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Set Your VCRs or
TiVos for the Compassion Forum 
This edition of PCD Currents is going out a day early to get this late breaking news story out as quickly as possible, knowing many will be interested. Our UUA, as part of the group Faith in Public Life, is sponsoring the Compassion Forum, to be aired on CNN **Sunday afternoon,** April 13, at 5:00 PDT, on CNN. Both Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will be speaking about issues of faith and morality. Senator John McCain declined the invitation to participate. The Reverend Meg Riley, Director of our Advocacy and Witness staff group, serves as the Chair of the Faith in Public Life Board. Rob Keithan, Director of our Washington Office for Advocacy, will be attending the live event, representing the UUA. Beacon Press author Eboo Patel (Acts of Faith) will be on the panel that questions the candidates on the pressing moral issues of our times. The show will be rebroadcast on April 20, just before the Pennsylvania primary, through the Church Communication Network, a subscription based service. | ||||||
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An Update on a Very
Special Documentary 
We have twice reported on the progress of a very special film, Preacher's Sons, in our Feb. 12, 2007 and July 16, 2007 issues. This documentary is the work of UU filmmakers C Reed and Mark Nealey. It follows the family life of the Reverend Greg Stewart, his partner Stillman White, and their five sons, from Greg's first ministry in Pasadena, CA, through Grand Rapids, MI, then our UU Fellowship of Northern Nevada, and now our San Francisco congregation. Reed described the work this way: "The journey of the family is presented within the context of the ongoing national debate about foster care, gay adoption and transracial adoption. The film challenges common preconceptions on both sides of the cultural divide about same-sex parents and their adopted children, and it presents a rich body of evidence that will encourage more thoughtful discussion of this emotion-laden topic." Preacher's Sons is a film with so much to teach-about family, about love, about commitment. It recently premiered in Los Angeles, and is now being distributed to independent theaters. We will report on any showings in our District as that information becomes available. We are so sad to learn of the recent death of Mark Nealey, who was diagnosed with advanced-stage cancer just after the completion of this remarkable film. The Reverend Greg Stewart co-officiated at the memorial service, the day after the film's premiere. | ||||||
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Great Tools for
Congregations 
Anti-racism, anti-oppression, multiculturalism (AR/AO/MC)-- I've heard President Bill Sinkford speak to the point several times. It happens when he's taking questions at the end of a presentation and one of us, so sincerely and lovingly, will ask what we can do, what his advice to us is, so that our congregations might attract more people of color. And Bill will gently remind us that we aren't ready for that, and that there is nothing spiritually grounded about seeking to increase our racial diversity so that we can feel better about ourselves. Instead, he invites us to do the real work, the transformational work that will change ourselves, whether or not it changes who's in the pews. It's not easy work to do, and it can be a
long road to travel. It can even be a challenge just to get significant
numbers to show up for the conversation. But it's worthy work, and it's
not something we can turn away from. Fortunately, there are excellent
resources available to help us! Take a look:
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Final and urgent call to Stand on the Side of Love - We have just one more weekend to fight back against those trying to get a constitutional ban against marriage equality in California. Help is needed immediately in Fresno (from 10 a.m to 2 p.m, and 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m) and Sacramento (from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.) on April 19 and 20. Our UU Legislative Ministry of CA asks, if there's any way at all that you can help, that you please join the Rapid Response Team now. You will be contacted within 24 hours. Tired of all the political attack ads? Thinking they've been around for way too long and hoping Unitarians stay above the fray? Well here's an early example: William Ellery Channing's attack ad on Ralph Waldo Emerson, and a second example of John Adam's attack ad on Thomas Jefferson. I didn't even realize YouTube went back that far. Here's a new interview with the Reverend Bill Sinkford, from the St. Petersburg Times. It's a really nice one!
District Assembly Deadlines - Be sure to make your hotel reservations by April 14, to get any requests for childcare in by April 15 (no kidding!), and to complete your own registration by April 18. Walk-ins will still be welcome, but can't be accommodated with meals or child care-and our programs for children and youth are the best ever this year. Super news! We've now got online registration available for District Assembly, using PayPal! | ||||||
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