Hello everyone! I attended the UK Unitarian and Free Christian General Assembly 2022 as our voting delegate. For those unfamiliar with it, here’s a quick description of the ‘GA’, as we often call it: UK Unitarian and Free Christian General Assembly.

Here’s a summary of voting on the motions before the GA, which have now all been passed and are thus now resolutions. We’ll discuss further action on these over the next few months:

Motion	How we voted (based on the majority of feedback received from Newcastle upon Tyne Unitarians)	Result of voting at the GA
Motion 1 – Supporting the NHS	FOR	PASSED
Motion 2 – Transgender rights	FOR	PASSED
Motion 3 – National Unitarian branding	AGAINST	PASSED
Motion 4 – Civil involvement in international decision-making (‘We The Peoples’)	FOR	PASSED

Whilst at the GA, I wrote up a series of ‘Roving Reporter’ reports on the plenary sessions, workshops, socials and worship I attended. I’m posting them here as a report on what happened at the GA 2022, or at least what happened at the parts I attended. If you’ve got questions, email me at: info@newcastleunitarians.org.uk

Opening Worship

An excellent act of worship, led by new Unitarians. Did anyone else feel inspired by how, as a movement, we dealt with the absence of lyrics on the screen by all deciding simultaneously to sing from memory, sing ‘la la la’, or hum? We created a sacred space together! I was just glad to be here.

Plenary 1 – Welcome and Motion 1 – NHS

Boy, it’s nice to be back in person! The online GAs were excellent, but there’s nothing like gathering in person – with appropriate respect for people’s safety, regular testing and social distancing. Plenary 1 included the adoption of the standing orders, introducing the GA staff and Executive Committee, and the Chief Officer’s and Nightingale Centre reports. We got on with a debate over motion 1 around ensuring the NHS remains free at the point of use. Points were raised for and against; Unitarians haven’t lost our debating chops whilst we’ve been sitting behind Zoom screens rather than in a hotel in Birmingham. It was interesting to hear perspectives on the proper role of private companies in healthcare in the UK, and whether the NHS is actually the UK’s religion. The motion was passed, and we repaired for coffee and catching up.

Workshop – Welcome as Spiritual Practice

Rev. Jo James and Rev. Jenny Jacobs led us through a mixture of practical tips and spiritual advice. Among the gems we learned were:

• Avoid the dead website – don’t let out of date information sit around online!
• Engage the senses.
• Different people need different things, and you don’t always know what they are just by looking at them.
• The person on the door may be the most important person in the entire building…
• Don’t forget to welcome the existing congregation!
• Joseph Priestley really liked Marsala wine and cake, and so do tired GA attendees in need of something to perk up their spirits. Thanks Jo!

Keynote Speech – Indra Adnan and “The Politics of Waking Up”

Excellently introduced by Rev. Winnie Gordon, Indra Adnan gave her keynote speech on ‘The Politics of Waking Up’. There was a great deal to unpack and understand, including the idea that we may be living through a revolution without realising it, that we exist in the three realms of I, We, and World, and the importance of one of the provisions of the Rule of Benedict – that when chance is proposed, the newest members of the congregation must speak first! Whilst a fascinating topic, I think that it might have been better suited to the time slot by being made a little simpler, as by this point people were starting to flag. I look forward to seeing these ideas developed and explored in the workshop on Wednesday.

Morning Worship – As We Awaken

This was an excellent, inspiring and enlightening act of worship, a review which is entirely balanced and unbiased, and in no way influenced by the fact that it was led by the author of this article, honest. (I’m just happy that I managed to turn up on time, conscious, and able to lead the service despite the fact that my complimentary refreshments tray in my room contained only decaff coffee.) Huge thanks to Richard Merritt for his excellent musical accompaniment. And a small achievement in that I managed in half an hour to quote Victoria Wood, Karl Marx, the Book of Psalms, Rev. Herbert Barnes, and Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance.

Plenary 2 – Motion 2: Trans Rights

After an excellent introductory act of worship led by the Send A Child to Hucklow fund, Liz Slade and Rob Whiteman introduced the GA Annual Report, which whilst genuinely very informative, caused some of us to wish that the numbers on the barcharts were big enough to read from the back of the room. We received questions about figures in the report, and the removal of some of the categories of attendance at the GA.

Onward and to vote on Motion 2 – Trans Rights. A heartfelt discussion, with many speakers for and against drawing on their own knowledge and experience. One speaker felt they needed more information, to which someone shouted “Google!” I rather sympathise with the speaker, but bluntly, I’m not sure it’s ever possible to reach the point of having enough information, ever, to reach The Decisive Verdict on a situation as complex and nuanced, and eventually we must make a decision and get on with it. Thanks to the Chair and committee for deciding that we should go into the coffee break rather than cut short the debate. If we prioritise coffee and punctuality over people’s rights and dignity, we might as well all go home. The motion was passed, and now we must move forwards and work together to promote dignity, safety and inclusion for everyone.

Plenary 3 – Motion 3: Branding

After Lizzie Kingston-Harris opened our worship, David Burton opened the debate on Motion 3 with a well-reasoned argument in favour of the motion of being not about whether or not people like the new chalice logo, but about debate, democracy and consultation within our movement. (One can’t help feeling that this argument needed to be heard a bit sooner.) As ever, as a movement we confront that old question; are we here for our existing members, or for new ones? I’d feared this would be a horribly divisive debate. As it was, I actually think we managed to have a good discussion in which people were mostly respectful, if only we could manage this online more often. (Full disclosure: I spoke against the motion in a personal capacity.) The motion was passed, with I think the narrowest majority yet. It will be interesting to see how we move forwards. After hearing from more of the GA staff on weddings initiatives and youth programmes, it’s time for coffee, workshops, and a sneaky swim.

Worship Hour – Celia Cartwright and ‘Belonging’

Rev. Celia Cartwright led a beautiful worship hour, which should perhaps have been more clearly communicated as being worship and contemplation, rather than a workshop. It was a space for reflection in which people shared their experiences of what made them feel they belonged in a Unitarian community, and also a much-needed period of calm, spirituality and breathing space in the middle of a very busy day.

Workshop – Lizzie Kingston Harrison and ‘Connections for Spiritual Practice’

Lizzie Kingston-Harrison, our Congregational Connections Lead (taking over the role from its previous incumbent, Rev. Bob Janis-Dillon), gave a very thorough update on her work so far, covering how the pandemic has both prompted us to develop new ways of connecting and emphasised the importance of human direct contact, then moving on to look at the new Worship Words online resource. Based on the UUA Worship Web online resource, this will be a repository for UK Unitarian worship material including prayers, meditations and readings. I’ve been involved with this project myself, and it was exciting both to see what it might look like, and to see the enthusiasm in the room for having such a resource and developing it into something that meets people’s needs.

Exhibitions, the Bookshop and Refreshments

Lovely to be back at the stalls, a real reminder of why we love the GA – because we get to see the full range of what our Unitarian movement covers. All the societies were here, from the excellent knitted goods of the Women’s League, to the ties of the FOY Society, and many more I haven’t got room to list here. Having picked up a knitted peace poppy and enjoyed a small biscuit and a coffee, I headed to the bookshop to pick up the Lindsey Press’s latest works, where fortunately divine intervention was not required to pay using the card reader (although a few improvised prayers along the lines of ‘dear God, please can this wretched thing start working?’ may have been uttered).

Workshop – The Inquirer Reception  

Wisely located in the Pavilion Room near the swimming pool, both to mop up any Unitarians who sloped off for a sneaky afternoon swim instead of attending a workshop (guilty) and now feel the need to hurl themselves back in the fray, and to accommodate the large number of Unitarians who feel that the last workshop of the day should be accompanied by a hefty glass of wine. (One can’t help feeling that it’s a trifle unfair on the other workshops to put them up against this, and that all the workshops in this time slot should be of a more social and light-hearted nature – or that they should all be equipped with some extra refreshments to level the playing field.) A fun quiz on the history of the Inquirer was matched by an update on the future of the Inquirer. Please do consider becoming a Friend and securing its financial future!

Anniversary Service

One of the highlights of our GA, always. A chance to recognise the contribution of our deceased and retired members, to welcome our new ministers, and to worship together. It was wonderful to see this, to sing together, and to hear Rev. Wyn Thomas’ excellent sermon on why Unitarians are stones, not builders. Also an occasion which Unitarians generously donated to the Red Cross Ukraine appeal, raising over £4000. It’s wonderful to be part of this movement. This also seems an appropriate moment to say a heartfelt thank you to all the musicians and technical support staff whose beautiful accompaniments and hard work to ensure that the sound can be heard and the presentations and videos all appear on the screen (and much more) are not always noticed, but absolutely vital.

Fringe Festival and Social Time

The Fringe Festival is a highly-welcome addition to our GA schedule, giving those who prefer an alternative to chatting away in the bar the chance to gather and play boardgames, knit, do jigsaws, and hang out with each other. Ably organised by Gavin Howell, a truly impressive number of games were produced from boxes! Having admired the Fringe, I headed to the bar for a quiet half. Which turned into another half, and perhaps another, because it was so good to catch up with everyone I haven’t seen in a year.

Morning Worship – Communion Service

A personal highlight of the GA for me, as Unitarian Communion is a rare celebration, and the GA is pretty much the only chance I have to attend it. Arek Malecki did not let a minor technical glitch with the doors prevent him delivering a beautiful service. Very simple in its combination of Taize chants, a reflection on the nature of life, death, and consumption in the physical world, where everything lives by eating something else, and is, in its turn, eaten, and the shared consumption of bread and fruit juice, it was deeply meaningful and one of those shared spiritual moments that are what, looking back, we remember about the GA.

Plenary 4 – Motion 4: We The Peoples

Following Chris Carr’s excellent opening reflections on the importance of remembering all the small acts of administration and caretaking that keep our congregations going, and GA President Anne Mills doing an impressive Victoria Wood impression, we voted to adopt the Stipend Report, then debated Motion 4. The proposers put forward a good case for the importance of citizens’ involvement in international decision making at a time of war and conflict, and the motion was passed, with Anne Mills reminding all of us on the need to follow up on the motions once they are passed and become resolutions. Finally, we heard from Gavin Howells and others about the Torbay Project, of which I hope to hear more over the next few years – there will be some very interesting learning coming out of this.

Final Workshop – ‘Revitalising Worship’ by Rev. Erika Hewitt

This very interesting workshop had Rev. Erika Hewitt leading a short service during the first half, then inviting us to consider what differentiates worship from a lecture or storytelling session, aiming to answer the question: “How can we make room for creative, emergent elements among those familiar practices?”. Rev. Hewitt is the Minister of Worship Arts for the Unitarian Universalist Association in the United States, and is the author of three books about worship. Thought-provoking and joyful!

Plenary 5 and Closing Worship

Plenary 5 consisted of the final business of the GA, culminating with the all-important handover to our new GA President, Rev. Sue Woolley. We expressed our thanks to Anne Mills for her service as GA President in hopefully the strangest times we’ll ever have to endure. Rev. Jo James lead our closing worship, and we departed in hope.

Onward!

Louise Reeve