UU Women’s Retreat – Pacific Northwest
I just came back from our local women’s weekend retreat. Almost 50 women attended at a lovely lodge outside Seattle. The theme for the weekend was OWL (Our Whole Lives) for adults. The woman leading the discussions had the official OWL training and has led many classes, in addition to working for Planned Parenthood for many years. I had some trepidations, but the conversation was lively and wide ranging, from parsing out what is meant by non-binary to our sexual needs especially for older women. There was much laughter and comradery. We also took hikes, walked a labyrinth, played games and swapped scarves, books and jewelry. A wonderful, refreshing time. I hope your women’s group also has a retreat planned or at least one in the planning stages. -- Geri Kennedy
SWUUWCon 2024
Since two of the UUWR Core Group were already going to SouthWest UU Women's Conference, and a third lives in Houston, we invited our west coast member to join in! Then we found out that International Convocation of UU Women board president Karen Kortsch also planned to attend. So among the 4 of us we coordinated and shared rides and such.
SWUUW is a SouthWest US-based UU women's group who've been holding an annual retreat for nearly 40 years! The group grew out of a merger between a SW district UUWR and a SW district UUWF chapter back in the day. Julia Harris wrote about SWUUW Herstory.
Reaching Sideways
As she promised at GA2023, Heather Gehron-Rice has sent us a whole packet of Joseph Priestley District newsletters. What I didn't realize when we first spoke about this was that the newsletters are a complete collection of Reaching Sideways:
UU foremother Rosemary Matson wrote in her Memoirs of UUW&R, "Sara Best, a lay woman in the Joseph Priestley District Women and Religion Committee, with the help of her friends, created a journal REACHING SIDEWAYS - A Continental Exchange of Views and Ideas chronicling the successes and failures of those trying to implement the Women and Religion Resolution. It was a voice when there were very few other voices in the denomination speaking for women and it proved to be the writing of our Women and Religion story as it was being lived. Sara Best produced her first issue in October 1981 and sent out her last issue on June 15, 1991. REACHING SIDEWAYS is sorely missed."
Well, it's BACK! We've scanned and restored a few issues so far. More to come when I have time. The originals will end up in Meadville-Lombard Theological School's HEResies Special Collection in Chicago! -- Gretchen
The MOO of Writing (second edition) NEW!
a unique guide to writing that draws on science and meditative wisdom
‘Moo of Writing’ by Nan Lundeen is inspirational and should be on every writer’s bookshelf. The advice contained in it definitely works – exercise, relax, free-write –and creativity flows. I love the meditations and writing exercises. - Sue Johnson – poet, novelist, playwright & UK Writing Magazine Tutor
Cakes for the Queen of Heaven
The classic women's circle study course!
by Rev. Shirley Ann Ranck, PhD
The resources (not the Facilitators Guides) from both volumes are now available to download! Log-in information is included in the package when you buy the curriculum. If you have already purchased the set and would like access to the files, please email store@uuwr.org.
IN ANCIENT TIMES: This five-session Volume I of the popular adult religious education curriculum includes an introductory section featuring author Shirley's Ranck's "Statement of Feminist Thealogy," Elinor Artman's "Brief Herstory of Cakes," and Nancy Vedder-Shults, "Baking Cakes for the Queen of Heaven."