Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office

Each year all Unitarian Universalists are invited to participate in a competition for the outstanding sermon or address on developing a peaceful and just world.

This address may be one that you have already prepared or one that you create with this competition in mind. Adaptations of existing papers and talks are acceptable.

Reverend Greeley, first president of the UUA until 1969, continues to inspire us with his dedication to peace and justice, expressed in his ministry until his death in 1986. One of the principal founders of the World Conference on Religion and Peace (now Religions for Peace), he believed that strengthening the United Nations is part of our commitment to world community with peace, liberty and justice.

 Winner for the 2006 Greeley Address: Rev. Dr. Dorothy May Emerson, "Ending Poverty:  From Vision to Commitment"

Winner for the 2005 Greeley Address: Dr. John F. Crosby, Bloomington, IN (PDF)

Winner for the 2004 Greeley Address: The Rev. Dr. Richard S. Gilbert, Ithaca, NY (PDF)

Winner for the 2003 Greeley Address:  Prof. Richard Ford, New York, NY

Winner for the 2002 Greeley Address: The Rev. Dr. Stephen H. Furrer, Santa Fe, NM

You are invited to submit the text of your original sermon or address on a subject dealing with development of a peaceful and just world. This address may be one that you have already prepared or one that you create with this competition in mind. Adaptations of existing papers and talks are acceptable.

ELIGIBILITY:

All members of Unitarian Universalist Societies, as well as UU ministers and seminary students who are candidates for the UU ministry, as well as others who consider themselves Unitarian or Universalist, are eligible to submit an original sermon or address.  

Members of the UU United Nations Office Board of Directors, Council of Advisors, and the Office Staff are not eligible. Only one submission from any one entrant will be accepted.

Resubmission of a revised text in a subsequent year is permissible.

THEME: 

There is latitude for diverse themes and subject matter, and a variety of approaches- both theological and social- are possible. We expect that the theme or subject of the address should speak variously to Unitarian Universalists' concerns for world peace, democratic governance, economic justice, human rights, and sustainable development. Preference will be given to those addresses that relate to the purposes and activities of the United Nations.  

FORMAT:

The address should be suitable for presentation at (1) the UUA General Assembly and (2) Sunday Services at UU congregations. Therefore, the length of the address presented should be approximately 20 minutes.The submitted text should be printed out (preferably in 12 point) on one side of the paper. No name or other identifying information should appear on the pages of the text. Instead, a separate cover sheet with name, congregation, address, phone, e-mail, and date should be placed (not stapled) on top of the text. An identifying code will be used to keep track of the submissions without revealing the authors' identities.

Texts in similar order may be emailed.  Attachments in Microsoft Word format are acceptable.

All those who consider participating in this program are urged to contact the Office before hand.

Please mail or e-mail inquiries and your text to:
UU United Nations Office
777 United Nations Plaza
New York, New York 10017
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Phone: (212) 986 5165