Ohio-Meadville District Unitarian Universalist Association Summer Institute
Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio Brochure Index ~ SI Basics ~ Theme Speaker ~ Music ~ Children's Program ~ Youth Program ~ Young Adult Program ~ Adult Morning Workshops ~ Afternoon Activities ~ Evening Activities ~ Workshifts ~ Registration ~ Kenyon

Summer Institute Basics

From the Chair

These are uncertain times, and for some of us even scary times. FDR’s famous statement, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself” is now apropos for another generation of Americans. I can think of no better way of addressing our fears and uncertainties than attending Summer Institute 2009 and helping to celebrate SI’s 30th anniversary.

Just being a part of such a large UU Community is soothing to the soul in and of itself. We begin each day with whole community, intergenerational, family worship. This year our morning worship will be led by Rev. Dr. Susan Ritchie, minister at North UU Congregation in Lewis Center, Ohio. I guarantee this will be a meaningful experience for the whole family.

Meeting new friends and sharing your life’s “joys and concerns” with others who care can be therapeutic and cathartic. Meal times are excellent opportunities for meeting new friends. This year we will be enjoying a brand new, state of the art, dining facility located in the renovated, beautiful Peirce-Dempsey. This building will also house our pub and nonalcohol canteen in the evenings. Both venues feature music provided by some of our very talented SI musicians and both experiences are opportunities for building relationships.

Check out the wide variety of workshops described in this brochure. They range from physically active to intellectually stimulating, from musical to spiritual and from entertaining to educational. You are bound to find something that can give you a boost through your life’s journey.

SI is becoming more and more an exercise in making choices. As we have steadily increased in numbers since our humble beginning in 1979, program opportunities have also increased. There was a day when you could “do it all” at SI. To accommodate the variety of interests and the number of attendees, there will be more than one activity going on at the same time. Making a choice can sometimes be frustrating but don’t forget that having a choice is a good thing. It is also important to remember, as my father used to say, “It is possible to have too much of a good thing”. So don’t forget to carve out some “alone time” for yourself. Kenyon College is a beautiful campus with huge old shade trees under which you can find a bench or an Adirondack Chair. You’ll also find a wonderful bookstore, coffee shop, exercise facilities and a Rails-to-Trails bike path.

SI is billed as an intergenerational institute. It is truly amazing to see infants and toddlers as well as meet people in their eighties. Although there are many activities for all ages, there is a separate program for children each morning. The theme speaker and the morning workshops are for adults. The youth are involved in their own programming as are the young adults. Afternoons and evenings provide both intergenerational and age specific activities.

Come and be a part of a larger UU community. Take a break from the barrage of daily bad economic news. It will be money well spent. Where else could you take a family for a week, house them, feed them, entertain them, and provide them with opportunities for spiritual growth and making lifelong friends for what it costs to attend SI?

John Rodeheffer, Chair 2009 Summer Institute

Worship

Inspirational inter-generational worship is an integral part of Summer Institute. Morning worship will be led by Rev. Dr. Susan Ritchie, minister of the North UU Congregation of Lewis Center OH. Three evening services will be led by staff members of the Ohio-Meadville District. Two evening services will be led by Youth and Young Adults.

Schedule

The SI Bookstore

The headquarters for SI Tshirts, Skinner House & Beacon Press books, works by SI artists, and the SI scholarship raffle is located just off the Pierce Dining Hall. Stop in after lunch or dinner with your cash, check, Visa or MasterCard. Artists or congregations wishing to sell items should contact Anita Hagar at hagara at comcast.net and Sue Michael at smichael6 at sbcglobal.net for more details.

The Details

You’ll register for Summer Institute online or by mail (soon, so that you get first dibs on workshops. Plus, if you register by June 1, you get that $75.00 discount!), and receive all kinds of handy information before you arrive. But it’s important to know that Summer Institute begins on Sunday, July 12 and that on-campus check-in takes place between 2 PM and 5 PM. Helpers will assist you carrying your luggage up to your room, and we’ll dine together before our opening celebration at 7:00. You’ll be leaving after breakfast and our closing ceremony on Saturday, July 18, 2009. To be compliant with state and local laws, no B.Y.O.B. in the Pub, wear helmets at all times when riding bicycles and please reserve golf cart usage for those that need a ride. Unruly behavior is not acceptable within the Summer Institute community. It is your community and if you feel comfortable, please voice your concern; directly or with an SI Planning Committee member.

Insurance Disclaimer

If you’re a Summer Institute attendee and you leave campus for any reason except for specifically scheduled Summer Institute activities, the Ohio-Meadville District’s Liability Insurance will not cover you if you are hurt or in an accident. Summer Institute’s liability insurance covers only ON CAMPUS events. If you leave campus, you must rely on your own insurance. Also, if you come for even a tiny part of the week, you must register.