A question for the Unitarian Universalists: if you’re not going to GA, why? Lack of money, interest, time? Too far? Scheduling conflict? Also, have you gone before and have not returned?
Not that everyone needs to go to GA. Perhaps too many go now, for what’s accomplished there. And there might be better uses of the money (seriously). But I’d like to start by asking those who aren’t there, which is most Unitarian Universalists.
Money, simply money . . .
sigh
Although I often feel that I’m missing something important by not going to GA, my general feeling is that it’s just too much work. I did find some individuals that shared my concerns at the 2004 GA in Long Beach, but when I returned to this UU humanist stronghold, I again failed to connect with people who actually wanted to meet and communicate regularly.
John
Lack of money yes
time yes
Too far yes
Money. And time. Not time for me, but time off for The Husband, who would need to stay home with our 4 kiddos.
And money. Did I already say that?
Money is an issue, as well as distance to travel, and time. I tend to only go to GA every other year, and limit my trips for denominational meetings to 1 trip per year.
Frnakly, I feel that my best ministry is local. When I focus too much on contexts beyond my congregation, I find it drains the vitality from my service. In terms of denominational meetings, I need just enough to stay connected to the larger association, but not too much or I will disconect from my local community.
I think I would have felt like I needed to go and just spend the money and suck it up, but somehow a cross-country trip on a plane tipped the boat to no-go. So money, plus environmental damage. I would have liked to go, but those two things combined nixed it for me.
It’s too dangerous for a survivor-activist of UU clergy misconduct. I used to have fantasies of survivors going in burqas, but I’m too burned out (or maybe it’s burned) now to much care. If GA were adequately safe, chances are I wouldn’t be going with the CSM hat on. I prefer to focus on other aspects of my UU life. Here’s hoping 2008 is a safer GA.
Well, work would cover some of the money, but that whole flying/eating/sleeping still adds up. And the kids aren’t old enough for Young Fun, so they’d likely have to stay home with Daddy. That works fine for weekend trainings, but it’s a rough use for his limited vacation time.
I don’t even make it to church….
Vacation time, and money are the two big ones for me.
I want to go, and have never been, but at the same time I worry about going. At must UU events I find myself alone at least a good portion of the time. This doesn’t really bother me much but 4 days of it…blah.
It is not the events fault normally, I just find myself in an odd place where I do not fit in well with Young Adults and I am not ready for the Full Fledged Adults either.
I do watch it online, and someday when it comes back to the midwest i will go I am sure.
Not enough spare time to spend some of it on this rather than other things.
A sense that the whole exercise generates a lot of misdirected passion and nothing of lasting effect.
A sense that the underlying premise of validly, democratically representing the considered desires of the constituent congregations on the issues of real concern to them is not defensible on critical examination.
Money, time, energy. Yes, yes, yes.
I’ve always found GA exhausting, even when I didn’t have to work it as UUA staff. It’s big, it’s busy, and quite frankly, it’s a bit of a freak show.
I could have swung it with some professional development money my church offers me, and I am receiving final fellowship this year… and even then, I chose to stay home.
Never been to a GA – too far and I’ve never come up with a good reason to go. Seems way too big – and I dont like doing big as a rule.
I will be going to GA when it returns to Charlotte in a few years – but then Charlotte is “local”. I didnt go the previous time (money).
I do go to the Universalist Convocations and the “local” UU cluster meetings; so I get my supply of UU bonding…..
(Charlotte is two hours drive, my local cluster is 3-4 hours)).
The main reason is money. We don’t really have money for a family vacation so I’d feel really guilty spending that much money just on myself while my family stayed at home (which is what they’d rather do than go to GA themselves).
A secondary reason is the distance. It is *really* far away this year. If it was more local I might be able to swing it.
And then there is the question of what to do with my kids while I’m away. But if I could take care of reason number 1 and 2, then I’d find someone to watch the kids.