“Generative Eldering and Democracy’s Future“
THEME DESCRIPTION
Our fall conference this year featured eight sessions beginning Monday, October 21 and ending Wednesday, October 23. The conference was via telephone or personal computer on Zoom, but some attended an in-person “pod” in Kingston MA, Seabeck WA (beginning Sunday evening, Oct. 20), or in Waverly OH.
Our conference theme—Generative Eldering and Democracy’s Future—was addressed by Dr. Sharon Welch in conversation with other presenters. Dr. Welch is the author of After the Protests are Heard: Enacting Civic Engagement and Social Transformation. In covering our theme, Sharon shared her recent research and collaborative work to strengthen our democracy. Small groups formed to discuss the theme.
She focused on a few questions:
– What can we as elders do to support generative democracy throughout the world?
– What are the current risks to democracy? Sharon will address the rise of authoritarianism and the risks to democracy worldwide.
– What leads to an expansive, generative and multiracial democracy?
– What is being done now by Unitarian Universalists to create a generative democracy, and what are the particular roles that can be played by elders in this vital work?
Sharon recently met with conference convener Sonya Sukalski to explain some of her approach to “Generative Eldering: Democracy’s Future.” She indicated that her current research began after retirement as Provost of Meadville-Lombard Theological School. And diving into research concerning the drivers of attacks on democracy, it was the drivers of authoritarianism and white nationalism that led her to understand the social science of what it means to nurture other, more generative forms of belonging.
She discovered that the science is clear about what causes threats against democracy, and she came to understand what organizing and work we, as elders, can do to counter those threats, and how we can foster an ethos of “us with them,” not “us and them.” Her experiences caused her to start thinking about generative rather than competitive democracy.
Here is a link to for a short video of the conversation Sharon had with Sonya.
PLANNING TEAM WELCOME
The UURMaPA Board of Directors and the conference planning team were enthused about this fall conference, “Emergent Elderhood: Democracy’s Future.” We were pleased to offer this opportunity to explore our theme and reconnect with our friends and colleagues. If we have not met you, we would like to introduce ourselves. Follow the link for a 2 minute introduction with music by “Scott Joplin and the Doors.”
AGENDA
In addition to the presentation by Dr. Welch, representatives from the UUA and the UUMA considered our theme and this moment in our history, and we had several opportunities to go deeper in Connecting Rooms, as well as other virtual socializing.
Ned Wight and Anne Marsh collaborated to provide the opening worship, and Charles Stevens led our Monday Service of Remembrance that honored colleagues and partners no longer with us. See more about these services HERE. The closing worship was led by George Buchanan.
ODYSSEYS
One of the most popular parts of our conferences is Odysseys by ministers and partners. And at this conference, we featured two Odysseys, one with Diane Teichert and another with Larry Ladd. Odysseys have always been a popular feature of UU ministerial culture. The sharing of experiences and insights gleaned through experience is an excellent resource for younger ministers and a source of connection for colleagues.
LARRY LADD
This fall, we were very happy to welcome Larry Ladd, the first male spouse of a minister to offer an Odyssey. Larry is a lifelong UU who first became active in Unitarian Universalism in high school and in college as a youth leader and white ally. As an adult, he served as UUA Financial Advisor for three terms, board chair of the Meadville Lombard Theological School, and several other volunteer leadership roles. He holds a honorary doctorate from the Meadville Lombard Theological School. He now serves on the UUA bylaws renewal team and as denominational affairs chair in his congregation.
At our conference this fall, Larry supposes he might reminisce about his relationship with ministry since meeting ministers as a young person, then thinking he could be one, later marrying one and then another, and having two of his children marry ministers. He continues to support the ministry as it evolves, and has never lost his commitment to anti-racism and youth. He says he has much hope for the future.
Now Minister Emerita of Paint Branch UU Church in Maryland’s DC suburbs, Diane Teichert was an organizer—labor and community—working at neighborhood, community, city-wide and national levels, for 17 years before entering seminary. Ordained in 1996, she served two short term parish ministries and then part-time at the UUA, setting up the Internship Clearinghouse. After that, for ten years she was the settled minister of First Parish UU in Canton MA, followed by one year as interim Associate in Bedford MA. She finished her ministry at the Paint Branch church, which she calls her dream job. She suffered a hemorrhagic stroke in 2014 at age 61. She is a spouse, a mother and finds great joy in being a new “Nana”!
Diane considered declining the honor of offering her Odyssey only a few weeks short of Election Day, until she came up with an approach to writing it, which neither ignored nor centered the campaign. Time will tell if the approach works…