The Dana McLean Greeley Address: Annual Competition 

Established by the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office, this competition is inspired by Rev. Dana McLean Greeley.  As the first president of the UUA, Rev. Dana McLean Greeley 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, he believed that strengthening the United Nations is part of our commitment to world community with peace, liberty and justice.

All Unitarian Universalists are invited to submit a sermon (or address) to the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office (UU-UNO). The purpose of this annual award program is to encourage and to recognize Unitarian Universalists’ principles, thought and action on a wide range of global issues as well as the role of the United Nations and our own Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office. While all submissions will be considered, those highlighting the work of the United Nations and the UU-UNO will be given priority consideration.

The winner will be awarded a cash prize of $500 and have the opportunity to deliver the sermon or address at the upcoming 2010 UUA General Assembly in Minneapolis, MN.

Deadline for 2010 submissions is 1 February 2010.

Download: Flyer about the Competition

Download: Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions

Previous Greeley Address Winners

2009    Dr. Marilyn Mehr (New York, NY)     Lessons from a Mormon Childhood

2008    Rev. Diane Rollert (Montreal, Canada)     A Month Behind and Never Too Late

2007    Denise Donato-McConnell     Waging Peace

2006    Rev. Dr. Dorothy May Emerson (Medford, MA)     Ending Poverty:  From Vision to Commitment

2005    Dr. John F. Crosby (Bloomington, IN)     Peace Outside the Box: Toward a Paradigm of Change

2004    Rev. Dr. Richard S. Gilbert (Ithaca, NY)     War is a Force that Gives us Meaning: Pax or Bellum Americana?

2003    Prof. Richard Ford (New York, NY)     Lessons from Africa: Loaves and Fishes

2002    Rev. Dr. Stephen H. Furrer (Santa Fe, NM)

GUIDELINES

Submission Deadline: 1 February 2010        

1. Sermons must be the original work of the individual submitting and must not have been published previously. Though copyright of the sermon will remain the property of the preparer, the UU-UNO will have initial rights to publish and print the sermon and any further use of the sermon in print will acknowledge the UU-UNO’s Rev. Dana McLean Greeley Sermon Competition as the source of inspiration for the sermon.

2. All quotations must be documented. The sermon should be 2,500 words or less.

3. Submissions will be accepted electronically in Word or pdf format and via postal mail. The text must be typed, double-spaced and in Times New Roman, 12pt font.

4. Submissions should include a brief cover letter about you and the sermon, your contact information (telephone, mailing address, email address). Do NOT include your name on the typed pages of the sermon entered, as the documents will be judged anonymously.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1.   Who may enter? All Unitarian Universalists are invited to submit a sermon or address. 

2.   Content of the sermon: While all submissions will be considered, those highlighting the work of the United Nations and the UU-UNO will be given priority consideration. Our website (www.uu-uno.org) highlights much of our work.

3.   Do I have to submit my sermon on-line? No. While your sermon must be typed and email submissions are encouraged, submissions may also be submitted by regular postal mail.

4.   What do you intend to do with the sermons? Beyond having them evaluated for the competition itself, we hope to use material from the sermons in our communications and in educational programs. We will, of course, properly attribute them to the individual submitting the sermon. In addition to the opportunity of delivering the winning sermon at the UUA-GA, we will publish the sermon on our website and seek to have the winning entry published.

5.   Can I submit if I deliver my sermons in a language other than English? We welcome the diversity of our UU communities, therefore the answers is yes. However because our resources are limited, we ask that non-English submissions be accompanied by an English translation. We welcome further suggestions on how to be more inclusive in this regard.

6.   How short/long can the sermon be? We have set a minimum length of 500 words and a maximum length of 2,500 words. The verbal presentation of the sermon/ address can be no longer than 20 minutes.

7.   When will the winner and runners-up be announced? The winners and runners-up will be announced and notified in April before the UUA-GA.

8.   Where will the awards be presented? The winner will be presented at the UUA General Assembly, and s/he will deliver the address or sermon publicly.

9.   Will the UU-UNO provide my transportation to GA? Winners must provide their own transportation to GA.

10. What is the UU-UNO? We are glad you asked. The Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office (UU-UNO) promotes the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all, as reflected in the United Nations Charter. Through targeted education, advocacy and outreach, we engage Unitarian Universalists in support of international cooperation and the work of the United Nations.