[UUPoly-L] an interesting encounter

[Valerie White <valerie@valeriewhite.org>]

Last Saturday, as some of you know, there was a regional UU 
conference, jointly organized by the NH-VT, NE, Ballou-Channing, 
Clara Barton, and Mass. Bay districts.  Desmond, I didn't see your 
name on the attendee list, and I didn't see you either . . .

I went to a workshop on worship (very interesting--worship is a 
spiritual discipline, worship is a service to the COMMUNITY at large, 
worship needs to be accessible--no acronyms, in-jokes, etc., worship 
is not a pep rally or a performance) led by the Rev. Tom Schade of, I 
think, First Church in Worcester (MA), where the conference was.

As I entered the room, wearing my name tag, he said hello to me and 
introduced himself, and said a few words about the upcoming 
presentation.  I reciprocated, and then said, "Do you write a 
blog?"  He said yes.  "There was an exchange about 
polyamory?"  "Yes.  It got rather heated, and eventually I dropped 
the subject."  "I thought you might want to know that I talked to 
Gini Courter and she convinced me that the decision about affiliates 
had nothing to do with Unitarian Universalists for Polyamory 
Awareness."  He made a sort of accepting noise.  I told him I was 
founding president of UUPA.  He was perfectly cordial to me both then 
and later, during the workshop and afterwards.

On another subject, the long awaited polyamory and religion article 
finally appeared in the Seattle Times, quoting Storm and me and 
picturing Storm and his tribe.  As a bonus, I got an email from an 
old playmate (in the children's sense) whom I hadn't had any contact 
with since the mid sixties!  It's very nice to be back in touch.


Valerie