Our Keynote Presenter is Eric Bliss 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.

Workshop Title: Introduction to Qigong

Presenter(s): David Hamilton

Host Congregation: WUU

Description: Qigong (CHEE-GONG) is an ancient Chinese health practice that seeks to integrate mind, body, breath, and spirit. It can be thought of as meditation in motion. Although it looks very much like Tai Chi, the movements are simpler and much easier to learn. The routines are non-aerobic and easy on the joints. Although Qigong is usually done standing, participants may sit if they need to. Please wear comfortable shoes and clothing that will allow freedom of movement.

Workshop Title: UU Elevator Speech

Presenter(s): Bek Wheeler

Host Congregation: UUFP

Description: Have you ever found yourself at a loss for words to explain Unitarian Universalism? This workshop will offer you tools to build your own UU elevator speech. Having learned that an elevator speech is not a credo (statement of personal beliefs), we will explore 3 guidelines on how to build your own explanations of UU. We’ll see examples of statements that work and those that don’t. You’ll have an opportunity to build and share your own elevator speech on ‘what it means to be UU’.

Workshop Title: Safety for 2025 and Beyond Forum

Presenter(s): Wendy Sprout & Susan Wood

Host Congregation: UUCC

Description: This will be a guided discussion with attendees who are interested in issues related to safety during services and how best to plan for, prevent, and if necessary, respond to incidents.

Workshop Title: Presidents’ Gathering

Presenter(s): Mary Virginia Currie

Host Congregation: UUCC

Description: This is a roundtable for congregational presidents and moderators, to provide updates on their respective congregations. The session is for current presidents and moderators, or their designated representatives only.

Workshop Title: Pledge to End Racism/Living the Pledge

Presenter(s): Margaret Rush

Host Congregation: FUU

Description: In the spirit of “see something, say something” we will offer a “Speak Up Workshop” – if you either see or experience an act of aggression/oppression, we will offer some practical ways to respond. This will be an interactive workshop; attendees will participate in some role-playing as well as discussion of various scenarios.

Workshop Title: CUUPS – Did That Just Happen?: Mystical Experiences

Presenter(s): Stacia Sanders and Bree Cahill

Host Congregation: CVUU

Description: We don’t always feel comfortable talking openly about mystical or spiritual experiences we have with others, sometimes even within the pagan and earth-centered groups in our congregations. Maybe we aren’t sure what happened exactly. Maybe it feels very strange or private. Or maybe you feel like you might be losing your mind!

Workshop Title: Choir Ensemble

Presenter(s): Jonathan Corey

Host Congregation: UUCC

Description: Join this session if you’d like to sing with us. We’ll use this time to work on a piece to share during the closing gathering.

Workshop Title: UUkestra

Presenter(s): Anne-Marie McCartan & Ken Saucer

Host Congregation: FUU/CVUU

Description: Everyone knows that music brings people together. And making music with members of your faith community is even more meaningful. Several Tidewater UU’s have found themselves drawn to the “tiny guitar” — the ukulele. Care to join us to try out some familiar tunes, in preparation for performing a few at the closing service? We’ll have extra ukuleles and sheet music on hand.

Workshop Title: Membership Forum

Presenter(s): Diane Pominski & Cindy White

Host Congregation: UUCC

Description: What does Membership look like in 2025? Sharing today’s challenges. This will be a guided discussion with attendees who do Membership committee work in the seven congregations. It is an opportunity to meet with those who work on membership across the Tidewater Cluster. This is a good time to discuss best practices and issues unique to Membership committees.

Workshop Title: RE Teachers Forum

Presenter(s): Adena Dannouf, UUCC Director of Lifespan Religious Exploration

Host Congregation: UUCC

Description: This will be a guided discussion with attendees who do religious education work in the seven congregations. It is an opportunity to meet with those who work on religious education in the Tidewater Cluster. This is a good time to discuss best practices and issues unique to religious education.

Workshop Title: Shoe Lane and The Work for Restorative Justice: The breaking story of racial injustice in Newport News and how UUs in Newport News have responded

Presenter(s): Pam Luke

Host Congregation: UUFP

Description: In telling the story of the Shoe Lane residents of Newport News, this workshop will highlight an example of racial injustice that has played out at UVA, ODU and perhaps other colleges and universities in the state. ( It has also been documented to have happened in many other places in the US). This workshop will also take the workshop participants through the steps of what has been done so far to work with Shoe Lane residents in their fight for restorative justice since this story “broke” (although it has been a story known by Black residents in NN since it happened in the 1960s) with an emphasis on what actions UUFP members have taken under the leadership of Rev. Andrew.

Workshop Title: Humanists Forum

Presenter(s): Barbara and Doug Jones

Host Congregation: FUU

Description: The First UU Huumanist Group would like to share with and learn from other like minded UU’s in the Cluster. Our group, which was revived a few years ago after a brief hiatus, will share what we have been doing recently and would like to hear what other humanists are doing. What should we all be discussing/doing after we get past the “we don’t believe in theism or other supernatural beliefs” part?

Workshop Title: Covenanting 101: Making the Promises that Hold Us

Presenter(s): April Kelsey

Host Congregation: UUFP

Description: Covenants are integral to creating and maintaining safe, healthy UU congregations. But what are they, exactly? How are they made (and remade)? What do they govern and what should they include? Please join this informative workshop as we look toward creating a covenant for the Tidewater cluster.

Workshop Title: Stewardship Forum

Presenter(s): Rev. David Brown & Curt Swinburne

Host Congregation: UUFF

Description: This will be a guided discussion with attendees who do stewardship committee work in the seven congregations. It is an opportunity to meet with those who work on stewardship across the Tidewater Cluster. This is a good time to discuss best practices and issues unique to stewardship committees.

Workshop Title: Emerging Adult Ministry: The Lifeblood of a Thriving UU Church Community

Presenter(s): Eric Bliss

Host Congregation: 

Description: Join Eric Bliss, our Region’s Youth and Emerging Adult specialist to learn how to better support and minister to / with 18-24 year old Unitarian Universalists in your congregation and beyond.

Why? With the decline of mainline religious institutions nationwide, we can no longer exist as a movement that maintains its church going population with disenfranchised souls from other denominations. We absolutely must keep our people connected and invested in this revolutionary, transcendent movement. We must also evolve to make our congregations more young person friendly! This Emerging Adult age group is a keystone cohort for creating a thriving church.

How do we do this? Come to the workshop and find out!

Workshop Title: Earth Ministry

Presenter(s): Anne-Marie McCartan

Host Congregation: FUU

Description: Our new UU values incorporate many references to care for the Earth, including harkening back to “the interdependent web of all existence.” Our congregations have found many ways to practice this value but often don’t feel these efforts are up to the challenges of global warming. Whether or not your congregation has an active earth ministry/green sanctuary/earth care group, we welcome your participation in this session. This is the third year we have met to share insights and challenges. This year we can reflect upon what we gained from the UUA’s Climate Justice Revival. Come and share to help inspire action in others.

Workshop Title: Social Justice Leaders Forum

Presenter(s): Ross Varin & Robin Allman

Host Congregation: UUCC

Description: This will be a guided discussion with attendees who do social justice work in the seven congregations. It is an opportunity to meet with those who work on social justice in the Tidewater Cluster. This is a good time to discuss best practices and issues unique to social justice.

Workshop Title: Sound Bath and Meditation

Presenter(s): Wendy Morgan

Host Congregation: 

Description: The powerful vibrations of the gong, singing bowls, tongue and ocean drums, tingshas and chimes offer deep physical and mental relaxation, energetic clearing and stress relief. Bring your yoga mat for the sound bath, and allow the healing frequencies to wash over you. Meditation with mantra will follow.

Wendy Morgan has been teaching yoga since 2011 and discovered the benefits of sound and sound healing several years ago. She believes everyone has unique gifts that awaken when the body, mind and spirit come into a state of balance and harmony. She offers a nurturing and light-hearted space in which to learn and grow.

Workshop Title: Portable Labyrinth

Presenter(s): Bob Larkin

Host Congregation: UUCC

Description: A labyrinth will be available for use after lunch. Enter the space quietly, making space for others.