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Our family’s
attachment started three years ago when I went to the Kelowna
Conference on my own to deepen my personal connection to
Unitarianism. The next year I took my family to Winnipeg and last
year to Edmonton – and now my kids insist on going every year.
For Owen who
is 8 and Laura who is 10 the Conference …..
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Helps them to appreciate the diversity and size of
this great country.
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It illustrates that Unitarianism is a national
movement, not just something that happens at Avenue Road & St.
Clair.
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And it gives them fresh opportunity to broaden
their UU connections without any of the history in relationships
that might exist here.
For my wife
Janet and I the Conferences …
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Help us better appreciate the democratic process
and resources available that give shape to our Canadian Unitarian
values.
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They let us immerse ourselves in a diverse yet
similar community with inspiring sessions – from Wendy Luella
Perkin’s workshop on chanting to the thought provoking UU
Minister’s lecture series.
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And the conferences simply give us opportunity to
have a coffee with a Unitarian from Vancouver, a beer with another
from Montreal or Halifax, to share a meal, with wine, with someone
from Ottawa, and so on. This often leads to a better appreciation
of life at First – and always a better appreciation of
Unitarianism in general!
But back to my
children. Laura and Owen embrace the UU experience of the Conference
in their own ways. Laura loves doing the crafts and exploring
museums with other Unitarian children. Owen loves the games,
stories, and freedom from home ties. The Children’s program is well
organized, very safe, and conscientiously managed – it is not simply
a video-watching kid-sitting service! The local leaders actually
focus on the kids as their ministry to the Conference.
Who knows, in
5 or so years you may see me working with the CUC Board governing
denominational policy, Janet engaged in a social action cause, and
my kids flopping around with the Youth establishing their national
network of friends and connections. Or maybe we’ll just keep
attending to hang out with other UU’s. Either way, the Conference
will help us better connect with this Canadian religious movement
that matters.
I’m Cameron
Linton, and my family is going to the CUC conference in Hamilton
this May, to St John’s NB in May 2006, and wherever the CUC
conference is going to be held in May 2007, 2008, 2009 and so on.
And we’d love
to see you there! |
