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Application for Workshop Presentation - Annual Conference 2013

PSD Annual Conference 2013, April 5-7, Cedar Rapids, IA
Conference Theme:  Inspire the Future We Envision 

(Application deadline extended to Monday, October 1, 2012) 

 

"This is a religion which can save lives and the world. People seek a spiritual path that integrates their whole selves, that inspires awe, that celebrates beauty, and grounds justice. We can offer a vision of the good life, and the tools to make it real."  
~ Rev. Matthew Johnson-Doyle, Senior Minister at the UU Church of Rockford, Illinois

How did we get to be who we are as Unitarian Universalists today, and how will we define ourselves in the future? This conference will explore our storied past, our proud present, and how our religious communities must adjust to a changing world if we are to survive and thrive.  In the words of the Rev. Christine Robinson, who will give the Judy Lecture on Saturday morning, we must figure out a way to meet people’s needs for “depth, heart, spirituality, hope, faith and love.”

This conference marks the 50th, and possibly final, anniversary of Prairie Star District, as our delegates will be voting on regionalization at the Annual Business Meeting.  We will be talking a lot about regionalization in order to help people understand what it would mean for us.

More Conference Information.

Workshop Themes

  • Do you have an idea for helping others to deepen their lives and “integrate their whole selves”? 

  • Has your congregation figured out a way to “inspire awe, celebrate beauty, ground justice,” and attract and keep new members? 

  • Can you aid us in “offering a vision of the good life,” and give us “the tools to make it real”—or help us figure out how to live our UU principles daily?

  • We are also looking for engaging workshops that foster leadership development within our congregations, and for workshops that will strengthen our UU community.

  • This will be our fifth year of offering a multigenerational conference, and we especially welcome workshops that would engage youth and children of different ages in activities that will help them process this theme in meaningful ways.

Workshop Details

  • Workshop slots are limited in number. Preference will be given to sessions that reflect the conference theme, or provide for balance in the overall offerings.

  • Workshops will be offered in three sessions on Saturday during the conference. There will be fewer workshops offered this year because more time is needed for the Annual Business Meeting.

  • Workshops are one hour and 15 minutes in length. 

  • In general, PSD does not reimburse for workshop supplies. If this is a problem, please contact the Program Planning Committee (Robin Taylor, Chair, RobinESTaylor [at] gmail [dot] com) by the workshop application deadline September 24, 2012 (extended to Monday October 1, 2012).

  • Upon confirmation of workshop acceptance, all workshop presenters are invited to participate fully in the PSD Annual Conference. Workshop presenters are expected to register and pay the appropriate conference fee. We regret that the only compensation we offer our workshop presenters and other conference volunteers is our heartfelt thanks for their time, talents, and dedication to enriching our congregations.  Your contribution helps to make the conference affordable for everyone.  Thank you!

  •  Tips for a successful workshop.

Deadline

The application deadline is Monday, September 24, 2012 (extended to Monday October 1, 2012).  Applications will be reviewed by the end of October.

To Apply

Complete the form and click submit.

Principal presenter
If presenter is under age 18, please name his or her adult sponsor.
Email is the preferred mode of communication.
Workshop details
Please write a brief (50 words or fewer) description as you would like it to appear in the conference brochure. Description may be edited/shortened to fit in the conference brochure.
Will there be an opportunity for participants to put new skills into practice, or challenge themselves to problem-solve in small group discussions?"
Related resources
Are there any resources related to your workshop that you would recommend we order for the conference bookstore?
Room setup
Because hotels charge quite a lot to rent AV equipment, we strongly encourage you to bring your own or borrow from your church if possible, to help us keep down the costs of the conference. If you plan to show a DVD, you will need to make arrangements to have a laptop computer and projector.
All equipment requests need to be finalized by March 1, 2013.