Showing posts with label General Assembly 2011. Show all posts
Showing posts with label General Assembly 2011. Show all posts

Wednesday, 20 April 2011

Swansea Annual Meetings 4. - Welsh Reflections

We promised a distinctively Welsh flavour to the Annual Meetings of the General Assembly in Swansea and we did not disappoint.

We celebrated in song. The "Gymanfa Ganu", a singing festival and a regular feature of Welsh Unitarian churches, on Sunday afternoon saw what is probably the largest national gathering of Unitarians in Britain this century. I was worried we would look like a small group in the magnificent Brangwyn Hall, but we filled it. To sing well-known Unitarian hymns in English and Welsh was a memorable experience.

The social evening the previous evening was a joy. The award-winning youth choir from Credigion entertained us in the finest choral traditons of Wales. Our new Welsh Department Secretary, Carwyn Tywyn played folk on the three string harp. To hear the Welsh national anthem three times in one day was not overkill!

And what a pleasure to welcome the Bangor Unitarians to membership of the General Assembly. They are the first new group to join the General Assembly since 2003. They have made such progress in a short time and have potential to grow further.

Swansea in 2011 will remain in our thoughts with Welsh Unitarianism on the march.

Saturday, 16 April 2011

Swansea Annual Meetings 3 - Strategic Priorities

The Executive Committee presented its work on the strategic priorities developed over recent months in response to the Difficult Choices consultation with the denomination in 2010.

Our aim is to benefit our communities by:

•Encouraging and supporting leadership at local level
•Developing Ministry within the denomination
•Raising the visibility of the Unitarian movement
•Improving the services to the movement by staff and volunteers

Strategic Groups are to be be established to take forward the first three strategic priorities; local leadership, Ministry and Visibility. The EC held two question times to give an opportunity for comment and reported back to the plenary session of the Annual Meetings on the final day.

Thursday, 14 April 2011

Swansea Annual Meetings 2 - Top Ten Tips

Ten top tips for surviving the Annual Meetings I am speaking at the Newcomers Welcome. These are my top ten tips for enjoying the meeting - perhaps just surviving!
1. Read your Annual meetings Handbook and timetable and do not lose it
2. “Pick and mix” is the best approach to deciding what to go too – why not try something that you would not normally have the chance to experience. Just go for it and enjoy.
3. Don’t try to fill every moment of the day and night – why not go and sit in the quiet room
4. Get some sleep
5. Don’t stuff yourself with food every meal just because you or your congregation have paid for it
6. Get to know Andrew Mason from Essex Hall – he is the font of all wisdom on the annual meetings.
7. Don’t be afraid to go up to someone for a chat – just say “where are you from” as we are all from somewhere - and off you go. Friends for life! We are all friendly even the EC (That’s the Executive Committee who are responsible for the GA)
8. Buy GA Zette – it tells you about the things you did not manage to get to
9. If you want to buy some books that you cannot get anywhere else in Britain get in early as the bookshop normally sells out.
10. And finally make sure you check out on time
Enjoy.....