Murray Grove at the General Assembly

Murray Grove had a distinct and positive presence at General Assembly in Boston this year, beginning with an eye-catching display in the enormous exhibition hall at the Hynes Convention Center. The display was designed by Eileen Murphy of Unco Design, working closely with Ellen. This year for the first time, seven UU Camps and Retreat and Conference Centers clustered together in a larger exhibit space under the umbrella of the Council of UU Camps and Conferences (CU2C2) to show the world of UUs the breadth of what we had to offer. In addition, hundreds of GA participants ended up sporting Murray Grove badge lanyards specifically made for the occasion.

The John Murray Distinguished Lecture was a thought provoking presentation by Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt of the Fourth Universalist Society in NYC to an audience of several hundred. The lecture is highlighted on the UUA website (uua.org) with photos and an audio recording, and it will soon be available in the third volume of the John Murray Distinguished Lectures that will be published in the coming year. The workshop we sponsored this year, "Edifice Complex", was a panel that offered insight into the difficult decisions involved in keeping our historic buildings even when they do not meet the needs of the congregation. The workshop was attended by approximately 50 highly interested folks, many with stories to share about the dilemmas they face keeping their own buildings in good repair. There was, however, a strong feeling conveyed that sustaining our history through the care of our buildings was important. A special thanks to Paul Carbino for his donation of a large table display board used for our exhibit at GA.