PROCEDURES FOR RETREATS

Putting on a retreat is a great experience. It is even better if you can get things taken care of ahead of time, so that the retreat is enjoyable for you as well as participants. This checklist of decisions to make and things to do is designed to save you headaches and help you get everything taken care of in plenty of time. Feel free to use it as a Guide only: adding or altering to fit your unique situation. Make notes to pass on to others, if you wish.

(You may also find it helpful to browse through the Conference Procedures section: many ideas are interchangeable between Retreats and Conferences.)*

SIX OR MORE MONTHS AHEAD

1. Decide on retreat dates.
2. Decide on retreat site and reserve it. (Note: most sites require an advance deposit to guarantee the space.) (See Appendix A for sample retreat center brochure.)
3. Consider these issues in choosing a site:

• Is its location central? Convenient?
• Does it offer the space you need for full group activities, for smaller workshops, for recreation?
• Does it offer the sleeping arrangements you need, including both camping facilities and nearby hotel/motel, as well as on-site rooms?
• Can accommodations be made "handicapped accessible?"
• Does it have an attentive staff on call?
• Does it provide meals and have the flexibility to accommodate vegetarians and others with special dietary needs? (See Appendix I for ideas.)
• Does it offer the privacy and security necessary to make participants comfortable?
• Is the space adaptable for offering child care? For infants/very young child "baby-sitting" and for older children in a "youth camp" type program?

*References made throughout this handbook to local "society/societies" denotes any UU church/fellowship/congregation/society, etc.

4. Review W&R (and/or District) policies on retreats, re:

• Child care requirements.
• Financial arrangements.
• Scholarships.
• Vendors and sales.
• Use of wine/"spirits"

5. Decide whether to have a co-facilitator(s).

Consider the advantages:

• Share the work.
• Test ideas.
• Share the fun.
• Provide more variety in presenting activities at the retreat.
• Troubleshoot more effectively.

Consider these issues in choosing a co-facilitator(s):

• Are your working styles compatible?
• Do you have different skills and interests that will complement and balance each other? For example, it can work well if one of you is the "big picture" person and other the "detail" person. If one of you has never facilitated a retreat before, it helps if the other one has.
• Are you in the same town? If not, can you get together easily and often, at least by phone? e-mail?
• Are you both interested in the same retreat theme?

6. Decide on a specific theme and a title for the retreat that expresses it.

7. Begin to line up needed support persons:

• Registrar. (See Appendix D: Retreat Registrar's Job Description) This is the person to whom participants will send their registration forms and payment. This person will also be assigning bed space; therefore, it is good to choose
• Child Care Workers: Decide on appropriate age categories: you need separate workers and different programs for (1) infants and toddlers, than for (2) elementary to early teens. (Consider at what age boys are no longer welcome at a women's retreat and at what age you want to include older teen girls as program participants or as child care workers.)

8. Check on deadlines for articles in district or other appropriate newsletters.

The Spring Retreat was a very relaxing affair for the twenty women and five children who attended.

Friday evening, after one of the Pines’ famous dinners, we gathered together around a flower-bedecked Spring altar, courtesy of Leslie Rigg. We closed the circle with thoughtful (and thought-provoking) readings provided by Katie Sill. Then Katie brought out a songbook she’d saved from her childhood, and we launched ourselves into an old-fashioned sing-along. We finally wore ourselves out around eleven and took ourselves to bed.

Saturday we had breakfast and packed our lunches for the day, and took ourselves off to…whatever. Some of us went canoeing (which was magical, despite the deerflies). Others went shopping, and came back with reports of wonderful little shops and special treasures. Some walked trails, Rebecca took two of the kids to the waterpark, and a few went for the ultimate self-indulgence: a good book and a good nap.

Saturday night the ‘Owl Lady’ came with wonderful fierce birds and many tales to tell.
Then there was Free Dancing for those who had a little energy left.

Sunday we rose to breakfast, and discussed the W&R awards while we ate. We gathered once more around the altar, opening the circle (readings provided by Katie) and bid each other a safe trip back. It was fun, which was exactly what we intended.

Inside Out: Mask Making and Spirituality

Once again, we invite you to share in Sabbath Time...
"Sabbath invites limited time
to become expansive time.
Sabbath makes spacious what is cramped.
It makes large out of small,
generous out of stingy,
simple of complex.
Sabbath is time that actively includes
the presence of Spirit...
The purpose is spiritual leisure
to make a spiritual choice
to have time for your own purposes."
--Sabbath Sense, A Spiritual Antidote for the Overworked

Together we will be creating a sense of the Sabbath by entering sacred time and space separate from our routines: time that feels "expansive, spacious, generous"

We will feed our Spirits through ritual, play, dance, laughter, creative focus, and enriching opportunities to be in solitude and community.

We will encourage the freedom to wander, explore, create, discover and have some spaces and times designed for silence and solitude.

This weekend, in particular, we will explore "Inside out", by way of creating a soul mask, guided by Maryanne's work in this area.

Facilitators

Susan Stephenson Hefte has been an active leader and participant in W&R for many years. The last W&R Retreat she facilitated was "Silence and Sharing in Community: A Sabbath Retreat" in 1998. Her work now is largely as a facilitator and trainer of "Alternatives to Violence Project" workshops in community and prison settings with her husband, Darrell Hefte. Her doctoral work in creativity and spirituality continues to be an important focus in her life and in what she brings to this weekend. Susan can be reached at 727/799-0683 or by E-mail drshefte@aol
Maryanne Hamilton has been a participant at two Women & Religion Retreats in the past. Susan is delighted to welcome her to the facilitation of this Retreat. Maryanne is a registered art therapist and writer who has been using creative processes to facilitate personal growth workshops since 1978 in Florida, New York and Tennessee. She enjoys sharing her studies and experiences in art, Sufism, and the healing arts with those who seek to unfold their inner potential. Maryanne can be reached at 727-576-8985; E-mail artxham@hotmail

Finding Your Inner Faerie

Know you what it is to be a child
It is to believe in love
To believe in loveliness
To believe in belief
It is to be so little
That the Elves can reach
To whisper in your ear
It is to turn pumpkins into coaches
Mice into horses
Lowness into loftiness
And nothing into everything
For each child has its Faerie Godmother
In its soul.

-Frances Thompson

Faeries of all ages,

Join us May 16th for a magical weekend at The Pines where we will become Faeries and contemplate Faerie lore through the mediums of dance, song, and art.

The wonderful vocalist Elaine Silver will lead our Friday evening ritual. She will conduct a “Faerie Gathering” Friday night where we will explore the infinite possibilities of the realm of Faeries.

Dress in your best Faerie or Goddess attire as we call the directions and honor women as goddesses. There will be a chance for each woman to express herself and her ideas, encounters, stories, etc. . . involving Faeries.

Think about what you would like to share Friday evening. If you wish, bring a poem, a Faerie figure or other objects related to Faeries to add to the altar. You will also be asked to choose a Faerie name.

On Saturday night Elaine will provide a special concert of Faerie music and sacred songs. Lots of participation will occur naturally as our hearts and minds open to the love and blessing that surround us.

Our Saturday workshops will delve into Faerie lore allowing the creative spirit to emerge through writing, collage, clay and other artistic means. Workshop choices will be available for signup during dinner Friday night.

Wee Faeries may join their Faerie Goddess-mothers for some of the workshops.

Co-Facilitators

Elaine Silver
Leading the evening celebration will be Elaine Silver – Faerie Elaine who sings a cappella and play stringed instruments. Elaine has been nominated as the Garden State Outstanding Folk Performer and has accompanied such noted folk legends as Arlo Guthrie, Suzanne Vega, and Tom Paxton. She has made numerous recordings, and her newest release Faerie Goddess has been very well received. Please visit her website at elainesilver.com to hear samples of her music. Her assistant for the Friday night in-gathering is Fran Kaplan.

Susan Pendergraft
Susan has been attending UUW &R retreats for approximately 15 years. She is a teacher of Gifted Education and is currently teaching at a private Montessori school. She has experienced many years of wonderful retreats. It is her hope this retreat, Finding Your Inner Faerie, will be a great success and that everything her foremothers taught her over the years will culminate this weekend. She has called upon many Faerie Goddess-mothers to help her in this endeavor.

 A Storytelling Retreat

To prepare for this Retreat, think of the stories which you learned as a child/teen -- the Latin/Greek/Celtic/other Goddess stories. Secondly, think of the "stories of your life" -- Siblings, Moving, First Day of School, Graduation, Marriage, Baby(ies), Divorces, Single Years, Best Year, Worst Year -- what "characters" did you play in these stories? Who were you 20 years ago? Who are you now? What's YOUR Story?

THE ART OF STORYTELLING

Lynn Carol Henderson and UU women from around Florida invite you to share this weekend of ritual feasting of womanspirit and adventuring into sacred space. Step up to the table and explore for yourself women’s ritual art in action.

• Friday night graze through fields of the Goddess in an opening ritual combining storytelling performance and the creation of a group mandala.
• Saturday morning digest the art of storytelling, empowering yourself as you create ready-to-tell Goddess tales from your own life.
• Saturday afternoon dip into the workshops and try your hand at Storytelling through DANCE, IMPROV!, COLLAGE, and STORYBOARD.
• Saturday night – BE the Banquet – Sharing Circle filled with laughter and group connections.
• Sunday morning - stay with us for dessert -- the closing mandala ceremony.
  • Religious Affiliation:
    • St. Petersburg Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Registrar)
    • Greensong Grove (1st Degree Wiccan)
    • Reformed Congregation of the Goddess (Attender)
    • Daughters of the Earth and SisterSpirit (Pan-Indian Spirituality Circles)
  • Education:
    • BA: Art and Art History, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia
    • MFA and teaching certification K-12: Washington University, St, Louis
    • Ph.D. Art History and Women's Studies with a focus in Women's Ritual Art, Union Institute and University, Cincinnati, Ohio
    • Foreign Studies: Art, Language, Shamanism and Healing Modalities Italy, France, Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Chile
  • Work Experience
    • 1980-Present: Ritual leader in Women's Spirituality Groups and Drumming Circles
    • 1989-Present: Adjunct Professor, Eckerd College Courses: Magic, Myth and Ritual in Art Collage, Art Appreciation, Altars and Mandalas Adjunct professor, U. of Tampa Courses: Insider/Outsider, Multicultural Art
    • 1973-Present: Expressive Arts and Storytelling Workshops (all ages): Eckerd College Guest Lecturer, University of South Florida Guest Lecturer, The Salvador Dali Museum, the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts, The Tampa Museum of Fine Arts, Florida Elder Hostel Programs, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Manatee County Schools, Pinellas and Hillsborough County Arts Councils, Florida Humanities Council , all the Art Centers in Pinellas County (sampling)
    • 1980-Present Storytelling Performances: Tampa Recreation Festivals: International Festival, Santa Fest, Hillsborough County Storytelling Festival, Tampa Bay Storytelling Guild Tellebration (sampling)
  • Professional Associations:
    • PAVA Pinellas Association of Visual Artists
    • Tampa Bay Storytelling Guild
    • Florida Storytelling Association

Throughout the weekend savor the atmosphere of woman space, dip into the suggestions for future projects, and fascinate yourself with the many ritual sourcebooks from Lynn Carol’s lending library.

Facilitator: Lynn Carol Henderson

Co-Facilitator: Leslie Rigg

Biographical Statement of Lynn Carol Henderson

More can be seen at: http://www.enigmaartstudio.com

Leslie Rigg has been attending UUW &R retreats and conferences for approximately 8 years. In the course of her life, Leslie has studied/participated in Arica, Unity, Iroquois medicine, A Course in Miracles, Sufi dancing, and multiple styles of personal growth training including dance and movement. She has previously led workshops in a variety of disciplines, from IT training to 12-Step weekends. She is currently exploring the offering of a new personal growth venture, YAGATTAWANNA, which may be seen at http://www.yagattawanna.org

AT THE ROOT OF LONGING

Florida Women and Religion's Annual Spring Retreat

April. 22-24, 2005

at U.U. in the Pines, Brooksville, FL

Sisters, many of us are feeling an intense longing in our lives for serenity and calm and, indeed, a deeper sense of the spiritual in our lives. We are longing for the restoration of power and energy that seems to be drained away in these chaotic times. We are constantly faced with schedules that are over-burdened. We note that our desires to take care of ourselves are too often pre-empted by our need and wish to care for others.

This retreat begins on Earth Day, April 22, 2005. We will come together to reconnect with the earth, with our thankfulness for the grounding and inspiration that is abundant in this realm, and with ourselves as spiritual beings.

We will come together for a weekend with no demands and yet many opportunities. Opportunities for your creative self to be expressive; for your spiritual self to reconnect with a deeper consciousness within you; for your Earth-being-self to give service to the Pines as we help heal the grounds. Read further to learn more about these options.

There will be the opportunity to enter a period of silence at the end of Friday's gathering and to emerge from it at 5:00 PM on Saturday, both by way of a guided meditation. Connecting with friends, old and new, can be significantly different and satisfying through non-verbal expressions. Speak to some of the women who participated in the last silent Women & Religion retreat at the Pines and discover their appreciation of time with no verbal demands. This is a brief taste of silent community that we believe will leave you refreshed and wanting more. This retreat cannot claim that it will satisfy your longing but it does claim that it will give you a window of opportunity to tap into that root and find some ways of healing and nurturing your life.

At the Root of Longing – the Saturday Experience

North The direction of the earth, of the body, introspection, mystery, the power to keep silent.
Experience: creating a Secret Garden triptych, a 3-panel collage that begins with the edges folded in to form a gate on the outside, opening to your spiritual garden. Basic materials supplied.
East The direction of the air, of light, of the emerging soul, of the power to know.
Experience: writing in answer to questions that will help your inner light to emerge and your soul to speak. You may want to bring a journal for this, or some special writing papers and instruments.

South The direction of fire, of energy and spirit, of the power of will.
Experience: creating your Spirit Candle to light your way on your spiritual journey and to add to the altar for the Saturday evening experience. Basic materials supplie

 

West The direction of water, of emotion, of the power to dare.Experiences: creating and decorating a medicine bag to heal yourself and the earth (basic materials supplied). Working at the Pines to heal some hurricane damage, in silence (after instructions given).

 

Center The point of transformation, of pure essence, of timelessness, of the power to go.
Experiences: Meditation in any form that helps you access your spiritual center in addition to what we are providing. If you want to bring meditative music we will have a space provided for this. The Center, of course, is the invitation of the rituals that we will be doing on Friday and Saturday nights.

 

Other spiritual activities that you might choose to experience: Readings from selected books we will provide, on loan for the weekend only, on women’s spirituality and nature – see our book list for suggestions in case you want your own copy. Yoga in the outdoors, in the early morning and other times, led by experienced teachers. A creative project that you bring to the retreat. Silent communication with other women at the Pines. Walks in the woods. Breathing.

Remember: Bring small objects with special meaning to you to decorate (or use in) the spirit candle, the medicine bag, or the Secret Garden triptych – such as beads, charms, crystals, shells, stones, feathers, etc. Also bring 2-3 favorite magazines to use and share, for cutting out pictures.

 

Our Retreat Leaders
April 22-24, 2005 at U.U. in the Pines, Brooksville, FL

Retreat Facilitator Biography:

Susan (Stephenson) Hefte has been involved with Florida Women and Religion almost from its beginnings. She was W & R co-chair (with Emily Williams) for two years and has facilitated many W&R retreats at The Pines, including the very first one in November 1987. Her background is in transpersonal psychology with an emphasis on creativity and spirituality. She is a retired licensed mental health counselor and currently facilitates Alternatives To Violence Project community workshops in the Tampa Bay area and monthly at Coleman Federal Correctional Complex. She is also an experienced quilter and textile artist.
Susan has loved facilitating women's retreats and groups since the mid-70's and finds the focus of this retreat particularly valuable. She looks forward to seeing you there.
Sarah K. Snyder is a national consultant and trainer living in Seminole, and has been active in women’s groups and spirituality for over 25 years. She has participated in and led women’s retreats and groups, including some at the Pines. She led one of the national test groups (in Pinellas County) during the final completion of the “Rise Up and Call Her Name” UU curriculum. She counts herself very fortunate to be a part of the truly heady days of the growing women’s spirituality blossoming starting in the mid-70’s, and is excited about continuing the tradition.
Sarah has been having a great time planning this retreat with Susan, and can hardly wait to be silent and spiritual with you!

I received a thank you note from Jendi Schroeder-Miller for the money Florida UUWR gave her. 
"i can not thank you enough for the contribution you helped to make toward Coralynn.  I was absolutely speechless when we received your gift.  Coralynn is growing and thriving thanks to your help!  With much love, Jendi"

Diana Fraser said that Jendi, who is 17 years old, is still walking to school at St. Pete College and taking care of the baby, the sister Jendi's mother had while in prison.  Diana said Jendi was so appreciative and in tears when she got our gift.

thanks to all of you,
Patty Callaghan

1. Try to get to the site a few hours early even if you don't think you have much to do there ahead of time. The idea is to prevent last-minute surprise problems and to be relaxed when participants start to arrive.
2. Ask the registrar to arrive early too. Welcoming and directional signs should be set up and the sign-in table ready before anyone else appears. Be prepared that some people may want to change their room assignments. Try to accommodate people who will have difficulty walking, or climbing steps, by assigning them bed space as close to the meeting space(s) as possible.
3. As soon as you arrive, check in with site manager(s) and find out if there are things you need to do or to announce to the group. (It's a nice touch to introduce site manager(s) to the group early in the retreat, for welcome and announcements. Sometimes site managers are interested in being part of various group activities.)
4. Check out your meeting space:
   • Set up chairs as needed.
   • Learn from site manager(s) where all light switches are and how to operate heating or air conditioning and PA systems.
5. Put up posters near registration table and one or two other spots with detailed time schedule, to supplement handouts. This will save you from answering the same questions many times over!
6. If your program involves other people taking parts, such as lighting candles in a ritual, or doing a reading, begin to line those people up as they arrive. If you are asking someone to read something, it is a special kindness to give them a copy to read over and become familiar with well in advance.

... has been cancelled.

Florida District Women
are invited to join together in retreat

March 15-17 2013
Annual Florida District Women’s Retreat, DaySpring Episcopal Conference Center, Ellenton, FL

DaySpring, located conveniently off I-75, offers a wooded setting on a cove of the Manatee River. Bring UU women together in a setting which provides opportunities for conversation, sharing herstories, laughter and music, add nature trails, rocking chairs on screened porches, bicycles, a campfire, drumming, more laughter and conversation and you create a memorable experience! We gather together to create and enhance our connections to one another. We will also enjoy good food. Special dietary concerns can be met with prior notification.

Read more ...

1. Prepare a brief notice for publication in District newsletter (Sunshine). If it is feasible, send this notice to individual congregations to publish in their newsletters or Sunday morning bulletins. (W & R Area Communicators may be helpful in getting information out to local congregations.) This notice should include:
   
   • the title (theme) of the retreat and name of sponsoring organization.
   • the dates and place.
   • names of facilitators.
   • a name, address and phone contact for questions.
   • information about when to expect brochures and registration forms.
2. Confer with registrar and co-facilitator about
   • deadline dates for registration/late registration (probably 10 days before retreat, but expect numerous late registrations.)
   • fees needed to cover retreat costs. You or registrar should verify current rate schedule with site manager.
3. Design registration form in consultation with registrar.
4. Registration form should include: (NOTE: check in advance on local hotel/motels & list one or two choices, with phone numbers and rate range, for those who prefer to stay "off site.")
   • name, address and phone number of registrar.
   • deadline for registration (and consequences of late registration: possibly rooms assigned "first choice to first-register")
   • consequences for registration cancellation: i.e., $15 cancellation fee for cancellations received less than 10 days from date of retreat.
   • conditions for scholarship aid (e.g., up to 50% of fee), deadline for applying for scholarship and who to call/write to make request.
   • spaces for registering person to write in name, address and phone.
   • space to write in preferred roommate (if registrar wants to assign rooms ahead of time.) An alternative system is to choose appropriate rooms for facilitators and child care staff, set aside space for mothers with children, and then have remaining participants choose their own rooms when they arrive: first come/first choice.
   • space to write in special dietary, medical or physical needs. (NOTE: retreat notice should include any plans for vegetarian or other special menus. Be sure site can handle special dietary needs before offering that option.)
   • cost of retreat, including:
   • . to whom checks should be made payable. (Consult with Treasurer.)
   • whether payment must be made in advance, or at retreat itself.
   • differing rates for adults, children, infants (including specific ages)
   • differing rates for on site rooms, own RV, tenting, "day only"
   • whether registration fee covers all costs: e.g., any additional charges for workshop materials or snacks/wine, etc.
   • opportunity to add extra money for scholarship aid for others.
   • conditions for selling arts & crafts, or other items, at retreat. (See Appendix B: Sample Retreat Registration Form)
5. Prepare retreat brochure to be distributed with registration form. You can save money if you include the brochure in a newsletter mailing (i.e., W&R Womanspirit). If you are going to do this, you need to consult the newsletter editor about size of paper and format for folding. The brochure/newsletter announcement should include:
   • a cover design/picture to reflect the theme
   • a brief note about the theme
   • a brief note about the facilitators.
   • a general schedule of events, including "check-in" time and any pre-retreat activities available, such as use of pool, hiking, etc.
     • NOTE: the more general your schedule, the better, because you will likely want to make changes as you work out the details of the program.
   • address and phone of retreat site, driving directions and map.
   • information about what to bring: linens, towels, musical instruments, etc.
   • information about child care/youth camp arrangements.
   • announcement to the effect that: "no perfume be worn at retreats and conferences due to allergic reactions among the participants."
   • a registration form WHICH CAN BE DETACHED WITHOUT LOSING IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON TOE REVERSE SIDE OF THE PAPER.
   • space for mailing label if the brochure is separately mailed rather than included in a newsletter.

(See Appendix C: Sample Retreat Announcement in Womanspirit)

1. Try to talk with as many participants individually as you can. Sit with different people at meals. Learn names. Listen. Above all, don't hang out with your co-facilitator exclusively or your own old friends. It's worth it to keep newcomers from thinking there is an in-group and they're not part of it.
2. When the whole group is meeting together in one circle, if possible, don't sit next to your co-facilitator. If the two of you have to talk loudly enough to hear each other across the room, you will be more sure everybody else can hear too.
3. When small groups are meeting, see if you and your co-facilitator can each be part of a separate group. Above all, try not to exclude yourselves from the group, or in any way give the impression that you are watching rather than participating.
4. Watch out for those who try to monopolize discussion. If you are leading the discussion, try to make sure everyone who wants to speak gets a chance. Avoid letting the discussion turn into a dialogue between you and someone who has responded to your comments.
5. Try to meet privately with your co-facilitator for a few minutes of "debriefing" after each session. Give each other support and suggestions. Consider what you have observed so far about the group. How is the pacing? What needs fine-tuning or adjusting?

1. Start fine-tuning your program of activities. If you have a co-facilitator, you may want to start by brainstorming together.
   1. browse through several resource books
   2. talk to facilitators of prior retreats and see if evaluations done by participants will give you helpful ideas.
   3. think back to activities which seem to have gone well at other successful retreats you have attended.
   4. you may want to add other persons to your planning/facilitation circle at this point, to generate more ideas or to lead/facilitate specific parts of the retreat.
2. Consider these suggestions:
   
   • Assume that you will need to spend several sessions with your co-facilitator refining the program. It takes thinking time as well as talking time. Each time you go back to your plans, you will find things to change.
   • Assume that everything at the retreat will take longer than you thought it would. Therefore, plan fully, but be ready to take things out when you have too much.
   • Remember that retreats usually differ from conferences in the significant respect that a retreat is on one theme and offers everybody only one activity at a time. Conferences, though they also usually have some general theme, offer lots of workshops with more than one thing going on at once, so that participants make choices among options at certain times.
   • People come to retreats expecting lots of "down" or free time. If you try to keep them at an activity too long, they grow weary. They may leave the activity or not show up for the next one. You may want to try to prevent this by having short activities and lots of breaks. Or you may want to convince yourself that it is fine if some people opt out of attending all the activities you provide. (Convincing yourself of this may be easier said than done!)
   • Remember that people operate on different internal "time clocks." Think about ways to offer early morning programming (e.g., matins, yoga), as well as "into the night" programming. Consider how to honor needs of some to gather and drum/talk/dance late into the night, while others cherish truly quiet time.
   • When you are planning activities, keep in mind that some people will be having reunions with old friends, and they will be totally at ease. Others will be new. They will know nobody or almost nobody. They need to be made to feel welcome and at ease.
   • If the retreat begins on Friday evening, people will arrive at different times, some tired from driving, some frazzled from the work day they have just completed. Assume people's heads and hearts are in different places. They need an opening activity or ritual to get them to relax, focus, and get ready for whatever you plan to do.
   • Most people who come to retreats are receptive to whatever you plan for them. You can expect them to be eager participants, but they need clear directions. Giving them too many options can end up in confusion.
   • Whatever you plan, you need to be willing to revise to suit the needs of the group. Remember that it is THEIR retreat. If they get interested in talking about something or doing something, try not to cut them off or force them down a track where they aren't ready to go.
   • It is good to have some things for the group to do together in one circle and some things for small groups — possibly with reporting back to the whole group. Remember that some people will be more comfortable about speaking up in a small group than in a large one. On the other hand, it works very well to have at least a couple of activities in which you go around the circle and have all participants speak, not only to introduce themselves but also to answer some question or finish out some sentence. Some people speak more easily when it is established that it is their turn and the subject is something that they are sure to know about. In open discussions, it is harder for those people to speak up, especially if there are some "eager talkers" in the group.
     • Always respect the right of anyone to "pass" — to not speak.
     • Keep in mind that going around the circle for each person to speak can take a long time if you have a lot of people.
   • The people at your retreat will probably have lots of talents, some hidden and some not. You may want to provide opportunities for people to display their creativity, either in showing and selling their arts and crafts, or in performing or leading others in such activities as early morning birding, or yoga at the end of the day.
   • If you need to have a business meeting scheduled at the retreat, try to have it at a time that does not interfere with the activities or mood of the retreat: possibly over breakfast, or announcements made at the beginning of the morning session, or right after the retreat is over. (Warning: people tend to want to leave at the end of an intense weekend, or have little energy left for important business.)
   • Consider the power of ritual as a force for building community. Opening rituals bring the group together, helping to leave the rest of the world behind and focus on the retreat theme and space. Closing rituals cement and solidify, allowing participants to gain from the retreat experience, while releasing it to move back into their everyday life. (See Appendix E for resources on ritual.)
   • Be cautious about use of incense and other highly aromatic materials in your rituals. These may create problems for those with allergies.
   • Think about incorporating music into your retreat. If you can get someone to play the guitar and sing, or someone to beat a drum, that can be a fine way to bring people together. You may want to have a theme song, or theme chant, for the retreat and have the group sing it several times. Chants are generally easy to teach and lend themselves well to repetition. (See Appendix E for resources on chants.) Consider also setting aside "after-program" time in the evening for drumming and other informal musical experiences. And, be sure to invite participants to bring drums, rainsticks or other musical instruments.
3. Get other people who will be attending the retreat to take care of some things. This will lighten your load, and it will get more people actively involved.
   • Someone(s) to bring light refreshments for the registration hour(s) and later (or next day)"happy hours." Keep in mind policies on and appropriateness of wine/spirits at different times in your program. Plan to have baskets for donations whenever refreshments are served. (See Appendix I for menu thoughts.)
   • Someone to look out for shy people and make them feel at ease.
   • Someone to line up talent for talent show if you are having one.
   • Someone to help newcomers find their way around the facility, or to assist anyone with physical difficulty.

1. Gather any materials you will need, and make sure you keep receipts for all expenditures. (See Appendix H: Retreat/Conference Financial Statement) Retreat materials commonly include:
   •  pencils or pens and writing paper
   • newsprint and marking pens, masking tape, scissors
   • name tags or materials for participants to make name tags
   • round table to use as center altar and interesting cloth to cover it
   • candle
   • sacred objects to put on altar
   • copies of handouts, such as retreat activities schedule, readings or songsheets
   • bell or other instrument to call people together
   • materials for display, such as books, Women and Religion newsletters, UU Women's Federation membership brochures, etc.
   • Make an hour-by-hour plan of activities, indicating exactly who is going to do what, when and where. Include any readings.
2. Make any posters, diagrams, or other visual aids you will use, including signs to welcome retreat participants and tell them where to "check-in."
3. Compose an evaluation for participants to complete at the end of the retreat. Keep in mind that the simpler the form, the more likely people are to fill it out. If you are truly curious about how participants react to some specific features of your retreat, then you will want to ask questions about those features directly. Otherwise, your form might just ask a few questions:
   • What were your expectations for this retreat, and did it meet them?
   • What did you like best about this retreat?
   • What did you like least?
   • If you were designing the next retreat, what would you like to see included? left out?
   • Other comments?
4. Check with registrar on number of people expected so you have enough handouts, etc. Assume you will have a few late registrants and a couple of cancellations.
5. Have the registrar assign you and your co-facilitator a room together, with no one else in it.

We do not want a piece of the pie; it is still a patriarchal pie.
We want to change the recipe!

--Rosemary Matson,
W&R foremother and Resolution implementer

In 1977 the UUA General Assembly unanimously passed the Women & Religion Resolution, calling all individual UUs and UU organizations to examine and put aside sexist assumptions, attitudes and language, and to explore and eliminate religious roots of sexism in myths, traditions and beliefs. Lucile Schuck Longview, visionary UU laywoman working in tandem with individuals and organizations, initiated the Resolution. And a vital, ongoing movement was born.

For two decades the UUA Board-appointed Women and Religion Committee led in transforming Unitarian Universalism toward greater inclusiveness and gender equality. Significant changes in the denomination were inspired by the Resolution. At the same time Women & Religion groups formed and grew at the District level, where W&R programs and retreats deepened and enriched the lives of countless women, UU or not. These gatherings continue to nurture and support women of all ages, expanding and broadening horizons of possibility. Oftentimes, W&R newcomers subsequently joined UU churches in their District.

In 1996 the UUA Board declared the work of the Resolution complete and "sunsetted" its Women and Religion Committee, ending its UUA funding. District W&R groups, however, continued to meet, and there was much conversation across the continent about what to do next. In 1997 at its 20th anniversary, W&R’s "sunrise" logo was introduced—a broad umbrella under which District activities carried on and flourished. Active District groups called themselves ‘stars in the night’ and the overall movement ‘The Continental Constellation’ of Women & Religion, moving “Onward...to the sunrise.”

In 2002, in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Resolution, UU Women & Religion officially became an independent affiliate organization of the Unitarian Universalist Association in order to continue the work of establishing gender equality in our religious movement and the world. The religious roots of sexism persist in pervading the secular world today, reinforcing sexism and patriarchy throughout civilization. Clearly, we still have work to do!

In 2006, a new motto was coined for the sunrise logo: ‘Toward a new day...’

We're Women & Religion
And we're here to say
We're Women & Religion
And we're here to stay!
We're Women & Religion
And we're here to say
The work to do's not done
So we're here to stay!

from uucfl.org

UU Sisterhood at Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Lauderdale

Meetings are held the 1st and 3rd Sunday at 9:30 am sharp and all women are welcome.

A women's discussion group featuring shared leadership, offering topics chosen by the individual meeting leaders, open to all sisters.

http://uucfl.org/groups/uusisterhood.shtml

Dear Women of WomanSpirit... 
Next Monday, June 8th, we gather for an evening of celebration of the month of June:  June is named for the Goddess Juno; it's the time of Summer Solstice, of weddings and graduations -- it's the time for UUA General Assembly and for easing into summer activities.  

All UUFBR women members and friends are welcome to be part of this gathering at 7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary:     bring a June poem or piece of music, a solstice candle (non-scented, please), pictures from June occasions, or ??????

Bring also your thoughts about the future of the "scarf hoop" we created last November when Jan Taddeo led us through the sacred hoop ritual.   We have been keeping the hoop in Jan's office -- but she is leaving soon.  Would those whose scarves are on the hoop like to have them returned?  or should we send the scarves & hoop on with Jan so that other women can add to it when she leads this ritual elsewhere?  or, should we ....(what are your thoughts?)..............???   

Thursday April 22nd from 5-8pm
Come out to Ten Thousand Villages in Winter Park, where they will donate a portion of their proceeds to support the UUUS Women's Group.

Friday April 30th at 6pm
Pot Luck dinner followed by a presentation on Cultural Diversity by Lydia.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UUUSWomensGroup/

1. Conference participants usually like the opportunity to buy and sell such items as books, jewelry, buttons, bumper stickers, and various art objects. A sales bazaar is usually a popular place between programs.
2. The conference facilitator needs to know whether the sponsoring organization has a policy limiting sales to items made by the participants, or, at least, to sales by participants.
3. The conference facilitator needs also to confirm any policies on charges to vendors: flat fees for use of space or percentage of profits donated for specific purposes (such as scholarships for future events).
4. Registration forms should include a check-off box for vendors and name of person to contact about fees and space availability.

All of the good women who have made Women and Religion what it has been in the past, as well as those who are contributing to its future, are volunteers. Many of you have given generously of your time and

energy to this and to many other projects in your communities. Those efforts have gone a long way toward making your communities a better place to live and work.

Those of us who are continuing to work toward making Women and Religion continue to be a resource for UU women and their friends would like to have a few more women join us, to share in both the work and the wealth of experience and community and learning that we've all enjoyed so far.

As the saying goes, "Try it, you'll like it."

Important Things to Remember:

• We will be renting inexpensive folding chairs for outdoor seating under the tent/canopy. If you would be more comfortable bringing your own outdoor chair for whatever reason, please do so. Remember to put your name and number on it, just in case...
• Item(s) for outdoor altar. (please mark them discreetly with your name)
• An anecdote about a favorite ancestor to share at the campfire.
• Any kind of noise-maker for the opening ritual. Drums and instruments for our fire pit celebration.
• Books to donate to our book sale (proceeds go towards W&R scholarships)
• Snacks, fruit, cheese, drinks to share in the Social Hour Friday or Saturday afternoon .
• You may want to bring a flashlight. Favorite drinking mug. Extra beverages for your cabin (refrigerator available).
• Basic comfort clothes (shorts, slacks, walking shoes, P.J.s, sweater), sunscreen. Insect repellant may be important to you, since we are meeting outside in the evening. NO PERFUMES PLEASE!

Optional:

• “goddess clothes” (loose, swirly, colorful outfit suitable for dancing, comfortable for outdoor wear) for Saturday evening.
• Money to spend at the artisans’ bazaar, at the W&R used book sale and for refreshment/snack donations.
• A mat or a towel for yoga.
• Binoculars or camera for nature walking.
• You don’t need to bring: sheets or towels

1. Clear up all financial matters as promptly as possible.
2. Give multitudinous thanks — in person, or in writing — or both
   • Thank everyone who came and participated.
   • Thank everyone who helped with preparation and presentation, including workshop leaders, food preparers, home hospitality hosts, etc., etc., etc.
3. Thank the host society.
4. Be generous with hugs — including yourself — for jobs well done and time well spent!