To affirm and strengthen our member congregations, to encourage and facilitate greater cooperation among the congregations, and to make Unitarian Universalism better known in the region.
THE WESTERN CAROLINAS CLUSTER GATHERING: 31 March, 2012 The 2012 Western Carolinas cluster gathering will be held on 31 March at the UU Church of Asheville, NC. A synergy is realized when the twelve UU congregations in Western North Carolina and Upper South Carolina bring their combined energy, efforts and resources to bear on any given endeavor.
This is the concept of the UU Cluster: getting together, working together to create a liberal religious presence and a force for love, justice and freedom known by the larger community.
This year’s topic is Social Justice: Past and Future. Two main subjects are in this year’s plan: Immigration and Marriage Equality. The Cluster meeting this year at the Asheville UU Church will consider both.
The morning session is being held in conjunction with a remembrance of the Civil Right struggle in the 1960s. Highlight of the morning is a speech by Dorothy Cotton. Dr. Cotton is a Unitarian Universalist who served an important role on the Southern Christian Leadership Conference during that period. She will recount the days she worked with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the Birmingham marches. She also accompanied Dr. King to Oslo, Norway when he received the Nobel Peace Prize.
The afternoon sessions will deal with two issues of great concern in America: Immigration and Marriage Equality. Both issues are high on the agenda of UU congregations. With North Carolina poised to vote six weeks after our cluster meeting on a constitutional amendment that would recognize marriage only between a man and a woman, action is urgent. The most effective way to bring UU perspective to bear on these issues will be the subject of two seminars. Those who attend this event may choose one of the seminars to learn about ways to make the UU influence felt across the state.
The Justice Gathering will begin at 9:00 am and conclude at 4:30 pm. Cost, including lunch, for the event will be $25.00. You may register by going to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BVY7GX6.
Boone UU Fellowship 381 E. King St. Boone, NC 28607 (828) 264-4456 www.buuf.net
UU Congregation of the Swannanoa Valley 500 Montreat Rd. Black Mountain, NC 28711 (828) 669-8050 www.uusv.org UU Fellowship of Franklin 85 Sierra Dr. Franklin, NC 28734 (meeting address) PO Box 1023 Franklin, NC 28744 (mailing address) (828) 524-6777 www.uufranklin.org
UU Church of the Catawba Valley 833 5th St. SE Hickory, NC 28603 (828) 328-4047 www.uuhickory.org Thermal Belt UU Fellowship Tryon Youth Center Route 176 N (meeting address) PO Box 653(mailing address) Tryon, NC 28782 (828) 894-5776 www.UUTryonNC.org
Southeast District of the UUA ♦ 9704 Mallard Creek Road ♦ Charlotte, NC 28262 ♦ 800-549-0751 ♦ sed@uua.org
