The Unitarian Universalist Association, as part of its annual General Assembly, presented awards today for those who had distinguished themselves in the areas of congregational growth, contributions to the religious education and gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender community, social action leadership, and other fields important to the growth of the liberal religious tradition.

Among those honored were:

• The Cedarhurst Unitarian Universalists of Finksburg, MD, who received the coveted O. Eugene Pickett Award, presented to the congregation that has made an outstanding contribution to the growth of Unitarian Universalism.
• Tom Turnipseed, UU and social activist now running for election as Attorney General of the state of South Carolina, who received the Holmes-Weatherly Award. This award is given to those who best exemplify the founding spirit of the Unitarian Fellowship for Social Justice.
• The Young Adult Ministry Award, presented to Riley McLaughlin for furthering the cause of active ministry to young adults.

The Melcher Book Award, given to a work published during the past calendar year judged to be the most significant contribution to religious liberalism, was given to Wei Jingsheng, the Chinese dissident who recently wrote the electrifying memoir, "The Courage to Stand Alone: Letters from Prison and Other Writings," translated by Kris Torgeson. The award is timely, given the current trip by President Clinton to China, and Jingsheng's imprisonment for eighteen years by the Chinese Communist Party.

-- Debbie Weiner 

Information: info@uua.org