An Intentional Community
Summer Institute is an intentional intergenerational community that gets created and re-created each summer as we come together to live fully as Unitarian Universalists. It is a vacation week to grow, relax, play, and connect. It is a time to experience workshops and new ideas. It is a place for relaxed conversations with old friends and friends you do not yet know. It is a time to recharge and live fully.
There is a diversity of both programming and worship opportunities designed to appeal to the breadth of our community. The content of the programming and the worship are meaningful, but these community-wide events also serve to create a shared experience. There is also time for quiet reflection and introspection. We each create our own balance of activity and peace. As fabulous as it is, the programming just scratches the surface of Summer Institute. At the end of our week our sense of trust and confidence in the inherent goodness of others reaches a new level. The integrity of our intentional community is reflected by simple things, such as the transformation of perfect strangers to friends over the course of a meal. We experience our diversity and celebrate our humanity. We live and breathe our Unitarian Universalist principles without explanation to each other or any sense of self-consciousness.
When the week together is over we wonder how we can bring this life experience home with us. That is the SI magic. The result is something quite spectacular.
Seminars
After the adult theme talk, it’s time to head off to morning seminars. These vary year to year, depending upon proposals. Anything from theological discussion, making art, dancing, yoga, or watching film clips. If the mood strikes you, you can also just sit under a tree and read a good book.
Specific morning seminars are always detailed on the website, shortly before registration opens.
Getting Around
Almost all of Summer Institute’s activities take place a short walk from where our main housing is located. Worship, theme talks, seminars and workshops are scheduled in various buildings relatively close on campus. Most attendees walk between those locations, but SI provides golf cart transportation for those with limited mobility challenges. To rent a mobility scooter for building-to-building transportation, phone number of a scooter vendor will be provided during registration sign-up. You will need to call and pay for scooter and tell them it is for CERSI. Scooter vendor will arrange to deliver to campus so scooter is waiting for you.
The Bookstore
The bookstore is the headquarters for UU books, works by SI artists, and the SI scholarship raffle.
Remember to bring your cash, check, or major credit card. Profits go to the CERSI Heart scholarship fund.
For information on selling items at the bookstore please email bookstore@cersiuu.org