2025 Tidewater Cluster Gathering
Tidewater Unitarian Universalist Cluster
Hosted By the Unitarian Universalist Community Church in Glen Allen, Virginia.
The gathering will be held at First Unitarian Universalist Church, 1000 Blanton Avenue, Richmond.
Saturday, April 26, 9 AM – 4 PM (Registration, Continental Breakfast 8 – 9AM)
Keynote: “An Adolescent Faith”
Unitarian Universalism is less than one hundred years old. It’s a young ‘un compared to Buddhism, Hinduism, and even our sibling in liturgy, Christianity. How can this awkward tween of a religion navigate steep declines in church participation, the rise of nationalism, and the precipice of environmental collapse? Great questions! I’ll give you a nugget of my own insight to ensure that we are all starting in the same spot – a hint if you will… Stasis, the status quo, “that’s how we’ve always done it” are genuinely NOT the way forward..
Excited to connect this spring and explore some innovative ideas together to help us engage with these very real issues when the Tidewater Cluster gathers this April! Looking forward to being with you all.
Right?!?
Keynote Speaker: Eric Bliss
Eric Bliss is the Youth and Emerging Adult Ministry Specialist for the Southern Region of the UUA. Eric Bliss is a native of Knoxville, TN, where he grew up attending both Westside Unitarian Universalist and Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Churches. He holds degrees in Marine Biology and in Education. Eric has been active in UU leadership over the course of 35 years, beginning as a YRUU group leader, eventually becoming a youth mentor, coordinator, and adviser at such places as The Mountain, Ferry Beach, NCCJ’s Anytown, and at GA Youth Caucus. He was the Director of Religious Exploration at First Unitarian Society of Denver for six years and served as the Youth Chaplain, the Quuest Youth Camp Director, the LREDA Chair for the Mountain Desert District, and on the Fahs Collaborative Guiding Team. As a career educator, Eric has taught classes from Ecology – to Chemistry – to English as a Second Language.
This is an all-day event, beginning with coffee and check-in at 8 AM, worship, workshops, and a closing ceremony. All ages are invited to attend. Childcare will be available upon request. Continental breakfast and lunch will be included in the registration fee. Registration details and a list of workshop offerings will be available soon.