Summer Institute Basics

From the Chair

Building a House of Hope is a wonderful concept. Can you image a world built by UUs? A place where you are safe to be whoever you are. It would be a community with whom you share ideals and values... be the village that helps you raise your children... feel like a home where you are challenged and nurtured.....it would be Summer Institute!

This is not just my vision of Summer Institute. Last summer we invited you to share your vision of the future of SI. We listened to what you value about your experiences here. Laura Howe did a fabulous job collecting and compiling our findings. The result of her work is the following:

Summer Institute Vision Statement
Our vision is UU community built with a sense of belonging and acceptance that gathers, learns from each other, worships together, and is inspired.

To that end the Planning Committee will:

In order to manage this growth, we are starting to compile an operations manual —everything you need to know to create Summer Institute. We hope that you will be willing to share your talents with the larger community—especially knowing that resources exist to get you up to speed quickly.

Normally house construction starts with a vision of what it should look like. Next come the blue prints. Thirty-one years ago, the UUs that created SI started by building the community. I think when you start by building community you end up with a house of hope. Or maybe just SI magic....

Anne Wilson
Chair, 2011 OMD Summer Institute

Worship

Inspirational inter-generational worship is an integral part of Summer Institute. Morning worship will be led by the Rev. Susan Ritchie. Three evening vespers will be led by Amy Collins. Two evening services will be led by Youth and Young Adults. All of these are community gathering times and announcements are made either before or after these services.

Rev. Susan Ritchie has been minister of the North Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Lewis Center, Ohio since 1996. She is also the Ohio Meadville District representative on the Unitarian Universalist Association's Board of Trustees, and Professor of Unitarian Universalist Heritage at the Starr King School for the Ministry. Skinner House is releasing her book on Unitarian identity in relationship to Islam and Judaism this year. Miss Merrily has been Director of Puppet Ministries at North UU Congregation since September, 2007. Prior to that she worked as retail. Her intergenerational Family Worships are so popular that she has to be taken into protective custody immediately afterwards.

Amy Collins' theme for the three Evening Vespers services she will be conducting is "The Portable UU House." The question she'll be addressing is "how do we take the spirit of UU progressive religious communities and ally with other communities for a shared message of inclusive hope, love and collaboration?" Prior to SI, Amy will be soliciting an intergenerational group via the SI e-mail list to become the "UU players" for skit/stories for each service. Get ready for music, too, because it will be an important part of each service. Amy Collins is a Commissioned Lay Leader at the UU Society of Cleveland.

Schedule

The SI Bookstore

The headquarters for SI Tshirts, Skinner House & Beacon Press books, works by SI artists, and the SI scholarship raffle is located just off the Pierce Dining Hall. Stop in after lunch or dinner with your cash, check, or credit card. Artists or congregations wishing to sell items should contact Sue Michael or Deborah Baird at bookstore at omdsi.org for more details.

The Details

You’ll register for Summer Institute online or by mail (soon, so that you get first dibs on workshops. Plus, if you register by June 1, you get that $75.00 discount!), and receive all kinds of handy information before you arrive. But it’s important to know that Summer Institute begins on Sunday, July 10 and that on-campus check-in takes place between 2 PM and 5 PM. Helpers will assist you carrying your luggage up to your room, and we’ll dine together before our opening celebration at 7:00. You’ll be leaving after breakfast and our closing ceremony on Saturday, July 16th. To be compliant with state and local laws, no B.Y.O.B. in the Pub, wear helmets at all times when riding bicycles and please reserve golf cart usage for those that need a ride. Unruly behavior is not acceptable within the Summer Institute community. It is your community and if you feel comfortable, please voice your concern directly or with an SI Planning Committee member.

Note: if you come for even a tiny part of the week, you must register.

Assistance

Please be sure to indicate your special needs on your registration form. Including use of either of these services offered by the SIPC:

• For those needing assistance in getting between the dining hall, dorms, and various activities, golf cart service will be available between key campus locations before and after meals and scheduled events.
• For those with hearing difficulties, a limited number of headsets will be available for use in Rosse Hall only.

Photographs

You are being asked to give permission to be photographed on your registration form. However... Please be aware that SI Community members take personal photos. The SIPC does not have control over this. Selecting the "opt out" choice on the registration form only means that you opt out of inclusion in videos and photos sanctioned by the SIPC taken during SI. (Those photos may be used in district publications including the website. Individuals will not be identified in publications.) We suggest that if you note someone taking a photo in your area, and do not want to be in it, please step out of the area.

Insurance Disclaimer

If you’re a Summer Institute attendee and you leave campus for any reason except for specifically scheduled Summer Institute activities, the Ohio-Meadville District’s Liability Insurance will not cover you if you are hurt or in an accident. Summer Institute’s liability insurance covers only ON CAMPUS events. If you leave campus, you must rely on your own insurance. Also, if you come for even a tiny part of the week, you must register.

Getting Around

Almost all of Summer Institute's activities take place on the South Campus, where our main housing is located and where worship, theme talks and workshops are scheduled in various buildings around the main quad. Most of us walk or ride our bikes between those locations, but SI provides golf cart transportation for those who with mobility challenges.

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

Most dorms are not air conditioned and people often bring fans from home (as well as lamps, clocks, stereos, bicycles and, occasionally, lap top computers). Window air conditioners are NOT allowed. All bathrooms look like those on college campuses and our meals taste a lot like cafeteria food, but substantially better, with recognition of the needs of our vegetarian and vegan UUs. If campers want to use Kenyon's linen, they can indicate such on the registration form.

How to find out more

Check out our web page at www.omdsi.org. Email our committee chair Anne Wilson, sicommttee at ohiomeadville.org, or contact our registrar Renaye Brauning by email at registrar at omdsi.org. For scholarship information, contact John Marshall at scholarships at omdsi.org . Kenyon College also has a web page at www.kenyon.edu.

What to Pack

SI is hosted by Kenyon College, which is located in rural Gambier, Ohio. Morning activities, meals and sleeping will be inside. However, many of your activities during the day will be outside and somewhere on Kenyon’s 1,000 acre campus, so be prepared to walk a little, possibly in less then perfect weather. The food in Kenyon’s new dining hall is very good and plentiful, but if you think you’ll want something to eat/drink in-between meal times, bring a little money to buy food in Kenyon village. Located in the middle of campus, Kenyon village is no bigger then one block, but it includes a convenience and book store, coffee shop (with free wi-fi), a sandwich shop and restaurant. Kenyon College also has a modern six acre recreational building, which includes an Olympic-sized indoor swimming pool, weight room, tennis, squash and volleyball courts, a 200m track, and football/soccer field.

Packing List

The Basics: ~ Enough clothes for seven days! ~ Shoes good for lots of walking ~ Toothbrush/Toothpaste/Floss ~ Shampoo/Shower stuff ~ Swimsuit/Towel ~ Pillow/Bedding/Sheets/ Sleeping Bags ~ Your personality!

Optional, but encouraged! ~ Musical instruments ~ White clothes for tie-dye (at least 50% cotton) ~ Alarm clock/radio ~ Frisbee/Soccer ball/Football, etc ~ Spending money ($10-$30) ~ Snacks (poptarts, trail mix, dried fruit, etc) ~A talent/skill for the youth talent show