GA 2010: My Favorite Moments

If GA was anything, it was all-encompassing; like stepping into a different country with a different language for a few days. All in all, it was great and I was honored to be there, as a delegate.

I had many great moments at GA; here are a few of my favorite (not in order of importance):

• The last person recognized at the procedural mic just before plenary ended on Saturday morning--a minister who introduced a beautiful couple of women she had married the weekend before, and a chariot led by tall roosters carrying the couple around the room and off to Loring Park for the public witness scheduled in connection with the Pride Festival, and the procession of us following. A proud-to-be-a-UU moment, to be sure
• A hug from one of the brides.
• Peter Mayer and Ann Reed singing together and separately. Singing "Blue Boat Home" along with Peter and thousands of UU's. Ann Reed performed We Will, a song that she wrote in being commissioned by the Sesquicentenial Steering Committee of First Universalist Church of Minneapolis--beautiful, powerful. If you haven't heard it, go now and find it.
• Being present when my minister was honored for his service; being honored to be part of his congregation.
• Talking with a UU from Arizona during the mini-assembly debate on Arizona.
• Part 1: Finding one of my favorite people in the world in the exhibits on the first day and getting a great hug. Part 2: Finding him again at the Sunday morning worship service and getting an even bigger hug.
• Keith Ellison's impassioned speech--he's definitely a guy to watch for on the national stage.
• Sitting next to a mom from Michigan whose son was in the children's choir; she was proud, as she should have been--they did a great job.
• Sitting next to a guy from Ohio whose partner was in the adult choir; he was proud, as he should have been--they did a great job.  
• Al Franken showing up announced and talking about his idea of god, and saying, "You are my favorite kind of church."
• The banner parade at opening ceremony (the closest thing I'll ever have to an Olympic moment).
• Plenary I, II, III, IV, V, VI,VII--as a delegate, the mini-assemblies and plenary are where it all happens: learn, debate, vote. Raising your yellow card to vote is a humbling thing, especially when you look around and see hundreds of other yellow cards in the air.
• Gini Courter's Moderator's Report at the last plenary--the best sermon/talk/reflection of GA.
• A hug from the moderator. (UU's are a huggy bunch, aren't we?)

Just to be clear, I think GA was an amazing thing. I heard that 3800 UU's were there. I love that we are a passionate religion with strong social justice values, and that what we sing and what we pray, we mean.

Did I agree with everything that was said and done at GA? No. Did I vote on the winning side every time? No (but almost all the time).

Still, I left with the feeling about us all at GA and UU's in general, that I have about my family. We may not always agree but we love each other. I trust that the people in my family are strong in spirit, good-hearted people, so that even when we disagree on particular things, I know that on the whole, we are united.

So, thank you to the planning committee, the board, the volunteers, the attorney, parliamentarian, the delegates, the workshop presenters, the choirs, the musicians, and all of you.

Whoever came up with "standing on the side of love" is a genius. There is no place I'd rather be and no one with who I'd rather be with.