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We are thrilled to announce that the Opening Celebration of the UUA General Assembly 2025 will be led by two dynamic co-worship leaders: Rev. Paige Getty and Rev. Dr. Rebekah A. Savage. This fully virtual event will be a powerful and inspiring way to launch our week together, setting the stage for a transformative GA experience centered around our theme, Meet the Moment.

Both Rev. Getty and Rev. Dr. Savage bring deep spiritual wisdom and a shared commitment to building inclusive, beloved community. Their collaborative leadership will invite all participants into a space of reflection, connection, and renewal as we gather digitally from across the globe.

This fully virtual Opening Celebration, taking place on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM ET, is open to all multi-platform registrants. With no in-person component, this online gathering will ensure that everyone, no matter where they are, can participate in this memorable launch to our week together. Mark your calendar and prepare to be inspired by the heartfelt leadership of Rev. Paige Getty and Rev. Dr. Rebekah A. Savage as we embark on this journey together!

Raised in the state of Georgia, Rev. Paige Getty's early vocational journey took her to Harvard Divinity School for seminary training; to the UUA's Beacon Hill headquarters in Boston, MA, for field education work; to First UU Church in San Diego, CA, for a ministerial internship; and to Shawnee Mission UU Church in Overland Park, KS, for an interim ministry. In 2003, she and her spouse Graham settled in Columbia, MD, where for 21 years Paige served the UU Congregation of Columbia — concluding that ministry in June 2024. Paige has held leadership positions in the Chesapeake Chapter of the UUMA, is trained as a Lead Mentor and as a facilitator of Our Whole Lives and Beyond Categorical Thinking, and delivered the sermon at the Service of the Living Tradition in 2010. She and Graham are parents to two (nearly) young-adult children, and Paige currently is enjoying this liminal vocational time as she invests more deeply in building interfaith relationships in her local community.

Rev. Rebekah A. Savage is a lifelong UU, raised in the River Road UU Congregation in Bethesda, MD. Her years as a UU youth in an encouraging congregation led her to go to seminary at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, NY, following her graduation from Macalester College in St. Paul, MN. After her ministerial internship in Boca Raton, FL, Rev. Rebekah went from a residency in Clinical Pastoral Education to being commissioned as a military chaplain with her ordination to the UU ministry in 2003. After completing an overseas deployment in 2006, Rev. Rebekah moved back to Maryland and remained on active duty and other civilian positions until accepting a ministry position at the UU Congregation of Rockville, MD in 2015. Besides completing a Masters in Mental Health Counseling in 2007, Rev. Rebekah received a Doctorate in Ministry from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC in May 2020. Rev. Rebekah preached the sermon at the Service of the Living Tradition in 2014, and completed 8 years of service on the Ministerial Fellowship Committee, with 5 years as the co-chair of the MFC, in spring of 2025. Rev. Rebekah is the proud parent of two teenagers, Genevieve and Thane, and spends much of her time happily on bike trails, on a yoga mat and at the gym. 

Each year, a talented choir comes together to rehearse and perform for the General Assembly audience during the Sunday Morning Worship. For many, singing in the choir is an essential part of the GA experience and a meaningful way to connect as UUs. Space is limited, and a waitlist will form as voice parts fill.

Why Sing with Us? Singing with fellow UUs at GA is about more than just music — it’s about connection, community, and spirit. Whether it’s your first GA or your tenth, lending your voice to the choir is a special way to deepen your experience.

Important Details:

• Registration is open! First-come, first-served — space is limited. As voice parts fill, a waitlist will form.
• Cost: $20, payable by Visa or Mastercard, covering sheet music and production expenses.
• You must be registered for General Assembly to participate in the choir (you may register for choir first).
• Financial support is available.

Don't miss your chance to be part of this incredible tradition!

👉 Register for the GA Choir

Join us at the 2025 UUA General Assembly to hear from Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign and a leading voice in the movement to end poverty.

Rev. Theoharis will share insights from her thirty years of anti-poverty organizing, highlighting the unsung heroes leading this work and exploring how the poor must shape a more just society. She will challenge Unitarian Universalists to deepen our commitment to justice and become part of this vital movement to reclaim democracy.

Her upcoming book, You Only Get What You’re Organized to Take, co-authored with Noam Sandweiss-Back, will be published by Beacon Press in April 2025. Don’t miss this inspiring call to action for collective change.

Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis is a prominent theologian, author, and activist dedicated to eradicating systemic poverty and injustice. Raised in a family committed to social justice, civil liberties and human rights, she has been involved in the movement for her whole life. She has been organizing among poor and low-income communities for thirty years with organizations such as the National Union of the Homeless, the National Welfare Rights Union, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Domestic Workers United and many more.

Rev. Dr. Theoharis is currently the Executive Director of the Kairos Center for Religions, Rights, and Social Justice at Union Theological Seminary, which leads efforts to unite faith-based communities and grassroots organizations in advocating for transformative policies grounded in moral and social equity. Under her guidance, the Kairos Center has become a hub for movement-building, empowering leaders from marginalized communities to confront poverty, militarism, and ecological crises through education, direct action, and policy advocacy.

She co-chairs the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival alongside Rev. Dr. William Barber. Anchored by the nonprofit organization Repairers of the Breach and the Kairos Center, the Poor People’s Campaign aims to mobilize a moral movement that addresses the interconnected crises of economic inequality, systemic racism, and environmental degradation. With Rev. Dr. Barber, Rev. Dr. Theoharis has revitalized Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision of a "revolution of values," amplifying the voices of the poor and dispossessed to shape a more equitable society.

Rev. Dr. Theoharis has championed a faith-based approach to social justice, emphasizing moral and ethical imperatives to challenge inequality. Her theological scholarship, including Always With Us? What Jesus Really Said About the Poor (Eerdmans, 2017), challenges prevailing narratives about poverty and religion, emphasizing the imperative of collective action to achieve systemic change.

Rev. Dr. Theoharis is the editor of We Cry Justice: Reading the Bible with the Poor People’s Campaign (Broadleaf Press, 2021), and is the co-author of Revive Us Again: Vision and Action in Moral Organizing (Beacon Press, 2018). She is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church and teaches at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. 

We’re thrilled to welcome Professor Gloria J. Browne-Marshall to the UUA General Assembly 2025 for a powerful session on Protest and Progress.

Throughout history, the right to protest has been essential to shaping justice and democracy. Prof. Browne-Marshall will explore the significance of protest in U.S. history, drawing from centuries of resistance and weaving in her own family’s stories. Her words promise to be both deeply personal and universally resonant, inviting all of us to reflect on how we can engage in meaningful resistance against oppression.

Whether through time-tested methods or fresh, innovative approaches, she will inspire us to continue pushing for progress in these challenging times. Be sure to join us for this timely and transformative conversation!

Gloria J. Browne-Marshall is an EMMY Award winning writer, educator, legal advocate, and playwright. She is a professor of Constitutional Law and Africana Studies at John Jay College (CUNY) was a Resident Fellow at the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School as well as a Visiting Professor at the Harvard Kennedy School. She received a 2024 American Bar Association Silver Gavel Award. She has spoken on social justice issues to audiences in the United States, England, France, Zambia, Switzerland, Turkey, Greece, Canada, and at the United Nations. Her books include She Took Justice: The Black Woman, Law, and Power, The Voting Rights War, Race, Law, and American Society and her most recent book A Protest History of the United States. (Beacon Press) tells the story of US protests and protesters over 500 years.

As we prepare for General Assembly 2025, we’re excited to introduce a fresh take on one of our most beloved traditions: the Banner Parade. This year, we’re expanding it into a multi-platform Congregational Recognition & Banner Parade, giving more congregations the chance to participate, whether in-person or online. It’s a new way to celebrate the diversity, unity, and spirit of our association!

Congregations can submit up to two high-resolution images — a photo of their banner and/or a group photo — for inclusion in GA videos and exhibits. These images will showcase the vibrancy of our congregations both during and after GA. And for those attending in person, bring your banner to Baltimore! Banners will be displayed throughout the Convention Center, creating a visible tapestry of the community we share.

Let’s continue to honor this tradition while embracing new ways to connect. We look forward to seeing your photos, banners, and community spirit at GA 2025!

👉 Learn more and upload your photos

Before You Go: A Song of Love and Promise

As we prepare for the 2025 General Assembly, let’s pause to embrace the beauty and connection that GA brings.

At the 2019 Sunday Service, the GA Choir delivered a stirring performance of "O Love" by Elaine Hananberg and George Matheson. This hymn is a testament to enduring love, hope, and renewal.

Relive the moment: Watch the performance on YouTube

The lyrics, filled with hope and resilience, resonate deeply. As we face challenges in our world, this hymn reminds us of the enduring power of love and the promise of a brighter future.

May love guide and inspire us all.