FUUCSL GA 2008

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FUUCSL at UUA GA 2008

GA will be June 25-29, 2008 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. FUUCSL is poised to make a big splash with the UUA during this coming GA. Feel free to add to this page as good ideas (or even those that may yet fully flower) as they come to you.

Who's going to GA

Eric Burch (Etaoin Barcelona) has gotten the OK to go. I've even reserved a room at the Embassy Suites (a few blocks from the convention center, and may become a GA hotel): two beds, two rooms, balcony, looking over the city, nonsmoking.

IF ANYONE ELSE THINKS THEY WILL BE AT GA AND WANT TO HELP, let me know (ericLburch@gmail.com).

Presentations or Exhibits

I've got a DRAFT of a presentation proposal. Send my your ideas. The words in bold italics are those parts of the proposal required by the program committee.

I'm thinking that we'll have a PowerPoint presentation and answer questions during one session, possibly have a panel discussion session another day, and set up a Second Life demo in the cyber cafe or the hotel room. I don't want to go too overboard, but 2 or 3 hours a day (and too much time at night in the hotel room!) may be about right.

The draft proposal (so far; due 10/10)

The Word file is in the Google Group (and has a neat picture of the sanctuary), but if you can't open it here are the words.

If you want access to the Google group, let me know. It is located at http://groups.google.com/group/fuucsl

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The First UU Church of Second Life
Connecting the World through Cyberspace

A proposal for a Sponsored Program for the UUA General Assembly 2008.

Contact Person and Information: Eric Burch. 14405 Oakvale Street, Rockville, MD 20853. 301-442-8907. ericburch@comcast.net . Although I am a member of the UU Church of Rockville, MD, my church or district is not involved with this presentation.

Proposed Title (8 words max): The Church in Second Life: Connecting in Cyberspace

Summary (50 words max): A group of UUs have built a community that includes a worship space, meeting spaces, and a neighborhood. A presentation introducing the Second Life “immersive” online environment, the work that has been done so far, the challenges of working in the online environment, and plans for the future.

Name and Biography of Proposed Speaker(s): Eric Burch is a 19-year member of the UU Church of Rockville, MD, and a Second Life “resident” who has helped in running the Second Life “fellowship” for over a year. Other GA participants are involved with this project and two or three others may help with this presentation, to be identified Really Soon.

Grant amount: A/V microphone/screen fee. Please.

Scheduling Preference: No preference, though Thursday or Friday works better.

The members of the not-yet-UUA-recognized fellowship in Second Life, who include many UUs, UU ministers, and UUA staff, have contributed and will help with this program.

Describe the individuals planning the proposed program:

Eric Burch: I am a “resident” of Second Life; a member of the fellowship in Second Life, where I have helped plan some of the activities in the church, and have led a few services and salons (informal, scheduled discussion sessions). My “avatar” (virtual representation of me), Eatoin Barcelona, facilitated the first Water Ceremony in Second Life, which was written up as a event of note for the week in a Second Life online publication, New World Notes (http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2007/09/riks-picks-fo-1.html ). In Real Life (“RL” in Second Life parlance), I’ve been a UU for over 20 years, and Assistant Treasurer for most of the time in my church in Rockville, MD. I have never attended GA, though will probably attend in 2008 as a delegate from my church.

<<Hey Gang! Maybe a few of us who know we’ll be at GA can add your names!>>

Describe your request:

<< THIS IS THE FIRST DRAFT. Sketchy.>>

A group of UUs have built a community in the computer environment “Second Life” that includes a worship space with regularly scheduled services at American- and European-friendly times, meeting spaces with groups and Small Group Ministry group meetings, and a neighborhood of UUs who have built residences in Second Life near each other.

A presentation introducing the Second Life “immersive” online environment, the work that has been done so far by the UUs in Second Life, the connections that have been made, committees that have been formed (another UU tradition!), the challenges of working in the online environment, and plans for the future.

The use of this new technology as an effective outreach tool will be discussed. In Second Life, we have participants who are unchurched in real life, and we have many non-USA members, notably a group of French UUs (http://unehistoiredeu.superforum.fr/ ).

The presentation will be using PowerPoint; Eric will provide the laptop and arrange for a projector. Questions and answers, and maybe a demonstration will be performed, if internet connectivity can be arranged. Plans can be made to meet in the cybercafé (possibly a hotel room) and Second Life will be demonstrated.

A panel discussion of use of this technology may be interesting and may be scheduled on another day (or perhaps an “Open Space” session).

Other Supporting Material.

Other publications that have explored our UU congregation in Second Life include the UU World magazine (online at http://www.uuworld.org/life/articles/16206.shtml , in print in the Fall 2007 issue reprinted at http://www.uuworld.org/life/articles/35844.shtml ), other New World Notes ( http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2007/02/bizarre_berry_a.html ). Even USA Today, where the print edition had a picture of the Second Life sanctuary and the article mentioning the UU church ( http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2007-04-01-second-life-religion_N.htm ).

<<Gang: I can add “up to three” letters of support and commitment for this proposal. Please consider adding a note.>>

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