Being a UU General Assembly Delegate
I’ve gone to eight General Assembly events in my thirty years at Beacon, all of them as a delegate. There’s a lot to do at GA, but as a delegate, this is how I spend most of my time there:
Studying proposed by-law changes. Delegates vote on whether and which to accept.
Some years, Congregation Study Action Issues (CSAIs) are proposed. Delegates study them and vote on which one to accept.
There are discussions of CSAIs that have already been approved at previous GAs. These will feed into a resolution for a vote at a future GA. Delegates are part of that process.
There are other resolutions to be studied and considered, public statements to the world of what we as UUs hold dear. Delegates consider these and vote on them.
There are Actions of Immediate Witness (AIWs). These resolutions concern urgent current issues. Delegates write them, study them, and vote on them.
There are numerous workshops where all these things are discussed. Delegates attend these to be informed.
I can almost hear someone say, “I thought GA was supposed to be fun! This looks like work!”
True. But there are other things going on too. You have the opportunity to meet and connect with UUs who you already know and to find new UU friends. There is always a social witness event that takes the assembly out into the local community. There is daily worship. There are events like the Ware Lecture, the Service of the Living Tradition, and Synergy Bridging Worship. If attending in person, there is the opportunity to visit attractions in the host city.
GA is a great experience on many levels. You need only decide to go.
Registration for the 2022 General Assembly is now open for onsite attendance in Portland, OR. It will open for virtual attendance on March 1. If you are interested, go to WWW.UUA.ORG/GA to find out more.
Lorraine Franz
UULORRAINE@GMAIL.COM