The Official Summer Institute Real Information Service
Central East Region Summer Institute
Sunday, July 7, 2019
QUICK LINKS
Welcome to CERSI from 2019 Chair, Anne Wilson
Theme Speaker: Dr. Ysaye M. Barnwell
A Message from the Youth Co-Chair, Jimmy Moore
What’s New in 2019
A Big CERSI Welcome to First Timers
Online Menus, Ingredient Lists & Nutritional Data for Stevenson Meals
SIPC/SICoM Call for Nominations
“Thank You” from the Melanie Pescan Scholarship Fund
Fight Climate Change While Having Fun at SI
Restorative Practices Morsel from SICoM
Kid’s Corner Mealtime Crafts in Stevenson
Welcome Gatherings Sunday Evening
Children’s Vespers for Ages 8-11
Wednesday “Community Night” at Wilder
Workshops (Musical Theatre, Art in the Afternoon, Healing Drum & more)
Small Conversation Groups: An Opportunity for Deep Listening
WELCOME TO CERSI FROM 2019 CHAIR, ANNE WILSON
It is my honor to welcome you!
Welcome to the first timers, and welcome to those that are re
turning – whether you were here last year or your last visit was several years ago. We are glad you are back. We are happy you can join us to celebrate our 40th anniversary! It will be a fabulous week with Dr. Ysaye Barnwell as our theme speaker.
Creating CERSI takes a whole year of planning involving the skill, talents and love of a lot of people. I have the honor of welcoming you, but the whole committee is deserving of thanks: Cal Frye, Linda Fleming, Susan Roscigno, Jane Harkey, Liz Bright, Nathan Morse, Christa Champion and Becky Mitchell.
We hope you feel welcomed and love summer institute as much as we do. Put aside your cares for the week, and enjoy!
THEME SPEAKER: DR. YSAYE M. BARNWELL
Dr. Ysaye Barnwell will present a five-day version of her award-winning workshop, “Building a Vocal Community,” in which all participants—singers and non-singers alike—will experience the awesome power of the collective human voice, and share the common experience of learning in the oral tradition.
When uncommon voices are blended for the common good, we become a ‘vocal community’ at our best. Come share in the experience of building beloved community through a collective voicing of our shared joys, concerns, and humanity.
Hear Dr. Barnwell Monday through Friday from 9:30—10:15 am in the sanctuary of First Church.
A MESSAGE FROM THE YOUTH CO-CHAIR, JIMMY MOORE
I’d like to welcome all the youth to the SI Youth Programs. All of us here on SI Youth Panel (SIYP) are thrilled you’re here. Our theme speaker, Carolyn Glass, is a fantastic activist whose program will help you challenge big picture issues like identity and fighting injustice. Our programming starts immediately after opening ceremony with the youth bridging. Afterwards we will go inside for the mandatory parent/sponsor meeting. Please feel free to come up to me and say hi so I can welcome you in person.
WHAT’S NEW IN 2019?
-
- The name changed: We are CERSI now rather than OMDSI
- Because the name changed, we took the opportunity to do a complete website overhaul. Visit it at https://www.cersiuu.org/
- There is also a new Facebook page. Search for “Central East Region Summer Institute” on Facebook
- I don’t know if we can credit Dr. Barnwell or our marketing team, but we are pleased to welcome first timers from: California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersery, New York, Tennessee, South Carolina, not to mention people returning to SI from Oregon, and Sweden.
- The UUA staff changed: We said good bye to Joan Van Becelaere and hello to Sunshine Wolfe and Amy Kent.
- The registration team changed: Becca Morse stepped up and has done a stellar job of managing registration.
- Look for the bookstore’s expanded hours at First Church in the ‘JFO room’. Hours are on the schedule and at First Church. [John Frederick Oberlin room]
- We’ll also be using fewer dorms this year. So if you are in a dorm, you are in Kahn, East or Burton. The youth remain in Barrows and the young adults will be in Zechiel.
- We are welcome at Oberlin’s pool during the community hours: Monday-Friday – 10 am -1 pm, and 4 – 7:30 pm (7:00 pm Friday). Amy Collins will run water aerobics from 4-5 daily.
- Even First Church has been changing. They are in the middle of a renovation project but have kindly stopped their work this week while we are here.
- In response to feedback and in the interest of trying new things, we’ll have two late night spaces open in Wilder Basement. The pub will remain the place to go if you want to sing along or buy beer. We’ve added the Rathskeller where there will be trivia in the late night, and Bingo on Wednesday evening. While the pub remains adult-only, the Rathskeller is open to all.
- The OSIRIS daily newsletter will now be available online at https://www.cersiuu.org/mobile/ and in the lobby of each dorm.
A BIG CERSI WELCOME TO FIRST TIMERS
Welcome to CERSI! If you are a first timer and reading this – congratulations, you have your first issue of the Osiris! If you are a seasoned CERSI camper, share an Osiris with a First Timer. Look around you and connect with a new face!
The magic of SI, as stated in our covenant, is co-created. The magic this week will be co-created by 429 UU’s, including 93 first timers! This means that 2 out of every 10 campers (approximately) is a first timer. Engage in Radical hospitality.
Helpful hints for first timers (and seasoned campers):
- Stay hydrated
- Get sleep
- Meet new people
- Use sunscreen
- Ask questions
- Hold on to your lanyards and keys
- Remember! More will happen than you can possibly do in one day or a week. It is okay to skip an event or activity and relax!
During lunch on Monday and Tuesday, join us at a first timers table to check in, ask questions, meet new people. Look for the sign in Stevenson dining hall Middle.
Welcome to the 21 children, 9 youth, 3 young adults and 60 adults who join our intentional community for the 40th anniversary of summer institute.
SIPC/SICOM 2019 CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
The SI Planning Committee (SIPC), which makes SI happen each year, consists of 9 members who each serve for 3 years. The SI Committee on Ministry (SICom) addresses longer term issues and recruits nominees for both itself and the SIPC. SICom is soliciting for nominees to serve on either committee. Self nominations are welcome. We will have nomination boxes in First Church and in Stevenson Dining Hall. You may email your nominations to [email protected]. Please include a couple of sentences on why you recommend your nominee.
WHAT’S FOR DINNER? MENUS & MORE ONLINE!
Find menus, ingredient lists and nutritional data at: https://oberlin.cafebonappetit.com/cafe/stevenson-cafe/
THANK YOU, SI COMMUNITY
The Melanie Pescan Scholarship fund helped bring a total of 48 people to CERSI 2019, including 21 first timers, 4 youth, and 4 young adults. Your generosity has enabled us to have these wonderful people join us this week. There will be several opportunities to donate to the scholarship fund throughout the week—please continue to help us grow the scholarship fund so more people can join us next year!
FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE WHILE HAVING FUN AT SI
Climate change undermines many of our efforts for justice because it threatens the basic essential elements of well-being for people throughout the world. We all can work to reduce our carbon footprints, beginning this week during SI. Participants in last year’s Zero Carbon SI workshop identified the major sources of our SI carbon footprint as: transportation (driving to and from Oberlin), food (including food waste), and electricity (especially air conditioning).
Another significant source is hot water for showers, washing and cooking. The graph below shows the estimated 2018 SI carbon footprint per person in comparison to household national averages.
Of those sources, food — what we eat, how much we eat, and especially how much we waste – is something we have a lot of control over. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, ‘…each year 40 percent of food in the United States never gets eaten, translating to $218 billion lost. In addition to wasting precious resources, nearly all of the food waste ends up in landfills where it decomposes and releases methane” – a powerful greenhouse gas.
We encourage you to eliminate food waste wherever possible. Be mindful of the portions you are taking. Start small – you can always go back for more! Skip the tray unless you need one — you will be less likely to take more food than you can eat. Also, washing the trays uses a lot of hot water.
This year at SI, we will weigh our food and liquid waste each day so we can track how we are doing. Posters in the cafeteria spaces will remind everyone about avoiding food waste. Be on the lookout for Bobbi Broccoli the Food Waste Fighter!
RESTORATIVE PRACTICES MORSEL FROM SICoM
Greetings from SI’s Committee on Ministry (SICoM). This is the first in a series of short Osiris articles we will post on behalf of SICoM about restorative practices. Many of those attending SI have heard at least a little about restorative practices (sometimes called “RP” or referred to by a subset “restorative justice”). Some of you likely know a whole lot about RP. When we think of UU and restorative practices, many of us think of our covenantal faith, and how UU communities and individuals are linked together in a web of interconnection. Sometimes, however, our web can be hard to weave…or, it can become tangled or broken. Restorative practices can help. These practices span a spectrum ranging from the simple but mindful choice of words, to the skilled use of Circles, to the convening of a formal restorative conference, with many options and layers in-between. Restorative practices provide multiple tools to keep and strengthen covenant. We will be offering restorative practices opportunities in varied spaces here at SI. To learn more, look for tomorrow’s RP Morsel (or go to the CERSI Facebook page, or find information elsewhere here at SI)!
KID’S CORNER CRAFTS AT STEVENSON
Do your parents take too long to finish dinner? Do they lollygag and gab with other adults? There is a solution! Show them how to eat outside Kid’s Corner! Kid’s Corner is a craft station inside one of the glass rooms in the cafeteria. Each night will have a craft activity. This is an independent activity, so if you are a big, and there is a little one that needs some help, maybe you could help them.
MEET, GREET, RECONNECT AT SUNDAY GATHERINGS
There will be dorm and townhouse gatherings tonight at 9pm. Look for information in your dorm lobby or floor bulletin board.
The Townhouse party will be held at 290 Goldsmith Suite A, and hosted by Rebekah, Debbie and BK.
See old friends, make new friends and enjoy snacks, drinks, music and laughter!
CHILDREN’S VESPERS FOR AGES 8-11
Every evening children ages 8-11 (or thereabout) are invited to gather for children’s vespers in the RE space at First Church during adult vespers. We will look at the lives of five different young people who bravely raised their voices to build a more just community.
The five young change-makers are:
- Colin Kaepernick, racial equity activist
- Malala Yousafzam, girls’ rights activist
- Robby Novak (aka, Kid President), anti-bullying and motivational speaker
- Masey Diaz, education justice leader
- Greta Thurnberg, climate change activist
Through stories, videos, activities, and games we consider how we can use our own voices to bring about positive change. We’ll light the chalice, create crafts and share a yummy snack. A large dose of SI magic is guaranteed!
AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS
History of Musical Theatre, M-F 1:30-3PM – Need a break from the heat or rain? Each weekday afternoon we’ll meet room 254 of the Science Center and use music and video clips to tell stories about social justice around Times Square.
The Healing Drum Workshop, M-F 1:30-3PM, Learn about Afro/Cuban drum rhythms, drum chants, shamanic trance drum and free form drum circles. Having your own drum is not always needed, although it’s helpful. Percussion toys will be available to share. Meet weekdays, 1:30-3pm in the Burton Hall Basement. There will be break out Drumcircles in the evening. Find out more on Slack, or text Rebekah at 330-780-7476.
Art in the Afternoon , M-F 1:30-3pm, Join us daily in front of Burton Hall (or in the 1st floor lounge of Burton if it’s raining) for an upcycling craft – using stuff that might otherwise end up in a landfill. Supplies will be provided to decorate your name tag, make mini journals and quote/inspiration spools. There will also be a daily craft:
- Monday: Card making using a variety of rubber stamps/ink/markers and dot paints AND make your own foam stamp
- Tuesday: Glass gem magnets
- Wednesday: Decorate cloth bags with felt stickers and ribbons
- Thursday: Wine cork boards and decorative signs
- Friday: Free create – we’ll play with the supplies and goodies used during the week
Find many more afternoon workshop opportunities in our Programming section >>
WEDNESDAY IS “COMMUNITY NIGHT” AT WILDER!
It seems that after Opening Ceremonies we never have everybody in the same place at the same time… until Wednesday night, that is! On Wednesday evening, CERSI attendees of ALL stripes and ages will gather at Wilder Student Union right after Early Vespers for our annual “Community Night.” We’ll kick off the activities with an Ice Cream Social on the porch, followed by a family-friendly movie and the ever-popular all-ages UU Dance, deejayed once again by John Hummell.
This year we are introducing two new elements to our Community Night lineup. In addition to the Movie and the Dance on the first floor, there will also be a Bingo game going on downstairs in the Rathskellar. And during the Ice Cream Social, to warm you up for dancing and to serenade your socializing, there will be buskers performing in Wilder Bowl for your listening pleasure!
BUSKERS NEEDED!
If you have an instrument or a voice and a song to sing to please share your music with the CERSI community on Wednesday night in Wilder Bowl. Share one song or several. Solos, duos, trios, and larger acts are all welcome. Collections can be donated to the scholarship fund. Talk to Christa Champion (pictured here) to get your street busking permit today!
SMALL CONVERSATION GROUPS: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DEEP LISTENING
You are invited to join small conversation groups! We will meet On Monday, after dinner at 6:30 pm in Stevenson dining hall. Small conversation groups offer adult and young adult campers a format to meet new people, explore topics, share thick stories and participate in deep listening. During registration 80 campers signed up for a small conversation group experience. If you did not sign up during registration you can still join in by attending this meeting.
On Monday at 6:30pm, in Stevenson dining hall is our first and only large group meeting before we break into small groups for the week. Small conversation groups identify their own meeting time and location, which will be established during the Monday meeting. Please bus your dinner plates, cups, etc. before joining the meeting. Have a good time!