General Assembly kicks off with music, worship, and celebration

General Assembly kicks off with music, worship, and celebration

The Unitarian Universalist Association’s fifty-seventh General Assembly begins in Kansas City, Missouri, June 20, 2018.

Kenneth Sutton
Kiya Heartwood and the Rev. Kimberley Debus perform their new song, "Are All Called"—the theme of GA 2018—during the Opening Celebration's worship service.

Kiya Heartwood and the Rev. Kimberley Debus perform their new song, “Are All Called”—the theme of GA 2018—during the Opening Celebration’s worship service. (© Christopher L. Walton/UUA)

© 2018 Christopher L. Walton/UUA

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Acknowledging the hurts and distresses of the current moment, the opening sessions of the 2018 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association nonetheless called participants to celebrate the healing and strengthening virtues of music, worship, and joy. The fifty-seventh annual sessions began on June 20 in Kansas City, Missouri, and will conclude on Sunday, June 24.

Co-moderators Elandria Williams and Mr. Barb Greve and UUA president Susan Frederick-Gray welcomed attendees before the traditional banner parade. The co-moderators then convened the delegates, reviewed the agenda and procedures, and poured libations for ancestors and predecessors in the faith, including former moderator Denise “Denny” Taft Davidoff.

The evening concluded in worship with “Welcoming Celebration: All Are Called to the Great Un/Ravelling,” with worship leaders the Rev. Patrice Curtis, Dr. Leon Burke, the Rev. Rebekah Savage, and the Rev. Alex Holt and musicians the Rev. Kimberley Debus, Kiya Heartwood, the General Assembly Band led by Markus Grae-Hauck, and friends.

Major events are being live streamed on the UUA website, where you can also find links to archived videos. UU World’s news coverage of GA is appearing first on Twitter.

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