Workshop Forms Due Nov 1st

Reminder that the forms workshop proposals for OMDSI 2008 are due on Nov 1st! The forms are available on http://www.omdsi.org.

If you do submit a proposal, please look for an acknowledgment from Jane Harkey, who is the workshop coordinator, to make sure the proposal was received and is being processed.

And, even if you are just thinking about a proposal at this time, please drop her an email today to let her know that you might be submitting a full proposal later this month, so she can plan appropriately.

Jane can be reached directly at janeharkey@hotmail.com.

SI '07 Pictures Ready for Viewing

Brad Bolton has posted his pictures of OMDSI'07 (and past years) at http://www.proftalon.smugmug.com/. Enjoy!

A Letter from Dave

Summer Institute Community,

What a week we had at Kenyon College. We all look at SI through the lens of our own experience and expectations, and I hope your week was as full of new relationships and new experiences as mine was.

I loved the sessions on Buddhist meditations and chanting, and used them to calm myself between dealing with the usual problems when 600 people get together for a week away together. As SI ’07 Chair Amy Kent likes to say, “SI is like throwing a weeklong party for 600 of your closest friends.”

Speaking of Amy, wasn’t she amazing. The way she handled everything from broken bones to last-minute announcements she couldn’t read, Amy handled anything that was thrown at her with grace and a laugh. I’m feeling a bit insecure moving into her job, as SI ’08 chair, but as a backpacking mentor advised me many years ago, I’ll do this job one step at a time and eventually we’ll all reach the mountaintop.

Before I talk about what changes there will be at SI 2008, I’d like to linger a little more on SI 2007. The further I am from Summer Institute, the more I realize how good the week was for my soul. During SI ’07 I went from dealing with one problem to the next as did most planning committee members, but along the way I made such close connections with several people I had never known well before.

In Unitarian speak I was in “right relationship” with them, but to me I made friends out of a need to build a support network quickly to keep me sane. From my fellow planning committee members who forged a strong bond to a young adult who was a good listener and helped me work through a couple bad spots, their sage counsel and friendship will stay with me a long time.

And I have to give Alyssa Lamb’s tie-dying afternoon workshop a plug. What a nice break it was to take an old shirt to her workshop and emerge with a piece of art I could wear, and continue to wear back home. I wore one of the shirts I tie-dyed to a weekend book discussion group and it was the hit of the party.

But SI 2007 is now over and we begin planning for SI 2008. The biggest change, which will impact everything from scheduling to programming, is that a newly renovated and expanded Pierce Hall will be open for us. Beginning in March, 2008, Pierce Hall will serve as the main dining center for Kenyon College. It will seat and serve 1,500 diners at a time, with eating areas on two floors. Food service will be handled at multiple feeding stations for easy access and to reduce lines.

Pierce will also feature a new and expanded Pub on the lower level in the area of the old Pierce Pub. The new Pub will have increased seating and a small stage for musicians. In addition to the Pub we will sponsor a non-alcoholic coffee house in Pierce during Pub hours with free coffee and places for conversation, games, and musicians.

We will also have Hanna Hall available to us at SI 2008. Always a favorite with SI families, it was being renovated this years to refinish its floors and spruce the grand old lady up a bit. Ernst and its “food court” will be gone by next summer, literally gone, replaced by a sloping hill, hopefully of grass and not dirt.
The SI Planning Committee is seeking proposals for workshops by Nov. 1. I’ve heard that our ’07 theme speaker, the Venerable Shih Ying-Fa, the abbot of the CloudWater Zendo and founder of the Zen Society of Cleveland, is proposing that he present a workshop based on the formal Chinese and Japanese tea service. (How cool is that? Let alone that the guy has the title “Venerable.” That’s way cool).
I’ve also heard about possible workshops on the art of mosaics and deep-water aerobics (I don’t think you’ll need scuba gear). Your planning committee will meet the second Saturday of every month at the beautiful Akron church to plan a great 2008 SI.
I’ll keep you all updated so you’ll know what to expect. See you at Kenyon in 2008.

Dave Murray
2008 Summer Institute Chair
dmurray08@gmail.com

Reimbursement Forms

We just realized that the home address for me on SI 2007 expense reimbursement forms is incorrect. Two numbers were transposed. The correct address is :

Dave Murray
2893 Bendigo Lane
Lambertville, MI, 48144

My Congregation

My Congregation
(sung to My Generation by the Who)
apologies to the Who; lyrics by Brad Bolton and Christie Anderson

(2 bars intro)
Falwell tries, to put us down; We won’t take it, lying down
Hank Thoreau is our hero; Next to him, Calvin’s a zero.

(chorus)
My congregation, my congregation baby
My congregation, my congregation baby

Open minds, we light our chalice; Open hearts, we have no malice
Have no creed, no dogma goals; WE have seven principles

My congregation, my congregation baby
My congregation, my congregation baby

Read our minds, on our bumpers; You won’t find no, bible thumpers
Long haired short haired butch or baldin’; All together we look for Walden

My congregation, my congregation baby
My congregation, my congregation baby

We don’t have no bible school; Hogwarts is our teaching tool.
Down to earth, never stuffy; We get high on fair trade coffee

My congregation, my congregation baby
My congregation, my congregation baby

Vegetarian, gluten free; Organically grown, non-dairee
Muslim, Buddhist, liberal Christian; Humanist, Atheist, Pagan, Wiccen

My congregation, my congregation baby
My congregation, my congregation baby

We are gay and we are proud; We wear our politics, very loud
Recycle reuse, don’t pollute; Drive hybrid cars to summer institute
Save the whale, save the lion; Save us from Dick Cheney’s lyin’

My congregation, my congregation baby
My congregation, my congregation baby
“Talkin bout my congregation” a capella

OMDSI 2007

Have you seen the slide show?

Start planning for next year!

The 2008 OMD Summer Institute will be held July 13-19, 2008, at the Kenyon College, with it's new dining facilities.

Keep an eye on this blog for more information as it develops.

SI '07 Workshops are closed

The following workshops are now filled and closed to additional registrants:

* Workshop #3 - What Matters, What Works, What’s Next?
* Workshop #6 - Happiness as Peace; from A Course in Miracles
* Workshop #7 - Campfire Sing-a-long
* Workshop #9 - Life Lessons
* Workshop #11 - Yoga and Meditation
* Workshop #12 – Feat of Clay

Welcome to the Summer Institute '07 Young Adult Program!

Attending the Young Adult Program?

By now, you should have received your welcome letter with information about what to bring. Let us, the SI Young Adult Panel, give you a few extra clues.

This year we’re housed in Leonard. It’s close to food this year, and closer to Horn Gallery for our programming, BUT the dorm is NOT air conditioned. Please Please PLEASE bring a fan with you. The YA Panel will purchase some fans, but we cannot supply everyone, and it will be hot during SI.

Also, if you have lawn chairs or camping chairs, you may want to bring them to enjoy sitting outside and relaxing when it’s not scorching hot.

There are standard issue linens available, but you may feel more comfortable bringing your own, so I suggest it!! And bring flip flops for the shower, just in case.

An important reminder about Monte Carlo Nite: Not only is it a fundraiser for the YA scholarship program, it’s our premiere event. Every young adult is expected to be part of our event, so please bring some formal attire (a black dress, black dress clothes, especially if you’d like to be a games dealer!, or even some sort of costume-think along the lines of a cocktail event, if that helps). If we’re all in it together, we’ll help build an aura about our event that will make it incredibly memorable AND help us bring in extra funds, which will bring more of you and your friends in the future!!

Upon your arrival Sunday, please come to Horn Gallery by 8 p.m. so we can go through our YA Orientation and make sure everyone knows where we’ll be for our activities this year. If you don’t remember where that is, check your map from your on-site registration packet, or just ask!

The Young Adult Panel has been working hard all year for this-we are SO EXCITED you’ll be with us for an exciting week!!! If you have questions up until your arrival, please contact the YA Program Coordinator, Erin at 330-573-2030 or uu.rawkstar gmail.com.

Much UU love, and we can’t wait to see you at Summer Institute!!

Sincerely,

the SI Young Adult Panel (SIYAP!)

Erin, Caleb, Krissy, Amber, Collin, & Lexi

On whose side is Servus Snape?

To all registered SI Campers:


On whose side is Serverus Snape? Is Albus Dumbledore really dead? Why doesn't Voldemort have a nose? Will Hermione pound Draco Malfoy into a pile of squashed pumpkins? Will Harry do the same with Dudley Dursley? And, most importantly, WHICH TWO CHARACTERS WILL NOT SURVIVE THE NOVEL? These, and other exciting questions, will be answered on July 20, 2007 when Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is finally published.

To celebrate, Summer Institute will hold a Harry Potter Publication Party from 11:30-12:15am Friday night in front of Rosse. At midnight, Paragraphs Bookstore from Mt. Vernon will arrive on campus, delivering copies of the book for $24.99+tax (30% off the cover price). To reserve your advance copy, email the SI Chair at chair07 -at- omdsi -dot- org.

Wither Ye Pub?

Given the demolition and rebuilding of the old pub, where might the pub be this year?

This year, the Pub will be at the newly renovated Village Inn. The Village Inn is located in the town between the Book Store and the Middle Ground Coffeehouse. If you don't recall being there, it is because it has been closed since 2002. The building has since been purchased by Kenyon and reopened just this March under the same management as the wonderful Middle Ground Coffeehouse.

In the spirit of past pubs, they will be a place for music making and an outdoor patio area. This is our nightly gathering spot for fun, friendship, conversation, games, and music!

Workshops are closed

Update posted June 15th

The following workshops are now filled and closed to additional registrants:

• Workshop #3 - What Matters, What Works, What’s Next?
• Workshop #7 - Campfire Sing-a-long
• Workshop #9 - Life Lessons
  
• Workshop #11 - Yoga and Meditation
• Workshop #12 – Feat of Clay

Athletic Center

Kenyon opened the doors to its spectacular new $70 million athletic center in January 2006. Distinguished by soaring glass walls and light-filled spaces, the 263,000-square-foot building serves the needs of everyone from the casual jogger and the weekend hoopster to the fitness fanatic and the varsity athlete.

Read more at http://www1.kenyon.edu/athleticcenter/

Junior and Senior High Youth

For the very first time, this year junior and senior high youth will have different theme speakers. Annabelle Clippinger (see bio) will be the theme speaker for the youth who have completed grades 6, 7 and 8, and David Clippinger (see bio) will be the theme speaker for the youth who have completed grades 9-12. Some coordination between the youth theme speakers and the adult theme speaker (the Venerable Shir Ying Fa, the abbot of the Zen Center of Cleveland) of the daily theme talks/discussion topics will take place. The hope is that this will encourage informal inter-generational discussion of common topics. All youth will participate in the remainder of Youth Program activities, e.g., morning workshops, touch groups, Youth Vespers, etc., together. At SI, early afternoon and evening programming is intergenerational so that children, youth and adults have a chance to meet and mix.

SENIOR HIGH PROGRAM
“The Middle Path” led by David Clippinger
The Middle Path also embodies an ethical program of right action, right speaking, and right thinking (three manifestations of the Eight Fold Path of fundamental Buddhist practice), which overlaps in rather significant ways with the seven Unitarian Universalist Principles. By using those UU principles that are familiar to the youth at SI, the daily theme talks and hands-on workshops will introduce the concepts of an ethical and value-laden existence as well as elaborate upon a number of means to achieve balance in one’s life. In addition to the talks, a number of hands-on activities will be incorporated into the sessions such as:

• Meditation/guided meditation
• Nature walks/walking meditation
• Making malas and learning how to use them
• Chanting/singing
• T’ai Chi exercises
• Dialogues/talks

David Clippinger (Ph.D.) is an ordained Buddhist (Ch’an) monk with
the Dharma Name of Venerable Shih Tao-Fa (The Way of the
Dharma). He has taught at the university level since 1989, and has
extensive experience developing educational and outreach programs
through various universities as well as through the Pennsylvania Humanities
Council and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. In addition to have
to having two children (Philip and Tess), which clearly speaks to
his background working with “youth,” he has taught Buddhism
and T’ai Chi workshops for young people throughout Pittsburgh.

JUNIOR HIGH PROGRAM
“Growing into Balance” led by Annabelle Clippinger
For many youth, who are emerging into adolescence, the issue of balance is particularly difficult. They are not quite children nor are they adults, but they are faced with many of the positives and negatives of both. Drawing upon a range of approaches—Earth-Based Spirituality, Buddhism, and Unitarian Universalism—daily theme talks will be designed to help young people find the way of harmony of the self and the world and to grow into “well-balanced” adults. Activities will vary from dialogues and discussion, movement and artistic expression, to hands-on activities, with a focus upon how balance is not only attainable but a spiritual necessity.

Annabelle Clippinger is the Director of Pitt Arts, an educational program that facilitates arts education events between arts organizations in Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh. She has been teaching at the university level since 1990, and has published two books of poetry. She is also an active UU. She is a member of the UU Church of the South Hills in Pittsburgh and serves on its Board of Trustees.

Monte Carlo Night

Don’t forget! Monte Carlo Night: The Premiere Young Adult Sponsored Summer Institute Black Tie Affair. Bring your best dress, and be prepared to raise the roof at the biggest party of SI 2007.

From http://bulletin.kenyon.edu/x2129.xml

And the Walls Came Tumbling Down...

But Dempsey Hall will rise again. Dempsey, which opened in 1963 as a companion to Peirce Hall, was razed this fall to make way for a newer, larger facility as part of the Peirce renovation project. In the new facility, students will enter an expanded food servery through a dramatic atrium. Peirce will retain its signature spaces, from the Great Hall and the main lobby to Peirce Lounge and the Bemis Music Room. The rebuilt Dempsey will feature a larger dining hall with bigger windows; on the lower level, a bigger central dining area will be flanked by four private dining rooms. The new facilities will include air conditioning, main-floor restrooms, a bigger pub space, and updated kitchen facilities equipped to store and process fresh local foods as part of the Food for Thought program.

Did ya' hear about the dining hall changes?

There’s Good News and Bad News about Dining in 2007

BAD NEWS: Kenyon College has closed our traditional cafeteria, Gund Dining Hall.

GOOD NEWS: Kenyon College has closed the tiny, cramped, totally inadequate cafeteria, Gund Dining Hall.

What have they replaced it with? Well, there’s good news and bad news.

GOOD NEWS: There’s a new, thousand seat dining hall being put in Pierce-Dempsey, the hall in the center of the campus.

BAD NEWS: It won’t be ready until 2008.

So what are they doing in the meantime? Well, there’s good news and bad news.

GOOD NEWS: They have a new, interim dining hall, which they call the “food court.” It’s not a real food court, but a modular-style cafeteria, featuring better food (there’s a new chef), several different forms of vegan protein at meals, plus (and this is near and dear to the UU heart) much better coffee. They call it a “food court” because it’s in the old basketball court.

BAD NEWS: The old basketball court is right across the street from the new athletic center, which, as regulars know, is way down the hill from the campus. And what are they doing about this? Well, there’s good news and bad news.

GOOD NEWS: From the North Campus, Kenyon will be running shuttle busses from the book store to the new dining facilities. From the South Campus, Kenyon’s put in a new pathway, less steep than the old ones, perfect for walkers and bike riders (see comments).

BAD NEWS: There really isn’t any.

PLUS there’s only good news about what it will contain. The SI Bookstore will move with us, and set up actually in the dining hall. The After-Supper Club, with supervised activities for youngsters, allowing adults to linger over the new, excellent coffee, will still be there. The boo-boo station will still be there. And you’ll still be able to get your evening copy of The Kaleidoscope, SI’s official newsletter, there every evening.

It’s a new experience, with both pluses and minuses, but we think you’re going to like it.

Registration is now open

Materials are up on the web!

• Go to www.omdsi.org to download the brochure for SI.
• Go to www.omdsi.org/regi.html to get the registration materials for SI.

Do we need a blog?

This might be useful for communicating about the goings on and planned events for OMDSI. Let me know what you think.