Women and Religion: A Vital, Progressive Collective in the District and Beyond!

The Florida District Women and Religion Committee is a force to be reckoned with, as evidenced in their excellent newsletter, Womanspirit. Every UU woman in our district should make a point to get involved, or at least, be aware of the superb programs and activities sponsored by W&R throughout the year. The organization is "a sisterhood dedicated to liberating all persons and the earth from attitudes of domination and subordination by empowering women, children, and men through feminist process and religious practice rooted in feminist values." It is not a membership organization, but instead, is open to all women interested in participating in and supporting its programs. It operates under a structure of "Area Communicators" throughout the district, with Co-conveners Gloria Marvin and Carol Willis facilitating the movement.

W&R offers resources and a network for women to affirm spirituality, increase self-esteem, and empower action for change. Transforming the "power over" model of relating to a "power-with" approach is their goal. They assist congregations and societies within the District to root out all forms of domination and oppression. They provide opportunities for women to grow spiritually and personally, exploring the richness of our diversity and supporting one another. Training sessions, workshops and curricula are offered in women's theology and women's issues. Noted

for their excellent retreats and conferences, Florida W&R continues to forge ahead into the coming months with superb plans for Fall and Spring gatherings, as well as the national project they have undertaken to organize a Continental UU Women's Gathering in 2000. This important national conference, dubbed "Hera's Journey" will be held April 12-16 at the Life Enrichment Center & Family Campgrounds in Leesburg, Florida. It will be presented in cooperation with UU women's organizations across the continent, and promises to be a grand event. Look for information about Hera's Journey from your Area Communicators, in the District Packets, and in upcoming issues of the Sunshine. You can also check out the special web site presentation at http://www.theverb.com/herasjourney/.

The summer of 99 proved to be an exciting time for Women and Religion in conjunction with General Assembly in Salt Lake City. UU women of the Continental Constellation of W&R were a shining example of the GA theme in action: Fulfilling the Promise to Help One Another. They collectively presented five dynamic programs, providing high visibility and success. One of the workshops, entitled Liberating the Woman's Bible for the New Millennium, was organized by Lucille Swenson-Knights of Miami. The focus of the workshop was to continue the examination of Elizabeth Cady Stanton's landmark book, The Women's Bible, and to recognize the ongoing work of liberating women from cultural subordination.

The first meeting of the Women's Rights Anniversary Committee also took place in Salt Lake City, during General Assembly. This group focused on the task of implementing the 1998 GA Resolution on Women's Rights Anniversary by finding UU abolitionists and suffragists who have lived and worked in local communities, and honoring them publicly. This project will involve the entire UU denomination, and will take enormous planning, cooperation and time. The results will be targeted for presentation at a future General Assembly.

To find out more about the activities and activities of Florida Women and Religion, get on the Womanspirit mailing list. Contact mailing list coordinator Sue Shealy, 6602-C Marstown Drive, Tampa, FL 33617, phone 813-980-2061, or email SueShealy@aol.com.

(CONTRIBUTED BY FDW&R COMMITTEE & LUCILLE SWENSON-KNIGHTS)