Future UU Rock Stars?

Saturday at General Assembly 2006 was all about the future.

In the afternoon UUSC President Charlie Clements hosted a gathering of UU seminarians. Originally scheduled to last an hour, the conversation turned out to be so exciting and full of ideas that it just kept rolling. Could UUSC provide JustWorks Camps with both theological and social justice content, the seminarians asked? What would it look like for UUSC to provide intersession opportunities at the many seminaries attended by aspiring UU ministers around the country? How can the Service Committee help these students deepen their commitment to social justice, while at the same time further their education? Many great ideas were shared that will be explored by UUSC over the coming months.

Later I attended the "Soulful Sundown" service hosted by the UU Young Adult Caucus. "Soulful Sundown" is a highly non-traditional form of worship service involving live rock-and-roll music and post-modern sermon form. It began with four songs from the St. Louis rock band The Jupiter Complex and then segued into the sermon I have been waiting to hear for too long.

Drew Tripp of the UU Young Adult Caucus took the assembled body of 150 on an extemporaneous journey that blended the history of rock-and-roll with the history of Unitarian Universalism. Two highlights of particular interest to UUSC was his explanation of the history of the Flaming Chalice - a symbol that was created by the Service Committee, and his stress of the importance of the story of Rev. Waitstill and Martha Sharp - two Unitarians he referred to as "rock stars," meaning, to him, individuals who rose high above the expectations of their time to radically change the lives of many for the better.

His inspiring, radical, and revolutionary sermon ended with a call to all assembled to themselves rise to the occasion and become UU rock stars. I left with an excited sense that this UU movement does indeed have many powerful rock stars preparing for a long life of dedicated service to our principles and ideals. As I finally laid down to sleep after another long GA experience, visions of how UUSC can help enable these future stars danced in my head.

I believe the collaboration will begin in earnest when Charlie Clements delivers the keynote at their ConCentric gathering this August in Maryland. Hope to see you there!