Santa Barbara Conference — 2016

The UURMaPA Spring 2016 conference was held on February 29 – March 2 at La Casa de Maria Retreat Conference Center near Santa Barbara, CA with 68 of us attending. The conference theme was “Life Transitions” with a keynote talk given by Arvid Straube. We enjoyed each other’s company at the beautiful grounds and surroundings of the retreat center, ate delicious meals, worshipped together, and were invited into the conference theme, “Life Transitions” in a keynote talk and workshops. We were entertained (in the best sense of that word as he explained) by Thomas Anastasi’s Odyssey.

The planning committee welcomed us with a vespers service and memorial to members who have died in the past year to open the retreat. Tom and Carolyn Owen-Towle offered the next morning’s worship and you can read Tom’s sermon, “Hopers Unite”

Our featured presenter, the Rev. Dr. Arvid Straube, spoke out of his experience as a long time UU parish minister (retired 2014), Buddhist practitioner, and Spiritual Director. You can read his Keynote Talk or watch him here:

Special guests Don Southworth (UUMA Executive Director) and Scott Tayler (UUA Director of Congregational Life) joined us for the conference. Don talked with us about current happenings at the UUMA of special interest to retired ministers and to partners. Scott engaged us in a conversation about a new initiative under development to employ the wisdom of sages who have retired from ministry to assist in special projects with congregations, about which more will unfold as the project is refined.