General Assembly Updates

Here is the schedule for CUUPS activities at General Assembly. There WILL be updates and changes to this schedule when we all actually arrive in Ft. Lauderdale, because until we are on-site we can’t see all the eventualities. But here are the basics.

CUUPS Summer Solstice Ritual: 12 noon, Ft. Lauderdale Beach Park. Facilitated by MoonPath CUUPS of Ft. Lauderdale. Please check their web site for ongoing updates and information.

CUUPS Annual Membership Meeting: 3 PM, Ft. Lauderdale Beach Park. We will break for lunch after the Summer Solstice Ritual, so that we can all go to the various boutique eateries on the beach to get some lunch. We will bring it back to the same site where we have finished our ritual, and convene our Annual Meeting at three PM. Anyone is welcome to attend, speak and comment at the Annual Meeting, but only current members of CUUPS may vote on business matters. Among the agenda items for this meeting will be the selection of a Polling Committee for the CUUPS Annual Election, as well as taking nominations from the floor for National CUUPS Board of Trustees positions. We will also be discussing a possible CUUPS Convocation to be held in conjunction with next year's General Assembly in Salt Lake City, Utah, and discussing CUUPS changes in membership, chapter membership, and bylaws, the CUUPS Bulletin, and some possible fund-raising ideas for our chapters and National Organization. Some positions which may be filled by members as Board Agents are also under consideration.

CUUPS Exhibit Booth: Attendees at General Assembly may visit, and perhaps assist in the activities at, the CUUPS Booth in the Exhibit Hall. We are, this year, modeling interdependency and inter-agency cooperation, by sharing our booth with the UUJA. At our booth, we are not going to be selling any merchandise, but we will be glad to direct you to our brand-new Cafe Press shop (which is scheduled to go into operation on June 15th.) At the Booth, we will have an Altar set up, with pamphlets and brochures about basic Pagan beliefs, the history of UU Paganism, and other topics. We will be having several discussion circles, scheduled every 2 hours, where basic "Taste Of Paganism" topics will be explored. The tentative schedule for these discussions includes the following topics.

Who is the Goddess? Who is the God?
Do Pagans Get Saved? From what?
What's a Ritual and why do we do them?
What's a Sabbat?
Pagan tools and symbols explained
What do Pagans think happens after we die?
Are Pagans Witches? What does that mean?
Can a UU Humanist be a Pagan? How do you DO that?
What is the Pagan view of Jesus?

And there are more topics under consideration. You can keep updated through the CUUPsters list, as well as watching the GA Forums for updates. As often as possible, we will also be updating this page through the course of GA, so keep watching.

Mini-Circles: There will be a mini-ritual held at the CUUPS Booth on the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of GA, at three PM. This ritual will be a healing rite as well as an intention circle. Anyone who is in the Exhibit Hall at three PM will be welcome to attend.

Coffee CUUPS: There will be several coffee meetings for anyone who is interested in schmoozing with some of your National Officers and meeting Pagani from other areas. We currently have 2 of these scheduled, one on Friday evening and one on Sunday. Specific time and place will be posted on the booth and will be announced on the lists as well as being posted on the MoonPath CUUPS web site. The Coffee CUUPS meetings will NOT be held in GA areas, but offsite, to maximize possible numbers of attendees.

See you at GA! CUUPS Board of Trustees

Op-Ed

Speaker 1: "A long time ago in a faraway land, a people lived in relative harmony. They were known as UU's. They enjoyed the lush green forests and the cold snowy mountains. During the Summer, they would hunt and fish for their food. During the Winter, they would gather indoors around a big fire and tell stories. Winters were very cold and very long though, and some of the people soon got tired of this and decided to go exploring somewhere else."

Village: "Brrrr! I'm tired of frozen food! I'd like a pizza or a burrito once in awhile! Brrrr! I think this cold is part of some political agenda! Brrrr! Perhaps the cold isn't real, perhaps it is simply a state of consciousness! Brrrrr! Don't you mean unconsciousness?! Let's find someplace warmer!"

Speaker 2: "And so it was that the UU's quest eventually led them to the Valley of the Sun. Here there was no green wilderness or snow-capped mountains, only short shrubs and rocky hills. There was no harsh Winter, only endless Summer. The UU's rejoiced in the constant presence of the Sun, each interpreting its power in his or her own way. Some UU’s wove flowers into their hair and went skipping through the streets, singing:

Village sings: "You are our Sunshine, our only Sunshine! You make us happy when skies are gray! You'll never know dear how much we love you - please don't take our Sunshine away!"

Speaker 1: "Still other UU's built temples, burned incense and chanted to the Sun!"

Village chants: "There is only one God, and He is the Sun God! Ra Ra! Ra Ra Ra!"

Speaker 2: "There were other perspectives as well. But whatever they each felt about the Sun, they were UU’s and all truth was valid."

Speaker 1: "But all too soon, the honeymoon came to an end. The people realized that as their Sun grew hotter and brighter every day, they could not walk far without becoming thirsty and tired. Their cold mountains started looking mighty good, but they had no strength for the journey back home. Finally, the people consulted their Wise Man and asked how best to approach the Sun and ask for a little mercy. The Wise Man said -"

Wise Man (fiddling nervous with his shawl): "Hmmm…I'm not sure I'd go making waves and upsetting the Sun. He seems like a hothead to me!"

Speaker 2: "So the people consulted their Wise Woman. She pondered awhile, then said -"

Wise Woman claps her hands and says: "Ah! You see, I think the Sun is brilliant, but misunderstood! I don't find him Malevolent, merely 'intense'!"

Speaker 1: "And so the Village decided that perhaps they had not properly thanked the Sun for his warmth and light. They threw a huge party, feasted and danced and sang to the Sun. But the next day, He was hotter and brighter than ever. Finally, the people sent a Scholar to go consult with the Sun and see if they could hammer out a truce."

Scholar: "Dear Sun, I've brought you tokens of affection. These Sun cakes are now hard as brickbats because they have baked all day under You, as have I. This garland of flowers is still lovely, but pretty darned wilted - I know just how they feel. We love you dearly, but a little less of you would be so good..!"

Sun: "You are not only smart, but outspoken, Kiddo! A UU if I've ever seen one! This IS the Valley of the Sun though, and it is My home. Hmmmmm... I see your point though. Tell you what I could do. My sister the Moon is always nagging me to come visit Her - you know how relatives are?"

Village Ladies are also the Moon. They sing, "Moon river, wider than a mile. You're crossing me in style one day..." and wave to the Sun.

Sun continues: "Well, say I go hang with my Sis for six months out of every year, soak up some quality time and give you humans a break. I can play with my nieces and nephews, the Stars. There must be a million of those little rascals by now. That sounds like a plan!"

Scholar: "Yes, Lord Sun, that sounds like that would do us all a world of good - and maybe Your Radiance as well."

Sun says: "Well, then, let's do this. Have your people gather up all their moonlit hopes and dreams and I'll take them as a present to the Moon. She just loves unwrapping those things, has since we were kids. Then on the longest day of the year, when I am at my strongest, go to my brother Fire. Have him build a safe fire, so that I may climb the steps of the sparks and sail off to visit the Moon, taking your gifts along. I shall remain in the sky, however, so that you will know I am still thinking of you. Enjoy your cooler time, and when I return, we shall celebrate together!"

Village Ladies are also the Moon. They holler, "Yoohoo! Sunny! Over here!" wave and blow kisses.

Speaker 1: "And so it was done. A special basket was woven, of the first of the ripening corn, and in it was placed all the hopes and dreams of the people. And on the longest day, it was passed to the Wise Ones, on to the Scholar, who gave it to the Fire. And the Sun sailed away in a great pillar of smoke, up, up into the heavens. The people were thrilled! They harvested their crops and planted gardens and walked to visit friends while the days were cooler and the days were shorter. And when the Sun returned, they were waiting to greet Him."