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I've just returned from my four-day experience as my chapel's delegate to the Annual Meetings of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches (or the GA as everyone with less than an hour to spare calls it) in Chester.

When I was first asked to go, I was quite resistent. After all, I move in circles where 'religion' is a dirty word and so I have a natural reaction to distance myself from Unitarian activities. Also, my only experience of the movement has really been within the walls of my chapel and the prospect of meeting 300 Unitarians of which I only knew a maximum of 10 was daunting indeed for a shy-ish person like me.

But my experience of the whole thing was positive and spiritually uplifiting in ways I never expected, and I feel I have to get these words on paper. Here are some of the memories I have taken away from the gathering:

It was hot. So hot. Every room in Chester University must be a million degrees.

Collecting more paper in four days than I have done in the whole twelve months preceding them (see picture!)

I never would have believed a business meeting could be a spiritually moving experience until now.

Seeing several motions passed or overturned when my congregation's vote was the other viewpoint.

Being convinced to switch sides by one of the debates.

Attending what appeared to be three "meetings" in a row and all turned out to be a form of worship:

• In the youth-organized worship, being asked name a dream and then pick up someone else's and add a dream to it, and finding added to my dream - "I want to be part of something that changes the world" - the words "I hope it changes the world". This is what I will tell people from now on when they ask what the difference is between being a Unitarian and going the spiritual path alone.
• My first ever pagan (Earth Spirit) ritual.
• The launch of the new hymnbook, which I love. Being in a room full of people who can sight-read music was an extraordinary experience.

The controversy surrounding an exercise in "opening our hearts" organized by the Radical Hospitality group.

Filling an A6 notebook from cover to cover with notes and names.

Helping with writing for, and collating, the conference newspaper, and spilling beer all over the whole batch of Issue 3 (if any readers noticed, they kept it to themselves!)

Surviving on five hours' sleep every night.

Meeting more people than I ever thought possible in such a short space of time, and having real, genuine, interesting conversations with dozens of them.

Especially, two half-drunken conversations about the web, firstly with the editor of the Inquirer about why I think making their content freely available will increase their sales and promote growth in a completely new way, and secondly with a District Facilitator about why I should be making more of an effort to rally my congregation together to help with our web site.

And the most unbelievable thing: meeting a handful of people with whom, in four days, I have formed meaningful and (hopefully!) lasting friendships.

Tagged as: unitarian personal ga conference experience
I'm feeling quite, quite tired
I'm singing a Unitarian hymn.. oh dear

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My walk to and from work often takes me along the right bank of the River Irwell, down a little-known public footpath.

Along the way I pass two of these very odd plants, like the one in the picture.

I can only describe them as looking like giant dandelion clocks. They are at least as tall as me and the clock on the top is larger than my head.

I don't think they're dead as they look like they're bearing some sort of seeds.

Has anyone got any ideas what they are?

Tagged as: weird river walk plant irwell dandelion

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