Subject: Press Backgrounder: UFMCC World Jubilee & General Conference
From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 14:57:15 EST

From the News Service of
the Universal Fellowship of
Metropolitan Community Churches

PRESS BACKGROUNDER

UFMCC International General Conference To Be Largest Gay Spirituality
Conference Ever

WHEN:
July 11-17, 1999

WHERE:
Bonaventure Hotel, Los Angeles, CA

HIGHLIGHTS:
-- 30th Anniversary Celebration of UFMCC

-- Dedication of UFMCC World Centre Headquarters

-- International Emphasis

-- More than 60 Workshops and Seminars

-- Gay and Lesbian Film Festival

-- Extensive Children's Program

-- Four All-Day Institutes

-- Opportunities for International Networking

GUEST SPEAKERS:

Rev. Dr. Jimmy Allen
Dr. Jimmy Allen is past President of the sixteen million member Southern
Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the United States.
Dr. Allen is author of Burden of A Secret, subtitled "A Story of Truth and
Mercy in a Family Faced with AIDS," in which he describes the death of a
daughter-in-law and two grandsons due to complications from HIV/AIDS.

Rev. Yvette Flunder
The Rev. Yvette Flunder serves as Senior Pastor of the City of Refuge
Community Church in San Francisco. This congregation combines powerful gospel
ministry with Christian social action. Under the leadership of Rev. Flunder,
City of Refuge has established three residential facilities for persons with
HIV/AIDS, including the first-ever residential facility for African-American
women living with AIDS. She also serves as President of the Black Adoption and
Research Placement Center and President of the Northern California-Nevada
Conference of the United Church of Christ.

Dr. R. Stephen Warner
Dr. R. Stephen Warner is a professor of sociology at the University of
Illinois at Chicago and a past president of the Association for the Sociology
of Religion.  He is the recipient of the Distinguished Book Award from the
Society for the Scientific Study of Religion.  Dr. Warner has taught and
lectured at numerous colleges, seminaries and universities, and has served as
a consultant to many organizations including the Presbyterian Church (USA) and
the Lilly Endowment.

FOUR PRE-CONFERENCE INSTITUTES:
Four intensive programs will be presented immediately preceding the World
Jubilee. The cost for registration is $25 (US) per person for each Institute.

--Becoming A Better Community Organizer
This Institute offers advanced leadership skills for those experienced at
working in the community, but who want to increase their effectiveness and
expand the scope of their work.  The program is led by David Fleischer, Senior
Fellow of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute (USA).
July 10 all day

--Asian & Pacific Islander Outreach Institute
This Institute, led by Rev. Elder Hong Tan, presents an opportunity to claim
an exciting vision for outreach to Asian and Pacific Islander brothers and
sisters. It includes both worship and workshops led by MCC Asian and Pacific
Islander church leaders.
July 9 evening, July 10 all day

--Families Together: Children's Ministry Institute
This one-day program will provide an opportunity for children and their
special adults to discover some of the best of what MCC has to offer.  It's a
hands-on adventure to experience church together as children and adults.
July 10 all day

--Building Effective Teams For Ministry
Team ministry seeks to maximize the creative potential of all individual gifts
and talents towards achieving an agreed upon goal or objectives.  Led by
Senior Pastor Tony Freeman, this Institute will feature the successful team
approach to ministry developed in MCC San Diego.
July 9 all day, July 10 all day

WORKSHOPS
More than 60 workshops will be offered throughout the week to foster personal
growth, encourage leadership development, provide resources to support local
ministry and activism, and promote inclusive spirituality. For a complete list
of workshops and the latest detailed  information update, check out the World
Jubilee section of the UFMCC's Website at http://www.ufmcc.com

FOR PRESS INFORMATION, CONTACT:
UFMCC Communications Department
8704 Santa Monica Boulevard, 2nd Floor
West Hollywood, CA  90069

Tel: (310) 360-8640, Ext. 226

Fax: (310) 360-8680

E-Mail: [email-masked]

(END)

==============================================================

From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 13:06:16 EST
Subject: UFMCC World Jubilee and General Conference

Celebrate A Jubilee of Joy!

UFMCC World Jubilee and General Conference
July 11-17, 1999 . Los Angeles, CA

NEWS FLASH!
Early registration fee extended to May 1!

Join the Celebration!
The 1999 UFMCC World Jubilee and General Conference Nineteen will be held at
the beautiful landmark Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles on
July 11-17. The celebration will begin on Sunday morning in West Hollywood
with the joyous dedication of the UFMCC's new World Centre and "mother"
church, Metropolitan Community Church of Los Angeles.

On Sunday evening, the magnificent ballroom of the Bonaventure will be filled
with joy as a global convocation of thousands gathers in worship to celebrate
30 years of powerful witness and ministry.

The week is packed with opportunities for worship, workshops, featured
speakers, special events and even a few surprises.

Don't miss this joyful Jubilee filled with inspiration, information and
insight!

Special speakers

Rev. Dr. Jimmy Allen
Dr. Jimmy Allen is past President of the sixteen million member Southern
Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the United States.
Dr. Allen is author of "Burden of A Secret," subtitled "A Story of Truth and
Mercy in a Family Faced with AIDS," in which he describes the death of a
daughter-in-law and two grandsons due to complications from HIV/AIDS.

Rev. Yvette Flunder
The Rev. Yvette Flunder serves as Senior Pastor of the City of Refuge
Community Church in San Francisco. This congregation combines powerful gospel
ministry with Christian social action. Under the leadership of Rev. Flunder,
City of Refuge has established three residential facilities for persons with
HIV/AIDS, including the first-ever residential facility for African-American
women living with AIDS. She also serves as President of the Black Adoption and
Research Placement Center and President of the Northern California-Nevada
Conference of the United Church of Christ.

Dr. R. Stephen Warner
Dr. R. Stephen Warner is a professor of sociology at the University of
Illinois at Chicago and a past president of the Association for the Sociology
of Religion. He is the recipient of the Distinguished Book Award from the
Society for the Scientific Study of Religion.  Dr. Warner has taught and
lectured at numerous colleges, seminaries and universities, and has served as
a consultant to many organizations including the Presbyterian Church (USA) and
the Lilly Endowment.

Workshops
More than 60 workshops will be offered throughout the week to foster personal
growth, encourage leadership development, provide resources to support local
church ministry, and promote inclusive Christian spirituality. For a complete
list of workshops and the latest detailed  information update, check out the
World Jubilee section of the UFMCC's Website at http://www.ufmcc.com

Pre-Conference Institutes

Take advantage of the opportunity for in-depth training in specific areas, as
well as networking with those having similar ministry interests. Four
intensive programs will be presented immediately preceding the World Jubilee.
The cost for registration is $25 (US) per person for each Institute.

--Asian & Pacific Islander Ministry Institute
This Institute, led by Rev. Elder Hong Tan, presents an opportunity to claim
an exciting vision for outreach to Asian and Pacific Islander brothers and
sisters. It includes both worship and workshops led by MCC Asian and Pacific
Islander church leaders.
July 9 evening, July 10 all day

--Families Together: Children's Ministry Institute
This one-day program will provide an opportunity for children and their
special adults to discover some of the best of what MCC has to offer.  It's a
hands-on adventure to experience church together as children and adults.
July 10 all day

--Becoming A Better Community Organizer
This Institute offers advanced leadership skills for active clergy and lay
leaders experienced at working in the community, but who want to increase
their effectiveness and expand the scope of their work.  The program is led by
Mr. David Fleischer, Senior Fellow of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Policy Institute (USA).
July 10 all day

--Building Effective Teams For Ministry
Team ministry seeks to maximize the creative potential of all individual gifts
and talents towards achieving an agreed upon goal or objectives.  Led by
Senior Pastor Tony Freeman, this Institute will feature the successful team
approach to ministry developed in MCC San Diego.
July 9 all day, July 10 all day

Special Events

An Opening Reception will be hosted by the hotel following the Sunday evening
worship service.  Enjoy meeting MCC friends from around the world as you view
a spectacular sight of the city at night from the rooftop pool side plaza of
the Bonaventure.

A Gay/Lesbian Film Festival will feature some of the best gay/lesbian films of
the twentieth century. Each film presentation will be followed by a discussion
period.

Celebrate a Festival of Tribute on Friday at a delightful soiree n the style
of Hollywood to honor notable excellence and accomplishments important to our
movement and community.

The Junior Jubilee
Children of all ages will love the Junior Jubilee. The daily program will
include age-appropriate opportunities to learn about worship and the special
ways in which children can participate. Children will be able to express their
creativity at the on-site ceramics studio at the Bonaventure. All children
will be able to experience two off-site adventures as well, including a day
trip to Olivera Street which features the special Mexican heritage of Los
Angeles, and to the Kids Museum of Los Angeles. Older children will visit
Universal Studios. The cost of the Junior Jubilee is $50 per child with a
maximum of $150 per family. These costs include all activities, except food
and special purchases.

Child Care
Infant care will be provided for children aged birth to 2 1/2 on-site by a
professional bonded childcare agency. The cost for infant care is $150 per
child for the week.

Trip to Disneyland
Saturday 17 July, 3:00 PM

Have fun under the sun, moon, and stars at Disneyland!  We will ride, play,
and have a gay old time from afternoon through evening, and then close down
the park with Fantasmic! at night. Busses will leave the Bonaventure at 3 p.m.
on Saturday, 17 July, and return at 1 a.m. Use the reservation form provided
with your World Jubilee registration confirmation to reserve your space. No
reservations accepted after June 15.

Admission only  $29 per person ($39 value)
Transportation only     $21 per person
Full Package            $45 per person

Travel and lodging

American Airlines is offering special air fares for the UFMCC World Jubilee.
To make reservations, call 1-800-433-1790 (U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada) or
contact your local American Airlines Reservations Office. You must provide the
appropriate UFMCC Authorization Number when making reservations to receive the
special fare.  For travel originating within the U.S., Puerto Rico, and
Canada, the UFMCC Authorization Number is 7079US.  For travel originating
within all other countries, the UFMCC Authorization Number is 7279US.  All
taxes, fees, and charges (and any related penalties and interest) imposed on
any portion of passenger's travel are the responsibility of passenger,
regardless of the date of purchase or travel, or any retroactive imposition of
such taxes, fees, charges, penalties, and interest.

A special hotel room rate is available at the Westin Bonaventure for
reservations made prior to June 10, 1999. The rate is $89 (US) plus 14% tax
per night for single/double occupancy; an additional $25 per extra person.
Hotel guest parking with in/out privileges costs $18.50 per day. To receive
this special rate indicate the reservation is for the Universal Fellowship of
Metropolitan Community Churches' conference. For reservations call Westin
Central Reservations at 800-937- 8461 or The Westin Bonaventure at
213-624-1000.

NEWS FLASH!
Early registration fee extended to May 1!

More information:
For more information on the schedule, workshops, special events, guest
speakers and other features of the World Jubilee/General Conference visit the
World Jubilee section of the UFMCC Website at http://www.ufmcc.com.

OR contact:

UFMCC
8704 Santa Monica Boulevard, 2nd floor
West Hollywood, California 90069
USA

Phone 310 360-8640
FAX 310 360-8680

REGISTRATION FORM

(Fill out one form per person)

Name: ____________________________________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________________
City ___________________________________ State/Prov _________________
Country ________________________________ Zip/PC ____________________
Phone (Day/Evening) ________________________________________________
Email ____________________________________________________________
Church Attended: ___________________________________________________

Services Requested:
_______ Sign Language Interpretation
_______ Child Care
_______ Spanish Language Interpretation
_______ Other

If you will attend business sessions of the General Conference please check
one appropriate following category. Pre and post-general conference business
materials will be sent to the address above and are included in registration
fees for delegates and official observers only.

_______ Clergy Delegate (UFMCC credentialed clergy with an active license to
practice)
_______ Retired Clergy Delegate (Retired UFMCC Clergy)
_______ Lay Delegate (UFMCC Commissioned or Chartered Church Lay Delegate)
_______ Lay District Coordinator, Lay Elder, or Lay Coordinator of Church
Extension
_______ Alternate Lay Delegate
_______ Registrant
_______ Official Observer (Delegate of New Work/Special Ministry, Interim
                  Pastoral Leader, Clergy Candidate)
_______ Other: ________________________________________________

Clergy and Lay Delegates only complete the following local church information:
_____ Chartered Church  _____ Commissioned Church
_____ New Work  _____ Special Ministry

Number of official delegates: _____ Clergy              _____ Lay

Registration fees: Fee includes all plenary sessions and workshops, General
Conference business sessions and Jubilee events. Only one discount may be
applied.
Early Registration (postmarked by April 15)                             $205
Late Registration (postmarked April 16 through June 1)  $245
On-Site Registration (at the Bonaventure Hotel)                 $265
Group Registration                                                                              $195 each
(Four or more from one MCC       congregation; must be sent in together)

[Mail in registrations will not be accepted after June 1, 1999]

General Conference business materials for non-delegates $45
Youth/Young Adult Discount              Subtract        $40
Outside USA Discount                    Subtract        $40

PAYMENT OPTIONS:
_____ Check or money order made payable in US Funds to "UFMCC World Jubilee"
_____ Visa      _____ MasterCard        _____ American Express
Card Number: _______________________________ Exp Date ___________
Signature: ______________________________________________________

Please send payment with this form to:
UFMCC World Jubilee
8704 Santa Monica Blvd., 2nd Floor
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Fax: 310-360-8680

Please send information and forms for:
_____ Volunteer Opportunities
_____ Resource Expo
_____ Scholarship Form
_____ Formularios de Registration en Espanol
_____ Children's Registration and Child Care
_____ Music Ministry

(END)