 --> 00:06:51,780 to Reverend Fulgence for that. 119 00:06:51,780 --> 00:06:55,670 And so, that's really just to start with the word of thanks 120 00:06:55,670 --> 00:06:58,890 for attending to the situation there. 121 00:06:58,890 --> 00:07:01,000 For sharing your spiritual support, 122 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:06,370 which is a very concrete request from our Unitarian partners 123 00:07:06,370 --> 00:07:06,920 there. 124 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:10,530 And also for a generous financial support 125 00:07:10,530 --> 00:07:12,780 that has been incredibly important 126 00:07:12,780 --> 00:07:15,900 in this difficult time. 127 00:07:15,900 --> 00:07:19,430 The international office of the Unitarian Universalist 128 00:07:19,430 --> 00:07:23,740 Association is made up of three parts, 129 00:07:23,740 --> 00:07:26,670 and it's the-- the first part, what we call the resources 130 00:07:26,670 --> 00:07:32,210 office that I put most of my time and attention in, 131 00:07:32,210 --> 00:07:36,420 the resources office is responsible for first of all 132 00:07:36,420 --> 00:07:40,850 maintaining the UUA's relationships with Faith. 133 00:07:40,850 --> 00:07:44,620 That is, Unitarian Universalist and interfaith partners 134 00:07:44,620 --> 00:07:48,100 in various countries around the world. 135 00:07:48,100 --> 00:07:50,480 There are Unitarian Universalists 136 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:54,660 in perhaps a dozen-- organized in perhaps a dozen countries 137 00:07:54,660 --> 00:07:55,990 around the world. 138 00:07:55,990 --> 00:08:00,270 Some of those groups are large and historic. 139 00:08:00,270 --> 00:08:02,560 Some of them are small. 140 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:06,560 And some of them are tiny, or what we often 141 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:09,390 describe as emerging groups. 142 00:08:09,390 --> 00:08:15,090 And the UUA's intention in all those relationships 143 00:08:15,090 --> 00:08:19,140 is to remain in what we call stateful solidarity, 144 00:08:19,140 --> 00:08:21,720 and that's a framework that we use 145 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:25,500 that's based on spiritual engagements 146 00:08:25,500 --> 00:08:28,940 as well as other tangible ways of being 147 00:08:28,940 --> 00:08:32,780 in mutual relationships with each other. 148 00:08:32,780 --> 00:08:38,340 And in the interfaith groups that we are involved with 149 00:08:38,340 --> 00:08:43,419 are also around the world, but perhaps particularly in Japan 150 00:08:43,419 --> 00:08:53,070 where relationships with Buddhists and Shinto shrines. 151 00:08:53,070 --> 00:08:56,710 New religious groups, as they're called in Japan, 152 00:08:56,710 --> 00:09:01,140 began to be formed in the early 1970s. 153 00:09:01,140 --> 00:09:05,100 The second piece of the resources offices' 154 00:09:05,100 --> 00:09:10,490 responsibility is to assist UUA congregations in engaging 155 00:09:10,490 --> 00:09:13,070 with the international community, 156 00:09:13,070 --> 00:09:16,920 and that has to do with creating resources as well is curating 157 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:18,250 resources. 158 00:09:18,250 --> 00:09:20,710 And working with other organizations 159 00:09:20,710 --> 00:09:25,330 that are very much a part of resourcing to UUA 160 00:09:25,330 --> 00:09:27,470 congregations. 161 00:09:27,470 --> 00:09:31,590 Some of those resources are around communication, 162 00:09:31,590 --> 00:09:37,020 so sharing messages and opportunities 163 00:09:37,020 --> 00:09:40,400 with Unitarian Universalist leaders and congregations 164 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:44,240 through our email lists that's called iNews, 165 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:48,720 or through the International Office's Facebook page. 166 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:55,230 We also blog on uua.org-- it's the international blog. 167 00:09:55,230 --> 00:09:59,950 We hope to set up visits from international partners 168 00:09:59,950 --> 00:10:02,880 with the congregations as a way of assisting 169 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:05,470 in congregational engagement, and indeed 170 00:10:05,470 --> 00:10:09,480 provide some religious education or faith development resources 171 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:13,200 for UUA congregations as well. 172 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:15,530 And thirdly, we're involved in helping 173 00:10:15,530 --> 00:10:19,210 a coalition of UU organizations that 174 00:10:19,210 --> 00:10:20,930 are involved in international work 175 00:10:20,930 --> 00:10:22,500 to collaborate with each other. 176 00:10:22,500 --> 00:10:26,970 To do projects constructively together. 177 00:10:26,970 --> 00:10:31,280 Those organizations include the UU partner church council, 178 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:36,540 for example, which is primarily focused on creating linkages 179 00:10:36,540 --> 00:10:39,430 between local congregations in North 180 00:10:39,430 --> 00:10:42,670 America and local congregations in other parts of the world, 181 00:10:42,670 --> 00:10:44,070 among other things. 182 00:10:44,070 --> 00:10:46,560 As well as the International Council 183 00:10:46,560 --> 00:10:49,580 of Unitarians and Universalists, which 184 00:10:49,580 --> 00:10:52,990 is sort of the international body 185 00:10:52,990 --> 00:10:56,520 that member Unitarian Universalist groups 186 00:10:56,520 --> 00:11:00,620 around the world link up to as some kind 187 00:11:00,620 --> 00:11:04,770 of-- almost a parliament of Unitarians and Unitarian 188 00:11:04,770 --> 00:11:06,950 Universalists. 189 00:11:06,950 --> 00:11:09,430 The International Women's Convocation 190 00:11:09,430 --> 00:11:13,640 is another organization involved with the coalition, 191 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:19,450 and it also includes the UU Service Committee and the UUA 192 00:11:19,450 --> 00:11:23,352 offices that I'll continue to describe in just a moment. 193 00:11:23,352 --> 00:11:24,810 So that's the-- those are the three 194 00:11:24,810 --> 00:11:27,340 areas of focus for the resources part 195 00:11:27,340 --> 00:11:29,470 of the international office. 196 00:11:29,470 --> 00:11:32,290 The other parts of the international office 197 00:11:32,290 --> 00:11:35,910 are the UU Holdeen India program. 198 00:11:35,910 --> 00:11:39,680 The Holdeen India program organizes 199 00:11:39,680 --> 00:11:44,060 social change and human rights works through partnership 200 00:11:44,060 --> 00:11:48,050 with grassroots organizations in India. 201 00:11:48,050 --> 00:11:53,140 Its director, Derek Mitchell, is deeply involved 202 00:11:53,140 --> 00:11:57,950 in building relationships with grassroots organizations that 203 00:11:57,950 --> 00:12:01,100 work with women and with Adivasis, 204 00:12:01,100 --> 00:12:05,400 or India's indigenous people as well as Dalits, 205 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:07,400 or untouchables. 206 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:10,790 People who are oppressed and especially 207 00:12:10,790 --> 00:12:13,355 excluded by the caste system in India. 208 00:12:13,355 --> 00:12:16,440 Holdeen India program has been doing 209 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:20,150 really incredibly remarkable work for almost a little more 210 00:12:20,150 --> 00:12:21,810 than 25 years. 211 00:12:21,810 --> 00:12:24,580 Some of the really most impactful social justice 212 00:12:24,580 --> 00:12:26,870 work that Unitarian Universalism does 213 00:12:26,870 --> 00:12:31,070 happens in India through the Holdeen India program. 214 00:12:31,070 --> 00:12:33,560 And the third section of the International Office 215 00:12:33,560 --> 00:12:37,590 is the UU United Nations Office. 216 00:12:37,590 --> 00:12:43,350 The UU-UNO is responsible for bringing our faithful values 217 00:12:43,350 --> 00:12:47,210 to the United Nations and does an incredibly 218 00:12:47,210 --> 00:12:49,430 good and effective job of that. 219 00:12:49,430 --> 00:12:53,560 Bruce Knotts is the director of the United Nations Office 220 00:12:53,560 --> 00:12:57,870 and he provides leadership on a number any number 221 00:12:57,870 --> 00:13:02,040 of structures at the UN, particularly around the NGO 222 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:04,590 community there and interreligious 223 00:13:04,590 --> 00:13:09,480 or interfaith community at the United Nations. 224 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:17,290 Currently the UNO helped the UUA establish a presence 225 00:13:17,290 --> 00:13:20,420 at the COP21 Conference in Paris, 226 00:13:20,420 --> 00:13:26,520 and we all really do celebrate the fact that climate justice 227 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:27,940 took a step forward. 228 00:13:27,940 --> 00:13:30,540 Hopefully an impactful step forward 229 00:13:30,540 --> 00:13:35,875 for the sake of the world during the past week. 230 00:13:35,875 --> 00:13:38,980 And a total of 12 representatives 231 00:13:38,980 --> 00:13:41,450 of the Unitarian Universalist Association 232 00:13:41,450 --> 00:13:47,740 were involved in advocacy in Paris around the COP21. 233 00:13:47,740 --> 00:13:51,780 And just prior to that, Bruce was 234 00:13:51,780 --> 00:13:54,620 instrumental in organizing a Black Lives Matter 235 00:13:54,620 --> 00:13:59,030 event at the UN-- at the United Nations itself. 236 00:13:59,030 --> 00:14:03,720 It was really just a top-notch event. 237 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:10,940 Alicia Garza one of the founders of the movement for Black Lives 238 00:14:10,940 --> 00:14:13,590 was a participant, along with Harry Belafonte 239 00:14:13,590 --> 00:14:18,740 and a number of leaders in the NGO community at the UN. 240 00:14:18,740 --> 00:14:20,470 So that's a little bit about each 241 00:14:20,470 --> 00:14:26,980 of the offices of the-- of the International Office, Jessica, 242 00:14:26,980 --> 00:14:30,200 and hope that's helpful information. 243 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:32,340 Jessica York: So, Eric, may I ask you 244 00:14:32,340 --> 00:14:38,080 a question specifically about the United Nations Office. 245 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:41,692 How long has office been in existence? 246 00:14:41,692 --> 00:14:42,900 Eric Cherry: Well, let's see. 247 00:14:42,900 --> 00:14:47,860 The UN office celebrated its 50th anniversary 248 00:14:47,860 --> 00:14:50,910 a couple of years ago. 249 00:14:50,910 --> 00:14:57,340 Its origin is really with Adlai Stevenson, who was a Unitarian, 250 00:14:57,340 --> 00:15:02,000 and to recommend it to the president of the American 251 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:06,070 Unitarian Association at the time, Dana Greeley, 252 00:15:06,070 --> 00:15:13,510 that it would really be great since Unitarians and the United 253 00:15:13,510 --> 00:15:18,870 Nations share so many values for a linkage to be created. 254 00:15:18,870 --> 00:15:26,160 And particularly for a system of envoys between the AUA 255 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:29,750 and the UUA, and local congregations 256 00:15:29,750 --> 00:15:31,410 to be established. 257 00:15:31,410 --> 00:15:36,690 So that was the origin of the United Nations Office 258 00:15:36,690 --> 00:15:40,110 and the Envoy program continues today 259 00:15:40,110 --> 00:15:46,300 to link something like 200 UUA congregations with the UNO 260 00:15:46,300 --> 00:15:47,620 very directly. 261 00:15:47,620 --> 00:15:51,040 Although the UN offices are also very much involved 262 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:55,150 with congregations that don't have formal envoys. 263 00:15:55,150 --> 00:15:59,050 And there are a number of really great ongoing programs 264 00:15:59,050 --> 00:16:04,970 that the UNO how provides for engagement involvement, 265 00:16:04,970 --> 00:16:09,740 including a multi-generational seminar that takes place 266 00:16:09,740 --> 00:16:12,350 every spring in New York. 267 00:16:12,350 --> 00:16:17,380 The Spring Seminar follows a theme each year, 268 00:16:17,380 --> 00:16:20,410 and the theme for the upcoming year 269 00:16:20,410 --> 00:16:25,560 is around economic disparity, and particularly 270 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:29,330 linkage between that and the movement for Black Lives. 271 00:16:29,330 --> 00:16:34,910 And people, both youth and adults, 272 00:16:34,910 --> 00:16:37,550 are invited to participate or to come and be 273 00:16:37,550 --> 00:16:39,930 a part of the spring seminar. 274 00:16:39,930 --> 00:16:42,340 It's a really spectacular event, and you 275 00:16:42,340 --> 00:16:46,390 can find information about it on uua.org. 276 00:16:46,390 --> 00:16:49,950 In a similar way, each year the UN office 277 00:16:49,950 --> 00:16:54,420 promotes congregational involvement with UN Sunday. 278 00:16:54,420 --> 00:17:04,310 And so we're in the midst of the UN Sunday events for 2015 279 00:17:04,310 --> 00:17:07,280 just as we speak. 280 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:11,579 Dozens of congregations all over the United States 281 00:17:11,579 --> 00:17:15,130 set aside a Sunday to focus on their involvement 282 00:17:15,130 --> 00:17:17,040 with the United Nations. 283 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:22,680 And as you can see on the slide, international criminal justice 284 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:26,780 is the theme of UN Sundays this year. 285 00:17:26,780 --> 00:17:30,920 And that follows through the-- that 286 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:36,090 was the theme of the Spring Seminar last April, 287 00:17:36,090 --> 00:17:38,440 and that's the system that we used 288 00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:42,360 after the seminars over the theme of the seminar 289 00:17:42,360 --> 00:17:48,539 becomes the theme for that year's UN Sunday program. 290 00:17:48,539 --> 00:17:50,330 Jessica York: So, Eric, I know that there's 291 00:17:50,330 --> 00:17:55,160 been a number of youth who've attended that Spring Seminar. 292 00:17:55,160 --> 00:18:01,280 Do you know if the practice is frequently for one or two 293 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:05,440 adults from the congregation to attend with you when 294 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:08,742 they go to the Spring Seminar? 295 00:18:08,742 --> 00:18:09,450 Eric Cherry: Yes. 296 00:18:09,450 --> 00:18:13,310 The guidelines for youth and adult involvement 297 00:18:13,310 --> 00:18:19,200 that the UUA has established are in force at the Spring Seminar. 298 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:21,520 So it follows the standard practice-- 299 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:24,690 the best practice that the youth and young adult 300 00:18:24,690 --> 00:18:27,100 office at the UUA has established, 301 00:18:27,100 --> 00:18:31,180 and that does require sponsorship for youth 302 00:18:31,180 --> 00:18:33,450 who attend the Spring Seminar. 303 00:18:33,450 --> 00:18:36,750 And if you'd like-- if anyone would like more information 304 00:18:36,750 --> 00:18:39,020 about participating in the Spring Seminar, 305 00:18:39,020 --> 00:18:45,369 you can find that online uua.org/un. 306 00:18:45,369 --> 00:18:46,660 Jessica York: Great, thank you. 307 00:18:46,660 --> 00:18:49,260 If anyone wants to attend the Spring Seminar 308 00:18:49,260 --> 00:18:53,670 or participate in a United Nations Sunday 309 00:18:53,670 --> 00:18:55,600 at their congregation and would like 310 00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:58,440 to type some comments into the chat box, 311 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:00,540 please feel free to do so. 312 00:19:00,540 --> 00:19:04,990 I'm wondering, Eric, what's the most common way for UU 313 00:19:04,990 --> 00:19:08,500 congregations to engage with the work 314 00:19:08,500 --> 00:19:10,410 of the international office? 315 00:19:10,410 --> 00:19:13,500 Is it through the partner church program 316 00:19:13,500 --> 00:19:17,490 or is there a way that's the most common way? 317 00:19:17,490 --> 00:19:18,240 Eric Cherry: Yeah. 318 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:22,810 So we find-- what we promote to individuals 319 00:19:22,810 --> 00:19:27,070 and to congregations is ways for them to find themselves in what 320 00:19:27,070 --> 00:19:29,990 we call the global UU story. 321 00:19:29,990 --> 00:19:37,310 The global UU story is one of congregational establishment. 322 00:19:37,310 --> 00:19:42,390 It's one of social justice engagement. 323 00:19:42,390 --> 00:19:45,310 It's changing the world on behalf 324 00:19:45,310 --> 00:19:49,250 of Unitarian Universalism in all kinds of ways. 325 00:19:49,250 --> 00:19:55,020 And that story reaches back centuries and continues today. 326 00:19:55,020 --> 00:19:57,330 And individuals can find themselves 327 00:19:57,330 --> 00:20:00,720 in that story in so many, many ways. 328 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:03,240 Perhaps there's a link that they have 329 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:07,010 to another part of the world where Unitarian Universalism is 330 00:20:07,010 --> 00:20:09,890 flourishing or trying to develop. 331 00:20:09,890 --> 00:20:13,310 And a spiritual connection to that work, 332 00:20:13,310 --> 00:20:19,110 or other kinds of support for that congregation 333 00:20:19,110 --> 00:20:20,860 becomes possible. 334 00:20:20,860 --> 00:20:24,210 Sometimes a partner-church relationship 335 00:20:24,210 --> 00:20:28,630 is exactly the right way to form a linkage between church 336 00:20:28,630 --> 00:20:30,240 and another church. 337 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:35,110 And that certainly has been a very powerful movement 338 00:20:35,110 --> 00:20:42,290 in Unitarian Universalism for something like 25 years. 339 00:20:42,290 --> 00:20:45,640 In a similar way, there are opportunities 340 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:49,060 for linkage with the Holdeen India program, 341 00:20:49,060 --> 00:20:52,470 especially through the College of Social Justice 342 00:20:52,470 --> 00:20:57,670 which offers service learning trips 343 00:20:57,670 --> 00:21:02,460 with international partners, as well as internship experiences 344 00:21:02,460 --> 00:21:05,350 with international partners and we'll shortly 345 00:21:05,350 --> 00:21:09,190 be rolling out what we're calling a skilled volunteers 346 00:21:09,190 --> 00:21:13,620 program for people who are interested in getting involved 347 00:21:13,620 --> 00:21:16,710 with the Holdeen India program. 348 00:21:16,710 --> 00:21:18,820 And in a similar way, the college 349 00:21:18,820 --> 00:21:24,140 helps congregations and individuals find involvement 350 00:21:24,140 --> 00:21:28,300 with international partners through internship experiences 351 00:21:28,300 --> 00:21:33,770 and especially through seminarian and minister 352 00:21:33,770 --> 00:21:37,780 short-term service with Unitarian and Unitarian 353 00:21:37,780 --> 00:21:42,080 Universalists partners in other parts of the world. 354 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:45,200 So there are just so-- there are many, 355 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:48,820 many ways that people can find themselves in the global UU 356 00:21:48,820 --> 00:21:53,710 story and build their engagement with the global UU story. 357 00:21:53,710 --> 00:21:57,010 One of the things that we would like to remind UU congregation 358 00:21:57,010 --> 00:22:00,780 is that when we become Unitarian Universalists 359 00:22:00,780 --> 00:22:04,050 our faith feels like very, very local one, 360 00:22:04,050 --> 00:22:06,020 and that's not surprising. 361 00:22:06,020 --> 00:22:09,640 The primary place where we feel our faith connection 362 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:12,980 is typically with the local community. 363 00:22:12,980 --> 00:22:16,860 But to come to understand and to embrace the truth 364 00:22:16,860 --> 00:22:21,850 that our faith really is global in scope 365 00:22:21,850 --> 00:22:26,240 is a step along the face of development path. 366 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:30,010 That finding yourself in the global UU story 367 00:22:30,010 --> 00:22:35,670 can really be impactful. 368 00:22:35,670 --> 00:22:40,250 Jessica York: Well, I've taken a couple of trips 369 00:22:40,250 --> 00:22:41,780 internationally. 370 00:22:41,780 --> 00:22:43,880 I don't have a lot of experience in that. 371 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:47,980 I took a trip many years ago to Honduras 372 00:22:47,980 --> 00:22:55,000 with Heifer International, and I participated in a UU Service 373 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:58,190 Committee trip to Haiti when I was working 374 00:22:58,190 --> 00:23:04,200 on a curriculum for them and it just really changed 375 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:07,830 my perspective about the world. 376 00:23:07,830 --> 00:23:13,090 It was one thing to do the more touristy type travel that I've 377 00:23:13,090 --> 00:23:15,980 always-- that I've also done to other countries 378 00:23:15,980 --> 00:23:19,500 than it was to do something that was very service oriented. 379 00:23:19,500 --> 00:23:23,740 But in both my trips, I didn't have a chance 380 00:23:23,740 --> 00:23:28,230 to get to know or connect to any Unitarians 381 00:23:28,230 --> 00:23:30,230 or Universalists or Unitarian Universalists 382 00:23:30,230 --> 00:23:31,980 in those countries. 383 00:23:31,980 --> 00:23:36,210 I know that you've been to congregations and UU 384 00:23:36,210 --> 00:23:38,830 communities across the world, and I 385 00:23:38,830 --> 00:23:41,420 believe Pat also has some experience 386 00:23:41,420 --> 00:23:44,070 traveling and meeting Unitarian Universalists 387 00:23:44,070 --> 00:23:45,370 from other countries. 388 00:23:45,370 --> 00:23:47,910 I'm wondering what is that like? 389 00:23:47,910 --> 00:23:51,590 What is Unitarian Universalism or Unitarianism or Universalism 390 00:23:51,590 --> 00:23:56,720 like when it's lived out in such a different environment? 391 00:23:56,720 --> 00:23:59,450 Eric Cherry: Thanks so much for that question, Jessica. 392 00:23:59,450 --> 00:24:01,180 Let me offer a couple of responses. 393 00:24:01,180 --> 00:24:05,380 The first is that if you are a Unitarian Universalist who's 394 00:24:05,380 --> 00:24:08,970 getting ready to make a visit to a place 395 00:24:08,970 --> 00:24:10,960 where there are international partners, 396 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:12,530 we have some suggestions about how 397 00:24:12,530 --> 00:24:17,740 to be a good guest on uua.org, and a list of the places 398 00:24:17,740 --> 00:24:22,950 where those opportunities that could be sought. 399 00:24:22,950 --> 00:24:28,510 And in terms of the diversity of culture, of practice, 400 00:24:28,510 --> 00:24:32,880 of theology within the global UU community, 401 00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:37,000 well it really is quite broad. 402 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:42,540 For example, just recently on behalf of the UUA, 403 00:24:42,540 --> 00:24:47,210 I helped the Unitarians in Northeast India, sometimes 404 00:24:47,210 --> 00:24:51,030 referred to as the Khasi Hills of India-- there's something 405 00:24:51,030 --> 00:24:55,030 like 10,000 Unitarians there. 406 00:24:55,030 --> 00:24:58,700 Helped them to consecrate a new church building 407 00:24:58,700 --> 00:25:02,020 in the city of Shillong. 408 00:25:02,020 --> 00:25:07,210 And the theology and culture of the Unitarians 409 00:25:07,210 --> 00:25:14,760 there is only one leg of the three-legged stool 410 00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:19,580 of that tradition is really similar to American Unitarian 411 00:25:19,580 --> 00:25:20,750 Universalism. 412 00:25:20,750 --> 00:25:25,390 The other two legs of that tradition 413 00:25:25,390 --> 00:25:30,600 grow out of what was known as the Brahmo Samaj movement 414 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:35,020 in India, kind of a reforming movement within Hinduism. 415 00:25:35,020 --> 00:25:39,450 And additionally, the indigenous traditions of coffee. 416 00:25:39,450 --> 00:25:42,880 So those are kind of three aspects 417 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:49,060 of modern day Unitarianism in Northeast India. 418 00:25:49,060 --> 00:25:54,860 And because of those three areas of influence, 419 00:25:54,860 --> 00:25:58,350 we can find some similarities and some differences. 420 00:25:58,350 --> 00:26:02,120 And as in all cases when people claim each other 421 00:26:02,120 --> 00:26:05,470 as part of the same family-- let's 422 00:26:05,470 --> 00:26:10,320 say Faith Community-- those differences create beauty 423 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:12,850 and opportunity to learn. 424 00:26:12,850 --> 00:26:16,550 To face our own traditions in kind of a unique way 425 00:26:16,550 --> 00:26:21,810 as we discover alternative ways of living and celebrating 426 00:26:21,810 --> 00:26:23,650 Unitarianism. 427 00:26:23,650 --> 00:26:26,950 That's a great gift that international partners 428 00:26:26,950 --> 00:26:27,920 bring us. 429 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:32,166 The chance to understand ourselves in new ways. 430 00:26:32,166 --> 00:26:34,660 Of course, through the partner church movement, 431 00:26:34,660 --> 00:26:37,350 American Unitarian Universalists have 432 00:26:37,350 --> 00:26:40,720 gotten to know the theological commitments 433 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:44,490 of especially Transylvania Unitarians in really 434 00:26:44,490 --> 00:26:45,720 helpful ways. 435 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:54,000 And it's true that Transylvania Unitarianism remains very, very 436 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:58,110 focused on Christian scripture, very much in the same way 437 00:26:58,110 --> 00:27:04,110 that American Unitarianism or American Universalism did in 438 00:27:04,110 --> 00:27:07,890 perhaps in the middle of the 19th century. 439 00:27:07,890 --> 00:27:12,970 And I would say that those relationships have kind of 440 00:27:12,970 --> 00:27:17,650 opened the ability of American UUs 441 00:27:17,650 --> 00:27:23,930 to embrace the Christian side of the Unitarian Universalist 442 00:27:23,930 --> 00:27:26,350 story, at least I hope that that's been the case. 443 00:27:26,350 --> 00:27:27,810 It feels that way to me. 444 00:27:27,810 --> 00:27:30,970 And I really can't imagine a greater gift 445 00:27:30,970 --> 00:27:36,550 from an international partner then that kind of opening. 446 00:27:36,550 --> 00:27:41,260 In a similar way, the UU Church of the Philippines, 447 00:27:41,260 --> 00:27:45,260 which has its origins in Universalism 448 00:27:45,260 --> 00:27:50,210 from the 1950s, where its founder through kind 449 00:27:50,210 --> 00:27:55,310 of a fascinating story of both American blunders 450 00:27:55,310 --> 00:27:58,490 and finally relationship building. 451 00:27:58,490 --> 00:28:01,970 Reverend Toribio Quimada got in touch 452 00:28:01,970 --> 00:28:07,480 with leaders of the Universalist churches in the United States. 453 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:09,990 Ultimately decided that he shared 454 00:28:09,990 --> 00:28:15,670 the viewpoint of Universalism-- that all will be saved. 455 00:28:15,670 --> 00:28:19,770 Committed to that in his ministry in the Philippines 456 00:28:19,770 --> 00:28:23,170 and was run out of the conservative church 457 00:28:23,170 --> 00:28:25,470 that he'd been serving in previously. 458 00:28:25,470 --> 00:28:27,220 But fortunately, some of the congregations 459 00:28:27,220 --> 00:28:30,520 that he had been serving came out with them 460 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:32,840 and embraced Universalism. 461 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:38,060 And for the next 35 years, the Universalist Church 462 00:28:38,060 --> 00:28:42,360 of the Philippines kind of grew through that tradition. 463 00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:46,997 In the late 1980s, the church added Unitarianism 464 00:28:46,997 --> 00:28:47,580 to their name. 465 00:28:47,580 --> 00:28:49,540 It's now the Unitarian Universalist Church 466 00:28:49,540 --> 00:28:51,400 of the Philippines. 467 00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:55,290 But again, this is an international partner 468 00:28:55,290 --> 00:28:58,650 that holds up a mirror to Unitarian Universalist, 469 00:28:58,650 --> 00:29:02,520 invites us to see that how American UUs understand 470 00:29:02,520 --> 00:29:05,710 themselves is not in any way the right way 471 00:29:05,710 --> 00:29:08,910 to understand Unitarian Universalism and certainly not 472 00:29:08,910 --> 00:29:12,010 the only way of understanding Unitarian Universalism. 473 00:29:12,010 --> 00:29:17,410 A great gift from another international partner. 474 00:29:17,410 --> 00:29:18,160 Jessica York: Yes. 475 00:29:18,160 --> 00:29:21,533 And as you were speaking, what I'm think of 476 00:29:21,533 --> 00:29:28,010 is how our faithful partners in another part of the world 477 00:29:28,010 --> 00:29:31,930 are really demonstrating to us how this truly 478 00:29:31,930 --> 00:29:33,330 is a living faith. 479 00:29:33,330 --> 00:29:38,880 And it really is organic in this nature growing up 480 00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:42,180 from the ground in various places 481 00:29:42,180 --> 00:29:45,770 and taking different groups and shapes. 482 00:29:45,770 --> 00:29:47,990 And obviously having a great deal 483 00:29:47,990 --> 00:29:52,500 in common also with the way we worship and practice 484 00:29:52,500 --> 00:29:55,375 and our values here. 485 00:29:55,375 --> 00:29:57,750 Eric Cherry: I certainly agree with you on that, Jessica. 486 00:29:57,750 --> 00:30:00,980 And there's the old story about somebody 487 00:30:00,980 --> 00:30:05,530 asking a Universalist where he or she stands, 488 00:30:05,530 --> 00:30:08,230 and the Universalist said we don't stand, 489 00:30:08,230 --> 00:30:13,300 we move, and that's the case with the Unitarian Universalism 490 00:30:13,300 --> 00:30:14,520 as a global tradition. 491 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:15,730 It really doesn't standard. 492 00:30:15,730 --> 00:30:21,140 It really is constantly moving, constantly-- as our brothers 493 00:30:21,140 --> 00:30:23,640 and sisters in Northeast India would say, 494 00:30:23,640 --> 00:30:27,430 constantly progressing, and that's a gift. 495 00:30:27,430 --> 00:30:30,412 That's a gift to all of us. 496 00:30:30,412 --> 00:30:31,870 Jessica York: Pat, I know you typed 497 00:30:31,870 --> 00:30:34,830 in the chat box about your trip to Transylvania 498 00:30:34,830 --> 00:30:38,190 and attending the World Gathering of Unitarians. 499 00:30:38,190 --> 00:30:43,156 But would you like to say a few words about that? 500 00:30:43,156 --> 00:30:44,780 Pat Kahn: Well, just really quickly, it 501 00:30:44,780 --> 00:30:47,340 was as most people have a tendency 502 00:30:47,340 --> 00:30:49,870 to say after they've made a trip like that, 503 00:30:49,870 --> 00:30:52,590 a transformational trip. 504 00:30:52,590 --> 00:30:57,320 It was one thing to-- the partner church 505 00:30:57,320 --> 00:31:01,690 that we have in the city of [INAUDIBLE], which is also 506 00:31:01,690 --> 00:31:03,560 where the World Gathering of Unitarians 507 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:06,550 takes place every year. 508 00:31:06,550 --> 00:31:11,030 We had this partnership going, and back in those days, 509 00:31:11,030 --> 00:31:12,170 they didn't have computers. 510 00:31:12,170 --> 00:31:15,590 So we had a pen pal program and various other things. 511 00:31:15,590 --> 00:31:19,720 But to actually go there and meet people face-to-face, 512 00:31:19,720 --> 00:31:27,350 and then since then participate through scholarship programs. 513 00:31:27,350 --> 00:31:30,250 But also I've had a student that I've 514 00:31:30,250 --> 00:31:34,940 sponsored for several years who always emails me and sends me 515 00:31:34,940 --> 00:31:36,620 pictures and those sorts of things. 516 00:31:36,620 --> 00:31:40,040 It was really an amazing, amazing trip. 517 00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:43,400 And my then 18-year-old daughter-- 518 00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:46,760 this was a while ago-- went with me, 519 00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:51,430 and she was really blown away. 520 00:31:51,430 --> 00:31:53,970 I'd like to think that that is part of the reason 521 00:31:53,970 --> 00:31:56,310 that now that she's a young adult, 522 00:31:56,310 --> 00:32:00,860 she's teaching RE in a UU congregation 523 00:32:00,860 --> 00:32:02,350 in State College, Pennsylvania. 524 00:32:02,350 --> 00:32:07,110 So I think part of grounding her and helping 525 00:32:07,110 --> 00:32:12,340 her deepen her faith was that pilgrimage to Transylvania. 526 00:32:12,340 --> 00:32:17,466 I'm realizing that I have very many artifacts left over. 527 00:32:17,466 --> 00:32:18,840 If you could see my whole office, 528 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:22,160 I got all kinds of things from Transylvania. 529 00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:28,815 Even now almost 10 years later, so it was a great trip. 530 00:32:28,815 --> 00:32:30,190 Jessica York: I want to make sure 531 00:32:30,190 --> 00:32:34,414 that people saw a slide I was a bit slow on. 532 00:32:34,414 --> 00:32:36,580 We'll talk a little bit about some of the resources. 533 00:32:36,580 --> 00:32:40,150 Eric mentioned these resources mapping the global UU 534 00:32:40,150 --> 00:32:43,030 story, which actually is a pretty fun interactive map. 535 00:32:43,030 --> 00:32:44,820 I played around with that. 536 00:32:44,820 --> 00:32:48,900 They show some of the UU congregations and communities 537 00:32:48,900 --> 00:32:52,090 and connections that we have around the world. 538 00:32:52,090 --> 00:32:55,480 It's really very informative, and something that-- you're 539 00:32:55,480 --> 00:32:58,110 in a RE program, you've got internet access, 540 00:32:58,110 --> 00:33:00,540 I think people would enjoy seeing 541 00:33:00,540 --> 00:33:02,730 that, both children and adults. 542 00:33:02,730 --> 00:33:07,700 And also, the updateable international engagement 543 00:33:07,700 --> 00:33:09,890 curriculum, which is a workshop that 544 00:33:09,890 --> 00:33:13,120 includes several videos giving some really 545 00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:17,730 nicely detailed information about the history 546 00:33:17,730 --> 00:33:19,616 of international relations. 547 00:33:19,616 --> 00:33:20,990 I mean, those are really just two 548 00:33:20,990 --> 00:33:24,840 of the resources that exist in the international office 549 00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:27,570 as is so often the case when I'm talking to people 550 00:33:27,570 --> 00:33:29,960 from other offices at the UUA. 551 00:33:29,960 --> 00:33:33,320 Despite my having worked here for eight years, 552 00:33:33,320 --> 00:33:36,080 I'm still discovering so many of the resources 553 00:33:36,080 --> 00:33:39,580 that we have that are little hidden jewels. 554 00:33:39,580 --> 00:33:42,310 If you get around on the website and just start 555 00:33:42,310 --> 00:33:46,060 clicking on some of the links on the left hand side bar, 556 00:33:46,060 --> 00:33:48,740 you can discover all kind of neat and wonderful things. 557 00:33:48,740 --> 00:33:52,150 So travel is great, and we know that travel 558 00:33:52,150 --> 00:33:54,120 can be transformative. 559 00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:56,610 And there are so many ways that I 560 00:33:56,610 --> 00:34:00,150 think you can connect to the Ministry of the International 561 00:34:00,150 --> 00:34:02,380 Office aside from travel. 562 00:34:02,380 --> 00:34:07,520 I know that I signed a petition when the minister in Burundi 563 00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:08,940 was kidnapped. 564 00:34:08,940 --> 00:34:12,290 I don't know where that petition actually did any good or not, 565 00:34:12,290 --> 00:34:14,600 but it was a way for these people 566 00:34:14,600 --> 00:34:18,370 to show that around the world people knew what was happening 567 00:34:18,370 --> 00:34:21,620 and was in support of this minister. 568 00:34:21,620 --> 00:34:25,010 So I do want to urge people to go to the website. 569 00:34:25,010 --> 00:34:27,409 Look at all the resources that are there, 570 00:34:27,409 --> 00:34:29,170 and I bet that you will find some way 571 00:34:29,170 --> 00:34:33,090 that you can connect to the Ministry of the International 572 00:34:33,090 --> 00:34:34,650 Office. 573 00:34:34,650 --> 00:34:39,437 And before we move on to the next part of our presentation 574 00:34:39,437 --> 00:34:41,020 where we're going to talk specifically 575 00:34:41,020 --> 00:34:43,620 about the Parliament of the World Religions. 576 00:34:43,620 --> 00:34:46,030 I'm wondering, Eric, if maybe you'd 577 00:34:46,030 --> 00:34:49,860 just like to share with us a little bit of the reason why 578 00:34:49,860 --> 00:34:54,453 this is your particular ministry. 579 00:34:54,453 --> 00:34:55,739 Eric Cherry: Thanks, Jessica. 580 00:34:55,739 --> 00:35:01,360 Well in some ways, my preparation for ministry 581 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:03,940 followed a very traditional path. 582 00:35:03,940 --> 00:35:11,890 I graduated from college with a bachelor's degree in religion. 583 00:35:11,890 --> 00:35:15,210 Went immediately to the seminary from there 584 00:35:15,210 --> 00:35:17,580 to Meadville Lombard Theological School. 585 00:35:17,580 --> 00:35:20,930 Learned a little bit about our international partners 586 00:35:20,930 --> 00:35:24,170 in seminary, but not a great deal 587 00:35:24,170 --> 00:35:30,730 and didn't really expect that that would be a focus of mine. 588 00:35:30,730 --> 00:35:36,010 But went to serve a First congregation in Iowa, 589 00:35:36,010 --> 00:35:40,080 and after a few years of ministry there, 590 00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:44,670 an opportunity to spend a year as the English teacher 591 00:35:44,670 --> 00:35:47,860 for Unitarian seminarians in Transylvania 592 00:35:47,860 --> 00:35:51,610 came across the-- well, there wasn't a Facebook feed 593 00:35:51,610 --> 00:35:55,710 in those days, but it came across my radar. 594 00:35:55,710 --> 00:35:58,280 And that was to Meadville Lombard program 595 00:35:58,280 --> 00:36:03,700 and was really an honor and a privilege in 1997 596 00:36:03,700 --> 00:36:05,530 to serve in that role. 597 00:36:05,530 --> 00:36:08,320 It really shaped me, shaped my understanding 598 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:13,040 of Unitarian Universalism of congregational work, 599 00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:16,770 and returned from that year really renewed 600 00:36:16,770 --> 00:36:20,220 and committed to international connection-- the power 601 00:36:20,220 --> 00:36:22,570 of international connections. 602 00:36:22,570 --> 00:36:27,110 Continued to serve congregations for another oh, what, eight 603 00:36:27,110 --> 00:36:30,900 or nine years, and supported international connections 604 00:36:30,900 --> 00:36:34,460 in a variety of ways-- especially my wife 605 00:36:34,460 --> 00:36:39,850 and I-- were pilgrimage leaders for a couple of youth trips 606 00:36:39,850 --> 00:36:43,290 to Transylvanian in the meantime. 607 00:36:43,290 --> 00:36:51,820 And in 2007 when the position at the International Office 608 00:36:51,820 --> 00:36:56,195 opened up, I just threw my hat into the ring 609 00:36:56,195 --> 00:36:59,260 without very many expectations around that. 610 00:36:59,260 --> 00:37:03,000 And eight years later it's really 611 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:09,978 been such a privilege for me to be involved in this work. 612 00:37:09,978 --> 00:37:13,684 Jessica York: Thanks, Eric, for sharing that with us. 613 00:37:13,684 --> 00:37:16,100 I do want to remind people that if you have any questions, 614 00:37:16,100 --> 00:37:21,480 you can type those questions into the chat box 615 00:37:21,480 --> 00:37:25,540 and we're happy to come back to those questions later on 616 00:37:25,540 --> 00:37:28,850 and now we're going to go ahead and switch gears 617 00:37:28,850 --> 00:37:32,570 just a little bit and talk about a specific event 618 00:37:32,570 --> 00:37:40,610 that Eric and the International Office were involved with. 619 00:37:40,610 --> 00:37:41,930 Eric Cherry: Right, Jessica. 620 00:37:41,930 --> 00:37:45,470 So the parliament of the world's religions 621 00:37:45,470 --> 00:37:49,150 took place in Salt Lake City, Utah, from the 15th 622 00:37:49,150 --> 00:37:52,600 through the 19th of October this year. 623 00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:57,275 The parliament is an occasional gathering 624 00:37:57,275 --> 00:38:02,690 of individuals who care about interreligious and interfaith 625 00:38:02,690 --> 00:38:03,440 work. 626 00:38:03,440 --> 00:38:06,270 Really kind of a unique gathering 627 00:38:06,270 --> 00:38:09,830 not of institutions, but individuals. 628 00:38:09,830 --> 00:38:15,269 And this parliament followed-- I think 629 00:38:15,269 --> 00:38:16,810 the previous parliament was something 630 00:38:16,810 --> 00:38:19,370 like seven years before. 631 00:38:19,370 --> 00:38:21,780 The idea had been that parliaments would take place 632 00:38:21,780 --> 00:38:24,950 every four or five years, but it took a little bit longer 633 00:38:24,950 --> 00:38:29,000 to get this one organized. 634 00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:34,770 And we estimate that perhaps 500 Unitarian Universalists 635 00:38:34,770 --> 00:38:37,030 came and participated in the parliament-- 636 00:38:37,030 --> 00:38:39,280 a really great turnout. 637 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:45,920 And, yes, the UUA was a sponsor of the parliament 638 00:38:45,920 --> 00:38:49,210 and we were involved in events of the parliament 639 00:38:49,210 --> 00:38:51,340 in a variety of ways. 640 00:38:51,340 --> 00:38:57,140 Particularly in establishing an exhibit-- an exhibit space 641 00:38:57,140 --> 00:39:01,110 and a booth in the exhibit hole about Unitarian Universalism. 642 00:39:01,110 --> 00:39:06,110 And it was a very active corner of the parliament. 643 00:39:06,110 --> 00:39:10,790 A really-- kind of a joy to be involved there. 644 00:39:10,790 --> 00:39:15,650 This slide just shows some of the high profile 645 00:39:15,650 --> 00:39:19,290 speakers who participated in the parliament this year. 646 00:39:19,290 --> 00:39:25,850 Just an amazing opportunity for learning, for worshipping, 647 00:39:25,850 --> 00:39:29,500 and additionally for sharing commitment 648 00:39:29,500 --> 00:39:32,390 to a number of advocacy areas. 649 00:39:32,390 --> 00:39:34,690 And that's what the interreligious community 650 00:39:34,690 --> 00:39:35,900 is committed to. 651 00:39:35,900 --> 00:39:40,060 And this slide, you can see how the efficacy issues 652 00:39:40,060 --> 00:39:44,410 for the parliaments are ones that Unitarian Universalism 653 00:39:44,410 --> 00:39:48,190 very deeply shares as well, and there 654 00:39:48,190 --> 00:39:51,140 were ways to make those connections 655 00:39:51,140 --> 00:39:52,480 during the parliament. 656 00:39:52,480 --> 00:39:55,700 And their continued to be ways to follow through 657 00:39:55,700 --> 00:40:00,430 on those commitments post-parliament. 658 00:40:00,430 --> 00:40:08,140 Does that mirror your experience, Jessica? 659 00:40:08,140 --> 00:40:09,820 Jessica York: Yes, it did. 660 00:40:09,820 --> 00:40:11,730 This was my first attendance at one 661 00:40:11,730 --> 00:40:14,290 of the parliaments of the World Religions. 662 00:40:14,290 --> 00:40:19,410 And I was anticipating it, and yet really not 663 00:40:19,410 --> 00:40:21,470 knowing at all what to expect. 664 00:40:21,470 --> 00:40:24,780 And so, it was one of those events where I give myself 665 00:40:24,780 --> 00:40:28,650 permission to go into it with no expectation 666 00:40:28,650 --> 00:40:35,140 simply to discover and to go with the flow-- 667 00:40:35,140 --> 00:40:38,386 wherever the flow took me. 668 00:40:38,386 --> 00:40:39,760 And certainly, one of the reasons 669 00:40:39,760 --> 00:40:41,460 why I did want to attend is because 670 00:40:41,460 --> 00:40:44,565 of our historical connection to the parliament. 671 00:40:44,565 --> 00:40:47,430 Would you like to say a little bit about that, Eric? 672 00:40:47,430 --> 00:40:48,970 Eric Cherry: Well, sure, yeah. 673 00:40:48,970 --> 00:40:52,960 So the first Parliament of the World's Religions 674 00:40:52,960 --> 00:40:56,710 took place in Chicago in 1893, and it really 675 00:40:56,710 --> 00:41:00,560 was a ground breaking event. 676 00:41:00,560 --> 00:41:04,300 Perhaps really the first time that religious leaders 677 00:41:04,300 --> 00:41:06,190 of many, many religious traditions 678 00:41:06,190 --> 00:41:10,910 gathered together to share with each other, 679 00:41:10,910 --> 00:41:16,450 to talk with each other about what religious groups were 680 00:41:16,450 --> 00:41:20,010 doing to get to know each other and to learn from each other. 681 00:41:20,010 --> 00:41:23,170 Unitarians and Universalists were deeply involved 682 00:41:23,170 --> 00:41:26,790 in making that first parliament happen, 683 00:41:26,790 --> 00:41:30,710 and following the first parliament 684 00:41:30,710 --> 00:41:34,130 our commitment to the interfaith work 685 00:41:34,130 --> 00:41:38,430 found-- led to the creation of really 686 00:41:38,430 --> 00:41:42,030 one of the first international interfaith organizations. 687 00:41:42,030 --> 00:41:44,460 The International Association for Religious Freedom 688 00:41:44,460 --> 00:41:50,280 was founded in 1900 as a way of bringing people 689 00:41:50,280 --> 00:41:53,010 who are committed to religious freedom 690 00:41:53,010 --> 00:41:57,490 together, particularly Unitarians and people 691 00:41:57,490 --> 00:41:59,370 of progressive faith. 692 00:41:59,370 --> 00:42:02,900 And so, the routes of IARF were very much 693 00:42:02,900 --> 00:42:06,220 here at the parliament, and the work 694 00:42:06,220 --> 00:42:08,730 over the decades that followed. 695 00:42:08,730 --> 00:42:14,720 I would say that we saw in the current parliament of 2015 696 00:42:14,720 --> 00:42:18,820 parliament-- the effectiveness of that work 697 00:42:18,820 --> 00:42:23,750 that, in many ways, we can say that the struggle 698 00:42:23,750 --> 00:42:28,960 to create a sense of interreligious connection 699 00:42:28,960 --> 00:42:33,480 between people in many faiths has really come to life. 700 00:42:33,480 --> 00:42:40,620 And there isn't anything cutting edge about religious people 701 00:42:40,620 --> 00:42:42,910 from around the world gathering anymore. 702 00:42:42,910 --> 00:42:46,370 The 10,000 people that came out for the Parliament of World 703 00:42:46,370 --> 00:42:49,660 Religions was symbolic of that truth. 704 00:42:49,660 --> 00:42:54,060 And I would say that Unitarians and Universalists have reason 705 00:42:54,060 --> 00:42:57,260 to be proud of the role that we had 706 00:42:57,260 --> 00:42:59,140 in helping the world come to this place. 707 00:42:59,140 --> 00:43:03,880 And frankly, the message that the Parliament 708 00:43:03,880 --> 00:43:07,100 stands in such a sharp contrast to 709 00:43:07,100 --> 00:43:10,260 the disturbing political messages 710 00:43:10,260 --> 00:43:18,220 of religious disharmony that are so often dominating the media. 711 00:43:18,220 --> 00:43:21,660 Truth is that through the parliament, 712 00:43:21,660 --> 00:43:26,560 we can see that there is very, very deep grassroots commitment 713 00:43:26,560 --> 00:43:30,580 to people of all religions working together, knowing 714 00:43:30,580 --> 00:43:32,930 each other, being in a relationship with each other. 715 00:43:32,930 --> 00:43:35,500 And at the worst moments and what 716 00:43:35,500 --> 00:43:38,820 we hear about religious conflict, 717 00:43:38,820 --> 00:43:40,130 I try to hold on to that. 718 00:43:40,130 --> 00:43:45,230 And as we're saying, Jessica, the role that Unitarians 719 00:43:45,230 --> 00:43:47,850 and Universalists had historically 720 00:43:47,850 --> 00:43:51,610 in bringing that truth to life. 721 00:43:51,610 --> 00:43:53,186 Jessica York: Yeah, absolutely. 722 00:43:53,186 --> 00:43:57,000 You could feel that commitment that the participants had 723 00:43:57,000 --> 00:44:01,150 to really living out their belief 724 00:44:01,150 --> 00:44:04,170 that we can all get along despite 725 00:44:04,170 --> 00:44:05,810 our religious differences. 726 00:44:05,810 --> 00:44:09,880 And not just get along, but actually work together 727 00:44:09,880 --> 00:44:14,700 and feel like a group of people of faith despite the fact 728 00:44:14,700 --> 00:44:18,330 that our faiths might have some differences. 729 00:44:18,330 --> 00:44:21,480 When I talk to people and I say that the Parliament was truly 730 00:44:21,480 --> 00:44:25,680 amazing, one of the things I'm generally expressing 731 00:44:25,680 --> 00:44:30,650 is how it felt more so even than anything that I actually did 732 00:44:30,650 --> 00:44:33,980 while I was at the Parliament. 733 00:44:33,980 --> 00:44:37,270 This time of year, people are often fond of saying, 734 00:44:37,270 --> 00:44:41,607 I wish everyone acted like it was Christmas every day because 735 00:44:41,607 --> 00:44:43,065 of how this time of year frequently 736 00:44:43,065 --> 00:44:45,790 you see people being more kind to each other, 737 00:44:45,790 --> 00:44:47,310 being gentler with each other. 738 00:44:47,310 --> 00:44:49,310 Well, the Parliament was sort of like that, 739 00:44:49,310 --> 00:44:51,830 and it did go on for several days. 740 00:44:51,830 --> 00:44:55,090 But with the kind of place where you walk down 741 00:44:55,090 --> 00:44:57,230 this hallway of this huge convention center 742 00:44:57,230 --> 00:44:59,910 with all these thousands of people around you. 743 00:44:59,910 --> 00:45:03,370 And you felt totally comfortable looking people 744 00:45:03,370 --> 00:45:06,560 that you pass in the eye and smiling and acknowledging 745 00:45:06,560 --> 00:45:10,900 them-- everyone in that way. 746 00:45:10,900 --> 00:45:13,220 Where even an introvert like me could just 747 00:45:13,220 --> 00:45:15,220 sit down at a table with strangers 748 00:45:15,220 --> 00:45:20,050 and start what could be a really meaningful conversation. 749 00:45:20,050 --> 00:45:22,540 It was a great opportunity to do something like that, 750 00:45:22,540 --> 00:45:28,800 and I wish more people had such an opportunity. 751 00:45:28,800 --> 00:45:32,740 I know that many Unitarian Universalists 752 00:45:32,740 --> 00:45:35,100 presented programs. 753 00:45:35,100 --> 00:45:37,220 The Faith Development Office submitted a proposal, 754 00:45:37,220 --> 00:45:38,974 but our proposal didn't get accepted. 755 00:45:38,974 --> 00:45:39,890 We were little bombed. 756 00:45:39,890 --> 00:45:44,260 But then when I found out they had 2000 workshop proposals, 757 00:45:44,260 --> 00:45:46,450 I was a little bit understanding. 758 00:45:46,450 --> 00:45:49,930 But many UUs did have some workshops that 759 00:45:49,930 --> 00:45:52,610 were presented at the Parliament, 760 00:45:52,610 --> 00:45:56,510 and this slide just shows some of the topics that 761 00:45:56,510 --> 00:45:57,570 were presented. 762 00:45:57,570 --> 00:46:02,800 I know it's a little bit small. 763 00:46:02,800 --> 00:46:06,120 But I also did want to say a few words about some 764 00:46:06,120 --> 00:46:09,070 of the activities that actually were there. 765 00:46:09,070 --> 00:46:11,260 I know Eric spent a great deal of time 766 00:46:11,260 --> 00:46:13,700 in our booth representing our faith there, 767 00:46:13,700 --> 00:46:15,010 and that was really wonderful. 768 00:46:15,010 --> 00:46:19,260 And, Eric, you probably didn't get a chance to get around much 769 00:46:19,260 --> 00:46:21,430 and to attend some of the workshops, 770 00:46:21,430 --> 00:46:23,760 or even some of the plenaries. 771 00:46:23,760 --> 00:46:26,800 But there were wonderful plenary sessions 772 00:46:26,800 --> 00:46:29,970 like this one in a large hall where thousands of people 773 00:46:29,970 --> 00:46:33,610 came together to listen to keynote speakers 774 00:46:33,610 --> 00:46:35,090 on important topics. 775 00:46:35,090 --> 00:46:41,860 But also to experience a lot of art, music, and dance, 776 00:46:41,860 --> 00:46:44,450 and theatrical productions. 777 00:46:44,450 --> 00:46:46,930 And many of these events, particularly the plenaries, 778 00:46:46,930 --> 00:46:49,050 were streamed. 779 00:46:49,050 --> 00:46:51,510 And they, and many of the other workshops, 780 00:46:51,510 --> 00:46:54,490 are eventually going to be on the website for the Parliament. 781 00:46:54,490 --> 00:46:56,280 For other people to see, but I think 782 00:46:56,280 --> 00:47:00,320 they're working on getting all of those up. 783 00:47:00,320 --> 00:47:02,430 Aside from the plenaries and the workshops, 784 00:47:02,430 --> 00:47:04,610 there were-- you would walk through the hall, 785 00:47:04,610 --> 00:47:07,390 and you would find small groups of people practicing 786 00:47:07,390 --> 00:47:09,660 their faith in different ways. 787 00:47:09,660 --> 00:47:11,970 Maybe there was a prayer group that was going on 788 00:47:11,970 --> 00:47:16,160 or maybe someone was doing yoga or something physical 789 00:47:16,160 --> 00:47:19,030 to encapsulate their spirit. 790 00:47:19,030 --> 00:47:22,050 Here you've got a photo of some monks who 791 00:47:22,050 --> 00:47:24,970 are creating a beautiful Mandala, 792 00:47:24,970 --> 00:47:31,510 and that took several days for them to complete that. 793 00:47:31,510 --> 00:47:34,970 And so this, I thought, kind of encapsulated the spirit 794 00:47:34,970 --> 00:47:37,800 that I felt at the whole Parliament-- 795 00:47:37,800 --> 00:47:41,320 this feeling of acceptance. 796 00:47:41,320 --> 00:47:43,970 One of the highlights of the Parliament for me 797 00:47:43,970 --> 00:47:49,474 was the first day, which was the inaugural women's assembly day. 798 00:47:49,474 --> 00:47:50,890 It was a day that was specifically 799 00:47:50,890 --> 00:47:56,030 focused on women and women's issues in the world. 800 00:47:56,030 --> 00:47:59,490 For lunch, I joined two people who previously 801 00:47:59,490 --> 00:48:04,510 had been strangers to me, and we enjoyed lunch and a Langar, 802 00:48:04,510 --> 00:48:06,640 which was a tradition I was unfamiliar with, 803 00:48:06,640 --> 00:48:12,660 but is a Sikh tradition where everyone is served food 804 00:48:12,660 --> 00:48:13,610 equally. 805 00:48:13,610 --> 00:48:17,840 So we all stood in line, and we took off our shoes 806 00:48:17,840 --> 00:48:20,200 and we sat down in this large hall 807 00:48:20,200 --> 00:48:22,450 next to whoever happened to be there. 808 00:48:22,450 --> 00:48:26,720 And lunch was served to us for free, 809 00:48:26,720 --> 00:48:29,910 and it was a really wonderful and beautiful experience. 810 00:48:29,910 --> 00:48:33,090 And they did that every single day of the Parliament. 811 00:48:33,090 --> 00:48:34,720 I think many of those participants 812 00:48:34,720 --> 00:48:38,340 spent all day in the kitchen preparing food 813 00:48:38,340 --> 00:48:41,760 and then served it to us for several hours every day. 814 00:48:41,760 --> 00:48:48,240 It was truly an offering of love made incarnate. 815 00:48:48,240 --> 00:48:51,180 And this slide I know is very difficult to see, 816 00:48:51,180 --> 00:48:56,740 but on the left is a group of angels going up 817 00:48:56,740 --> 00:48:59,160 on an escalator, which was-- people 818 00:48:59,160 --> 00:49:04,640 found it very amusing that the angels were ascending there. 819 00:49:04,640 --> 00:49:08,970 These were peace angels who you would see occasionally 820 00:49:08,970 --> 00:49:14,430 around the parliament, and they were 821 00:49:14,430 --> 00:49:16,390 I believe thinking peaceful thoughts 822 00:49:16,390 --> 00:49:19,910 and trying to spread peace by their presence. 823 00:49:19,910 --> 00:49:23,550 And the first time I saw that, I thought, hmm, 824 00:49:23,550 --> 00:49:24,970 that seems a little hokey. 825 00:49:24,970 --> 00:49:30,280 But by the third time, I stopped and I asked myself, well, 826 00:49:30,280 --> 00:49:32,320 why would you think that's hokey? 827 00:49:32,320 --> 00:49:34,570 What's wrong with trying to spread peace? 828 00:49:34,570 --> 00:49:38,110 And I actually developed a little mini-spiritual practice 829 00:49:38,110 --> 00:49:41,720 where whenever I saw them, I would stop whatever I was doing 830 00:49:41,720 --> 00:49:44,090 and I would try to look each of them in the eye 831 00:49:44,090 --> 00:49:46,890 and I would try to also emanate peace. 832 00:49:46,890 --> 00:49:50,626 And it must've worked because the last time I ran into them, 833 00:49:50,626 --> 00:49:54,570 one of the angels came up to me and said, 834 00:49:54,570 --> 00:49:57,090 you would make a beautiful peace angel. 835 00:49:57,090 --> 00:50:01,660 So in the next Parliament, if I make it there, 836 00:50:01,660 --> 00:50:06,930 I may be a peace angel. 837 00:50:06,930 --> 00:50:10,680 I've made many friends when I was at the Parliament. 838 00:50:10,680 --> 00:50:14,010 This is one of my friends, Mangalam Vasan, 839 00:50:14,010 --> 00:50:18,030 and I just recently wrote a blog post, for Call and Response, 840 00:50:18,030 --> 00:50:21,140 about my relationship with Mangalam. 841 00:50:21,140 --> 00:50:23,280 But she was such an interesting individual. 842 00:50:23,280 --> 00:50:27,220 Eric mentioned it wasn't a gathering of organizations, 843 00:50:27,220 --> 00:50:29,090 but a gathering of individuals. 844 00:50:29,090 --> 00:50:33,680 Which was not really what I expected, but turned out 845 00:50:33,680 --> 00:50:37,760 to be a really unique aspect of the parliament. 846 00:50:37,760 --> 00:50:40,340 I came and, you know, I worked for the UUA 847 00:50:40,340 --> 00:50:42,980 and I consider myself a religious professional. 848 00:50:42,980 --> 00:50:47,840 Mangalam is a Sunday school teacher, basically, in a Hindu 849 00:50:47,840 --> 00:50:50,380 temple in Melbourne, Australia. 850 00:50:50,380 --> 00:50:53,010 Who was fortunate enough to attend the last Parliament, 851 00:50:53,010 --> 00:50:55,660 which was held in Melbourne, Australia, 852 00:50:55,660 --> 00:50:57,180 because she volunteered. 853 00:50:57,180 --> 00:50:59,680 And this year, she proposed a paper, 854 00:50:59,680 --> 00:51:03,140 and she was asked to present her paper at the Parliament. 855 00:51:03,140 --> 00:51:05,780 So she came all the way from Australia to do that, 856 00:51:05,780 --> 00:51:09,760 and I thought that was so-- I mean, it so impressed me, 857 00:51:09,760 --> 00:51:13,530 her dedication to her faith and the sharing of her faith, 858 00:51:13,530 --> 00:51:15,680 and how much she really enjoyed being part 859 00:51:15,680 --> 00:51:18,890 of this interfaith community. 860 00:51:18,890 --> 00:51:20,860 I also met a lot of people at the booth 861 00:51:20,860 --> 00:51:22,590 that the UUA had set up, and Eric 862 00:51:22,590 --> 00:51:25,820 had a really unique project that he coordinated at the booth. 863 00:51:25,820 --> 00:51:29,091 You want to tell us a little bit about that project? 864 00:51:29,091 --> 00:51:30,090 Eric Cherry: Well, sure. 865 00:51:30,090 --> 00:51:33,010 So this was just kind of a simple way 866 00:51:33,010 --> 00:51:36,410 to engage with people when they came into the booth. 867 00:51:36,410 --> 00:51:40,300 We invited them to participate in our video project, 868 00:51:40,300 --> 00:51:43,220 asked them if they'd be interested in being recorded 869 00:51:43,220 --> 00:51:46,140 publicly answering three simple questions 870 00:51:46,140 --> 00:51:49,740 that we feel are not only related to the Parliament, 871 00:51:49,740 --> 00:51:52,510 but to interreligious work in general. 872 00:51:52,510 --> 00:51:55,520 And that's first of all introduce yourself 873 00:51:55,520 --> 00:51:58,260 for people to know who you are, secondly 874 00:51:58,260 --> 00:52:03,160 to know what your religious tradition is, and then thirdly 875 00:52:03,160 --> 00:52:06,240 to share something about a religious tradition 876 00:52:06,240 --> 00:52:09,110 beyond your own which shapes who you 877 00:52:09,110 --> 00:52:14,300 are-- sort of foundations of the importance 878 00:52:14,300 --> 00:52:16,140 of interreligious work. 879 00:52:16,140 --> 00:52:20,050 And people were just so glad to participate and share 880 00:52:20,050 --> 00:52:23,950 some really inspiring messages by participating 881 00:52:23,950 --> 00:52:25,140 in the project. 882 00:52:25,140 --> 00:52:31,930 Many of them are curated on the international blog at uua.org, 883 00:52:31,930 --> 00:52:36,450 and, Jessica, I think you've selected one or two of them. 884 00:52:36,450 --> 00:52:39,890 Jessica York: We did select one for people to see today. 885 00:52:39,890 --> 00:52:51,840 Pat's going to load that for us. 886 00:52:51,840 --> 00:53:04,090 Well, that's-- that's actually not it. 887 00:53:04,090 --> 00:53:19,890 Do you have a different one, Pat? 888 00:53:19,890 --> 00:53:22,910 Pat Kahn: I don't think I still have the link. 889 00:53:22,910 --> 00:55:19,800 I took it-- I took it out of my slide. 890 00:55:19,800 --> 00:55:22,760 Jessica York: So many people were filmed at the booth. 891 00:55:22,760 --> 00:55:25,340 Some of them were Unitarian Universalist, and many of them, 892 00:55:25,340 --> 00:55:26,740 though, were not. 893 00:55:26,740 --> 00:55:29,990 And this young woman certainly is 894 00:55:29,990 --> 00:55:31,910 sort of representative of some of the people 895 00:55:31,910 --> 00:55:35,430 that we saw at the Parliament. 896 00:55:35,430 --> 00:55:40,390 I believe this was the first Parliament where 50% or more 897 00:55:40,390 --> 00:55:44,800 of attendees were women, and 50% or more of attendees 898 00:55:44,800 --> 00:55:47,410 were youth and young adults. 899 00:55:47,410 --> 00:55:50,140 So I thought that was actually pretty cool. 900 00:55:50,140 --> 00:55:52,890 Certainly a lot of the future of our faith communities 901 00:55:52,890 --> 00:55:55,530 were represented there. 902 00:55:55,530 --> 00:56:00,050 What else would you like to say about the Parliament, Eric? 903 00:56:00,050 --> 00:56:02,340 Eric Cherry: Well, just that we hope 904 00:56:02,340 --> 00:56:06,640 to have an opportunity at the UUA General Assembly 905 00:56:06,640 --> 00:56:09,740 in Columbus, Ohio, in 2016. 906 00:56:09,740 --> 00:56:13,280 For people who either attended the Parliament 907 00:56:13,280 --> 00:56:15,220 or who are interested in the Parliament 908 00:56:15,220 --> 00:56:19,070 as a movement to be together, and to talk 909 00:56:19,070 --> 00:56:22,410 about next steps of engagement with the Parliament of World 910 00:56:22,410 --> 00:56:23,550 Religions. 911 00:56:23,550 --> 00:56:25,660 We hear from the leaders of the Parliament 912 00:56:25,660 --> 00:56:29,530 that they're now expecting to host one of these events 913 00:56:29,530 --> 00:56:32,890 every two years in different parts of the world. 914 00:56:32,890 --> 00:56:37,009 So that's exciting and we'll see how that pans out. 915 00:56:37,009 --> 00:56:38,550 Jessica York: Yeah, that is exciting. 916 00:56:38,550 --> 00:56:42,030 So folks will have to stay tuned for when and where exactly 917 00:56:42,030 --> 00:56:42,760 that will be. 918 00:56:42,760 --> 00:56:46,320 But in the meantime, you can go to the Parliament's website. 919 00:56:46,320 --> 00:56:48,800 I know that link has been posted in the chat box, 920 00:56:48,800 --> 00:56:50,840 and you can actually join the Parliament. 921 00:56:50,840 --> 00:56:54,800 I joined after the Parliament itself, 922 00:56:54,800 --> 00:56:58,910 so that's one way that you can also stay connected, 923 00:56:58,910 --> 00:57:03,160 and maybe in a couple years be able to enjoy 924 00:57:03,160 --> 00:57:06,930 a similar experience. 925 00:57:06,930 --> 00:57:09,910 I'm not seeing any questions in the chat box, 926 00:57:09,910 --> 00:57:12,340 but I want to leave a little space here in case 927 00:57:12,340 --> 00:57:31,450 there are some questions that people would like to ask Eric. 928 00:57:31,450 --> 00:57:35,160 Eric, of course, like other members of UUA staff, 929 00:57:35,160 --> 00:57:40,471 is available should you have questions later. 930 00:57:40,471 --> 00:57:42,720 I think you probably-- if you do have other questions, 931 00:57:42,720 --> 00:57:47,510 can find many of them answered by going to the website 932 00:57:47,510 --> 00:57:50,450 and looking at the offerings of the International Office. 933 00:57:50,450 --> 00:57:52,880 And I really want to thank you, Eric, so 934 00:57:52,880 --> 00:57:54,780 much for joining us for this. 935 00:57:54,780 --> 00:57:57,110 Eric had actually been out of the country 936 00:57:57,110 --> 00:58:02,110 I believe until last week or last Wednesday maybe or so? 937 00:58:02,110 --> 00:58:05,050 Have been gone for a couple weeks, too-- India-- 938 00:58:05,050 --> 00:58:07,680 and so I really appreciate his being 939 00:58:07,680 --> 00:58:11,030 able to jump onto this webinar so quickly 940 00:58:11,030 --> 00:58:13,360 and making himself available to us, 941 00:58:13,360 --> 00:58:16,340 and really connecting to deeply religious educators 942 00:58:16,340 --> 00:58:17,822 in this way. 943 00:58:17,822 --> 00:58:19,030 Eric Cherry: It's a pleasure. 944 00:58:19,030 --> 00:58:24,470 Thank you so much, Jessica. 945 00:58:24,470 --> 00:58:26,720 Jessica York: And we have some closing words that Eric 946 00:58:26,720 --> 00:58:30,340 is going to share with us. 947 00:58:30,340 --> 00:58:32,410 Eric Cherry: So these are by Alice Walker, 948 00:58:32,410 --> 00:58:37,820 an adapted version of her writings from the supplement-- 949 00:58:37,820 --> 00:58:42,910 the writing's supplement to our hymnal, "Lifting Our Voices," 950 00:58:42,910 --> 00:58:44,910 number 201. 951 00:58:44,910 --> 00:58:50,880 She writes, "Love, if it is love, never goes away. 952 00:58:50,880 --> 00:58:56,280 It is embedded in us like seams of gold on the Earth, 953 00:58:56,280 --> 00:58:58,610 waiting for light. 954 00:58:58,610 --> 00:59:03,317 Waiting to be struck." 955 00:59:03,317 --> 00:59:07,674 Jessica York: Thank you, Eric. 956 00:59:07,674 --> 00:59:08,340 Pat Kahn: Great. 957 00:59:08,340 --> 00:59:16,840 And thank you, Eric, and thank you, Jessica, for [INAUDIBLE]. 958 00:59:16,840 --> 00:59:20,930 And as we said before, the recording, slides, 959 00:59:20,930 --> 00:59:22,845 and the links, et cetera, will all 960 00:59:22,845 --> 00:59:26,523 be posted on the Faith Development Office webinar 961 00:59:26,523 --> 00:59:27,450 page. 962 00:59:27,450 --> 00:59:31,030 And coming up, you can start registering for these right 963 00:59:31,030 --> 00:59:31,700 now. 964 00:59:31,700 --> 00:59:35,760 It will be OWL Facilitators and Faith Development in January, 965 00:59:35,760 --> 00:59:39,970 and Naming Race-- Elizabeth Nguyen 966 00:59:39,970 --> 00:59:43,840 and several other religious educators 967 00:59:43,840 --> 00:59:48,300 are going to share-- starting the conversation on race. 968 00:59:48,300 --> 00:59:50,364 We've got lots of other great things coming up 969 00:59:50,364 --> 00:59:51,280 throughout the spring. 970 00:59:51,280 --> 00:59:58,160 So thanks so much for joining us, and we'll see you hopefully 971 00:59:58,160 --> 00:59:59,390 in January. 972 00:59:59,390 --> 01:00:02,090 Happy holidays to everyone.