Report on General Assembly Meetings The General Assembly (GA) of The Unitarian and Free Christian Churches met this year at the University of Hertfordshire, from Tuesday 10th to Friday 13th April. This campus was completed in 2003 and is built on the site of the famous de Havilland aircraft company, home to many ground-breaking leaps in aviation history: the first passenger Jet aircraft, the Comet, and one of the famous aircraft of WWII “the Wooden Wonder” to mention but two. We flew into Stanstead airport on Tuesday morning and took connecting buses to the de Havilland campus, in good time to have a fine lunch. At reception we were greeted by Maud Robinson who sorted out our registration and directed us to the desk to sign in for our room keys. Bill was immediately recognised and was warmly welcomed. It has to be seen to be believed, the regard with which our Rev. Bill Darlison is held by the wider Unitarian community. Opened in 2003, the campus is very modern and very new looking as were our rooms. Each room was fitted out for one student with en suite facilities and shower, a single bed, a fridge, a large desk and shelving the length of the desk - very plush! Delegates attended from throughout England, America, Canada, Transylvania and beyond. The General Secretary Jeff Teagle, who has retired, after thirteen years as General Secretary to GA, very kindly welcomed us personally on the first evening. Jeff himself lived in Dublin for a number of years, and has flown over most of Ireland at one time or another. In his retirement he intends to use his time rebuilding the plane he flew here. The connection with the de Havilland Company is not lost as most of the buildings on the campus hold evocative names: ‘Weston’ auditorium, ‘Comet’ bar, ‘Mosquito’ suite, ‘Moth’ and ‘Tiger Moth’ Way - all names associated with aviation history before the university was built. As the Dublin delegate, I attended most of the GA business meetings and learned much regarding the current activities. The new governing structure seems to have been well received and has generated a very positive atmosphere, ready for growth and expansion. An insight into the problems facing Unitarian Ministry in England was outlined by Jeffrey Teagle on Tuesday afternoon: there are 64 ministers at present serving the denomination, but by this year end there will only be 55. This fact, taken on its own, is not all doom and gloom, Jeff pointed out that overall the denomination is not declining as rapidly as some other religious denominations. Opening worship in the evening was lead by Rev. Celia Cartwright, all of the hymns were sung with gusto! The main ‘Weston’ auditorium stands on the area once occupied by the hanger that assembled the first passenger jet aircraft. Also housed in this space were all of the smaller lecture theatres that facilitated the other working groups and workshops. ‘Empower Your Communication’ was a very interesting talk, but a two day course condensed into one hour is a little too hard to take in all at once. The Psychical Society, chaired by Rev. Bill Darlison was given by the Swedenborg Foundation, on the life of Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772), Scientist, Philosopher and Spiritual Explorer. Swedenborg was a noted Swedish scientist, philosopher and theologian, best known for his later writings, in which he presents ideas both Christian and ecumenical, for a new spiritual era or "new church" to be known as the New Jerusalem. The Anniversary service was lead by Rev. Brenda Catherall who regaled us with visions of lap-dancers near her church in Bury. Not a bad idea for entertainment ! Rev.Jane Baraclough and Rev.Art Lester send their greetings to everyone in Dublin. It was nice to meet with them again. I was fascinated by the idea that the GA was being held on such a famous site of pioneering ideas from the de Havilland company, but these are too numerous to list here, (it would take roughly 1500 lines of 10pt text for the major ones, that would take 32 of this page size to list) three significant ones, all wood construction, wood and metal bonded (adhesive Redux ), pressurized cabins. Being in the atmosphere of the home of so many innovative ideas I hope will inspire the forward thinking planners in the Unitarian denomination to take wings, spread them, and fly ! Paul Spain Cover