This Friday I am heading to the US to meet with Sunday Assembly supporters, boosters and starters. Having skyped and emailed with many of them, they seem a super bunch and I can’t wait to meet face-to-face.
In fact, I would also like to anyone who is keen on celebrating life with super songs, inspiring talks and a whole lot of atheist soul. Indeed, anyone who wants to live better, help often and wonder more. Also on the target list are: nice journalists, generous foundations, eccentric billionaires, super campaigners, social entrepreneurs and generally wonderful people who are very kind and nice.
The purpose of this trip is to lay the railroad for our Crowdfunding Roadshow Express in the Fall. The Roadshow will launch godless congregations in the 10 (or maybe 15) US cities, towns or villages that can get most support to a Meet Up / Eventbrite page (while raising the funds needed for our start up costs / gold Rolls Royces with mink chauffeurs).
If you’d like to meet, drop me a line here. Here is the plan so far.
Los Angeles – Friday June 21st – Saturday June 22nd
Friday afternoon I’ll be landing at LAX, and I think the first night I won’t have too much on. Saturday I already have two meetings but if you’d like to have breakfast at 10 am in Los Feliz then drop me a line. In the evening, I’d like to meet as many awesome atheists, freethinkers, skeptics and all of rest of our motley crew.
San Francisco – Friday June 23rd, Monday June 24th
Hopefully going to have a look at Glide Church on Sunday morning, because I hear it is great. Then having a trip down to the Valley for a 2pm-3.30pm meet up with the Silicon Valley Humanist Community (meeting on meet up). If anyone wants to hang around after for a talk about all things digital, that would be great. Off to San Francisco on Sunday evening for a 7 pm meet up in the Women’s Centre. Please come along. Thanks to Laura Mappin and Jim Barnett for organising all this!
Monday June 24th I have time in the day to sort out some meetings. Again, if you like the internet and atheism, then please get in touch. In the evening I’ll be meeting Shannon, Gillian and Bob who heard about us online and want to start an Assembly.
Seattle: Tuesday June 25th – Wednesday 26th
This leg has been sorted out by Vicki Williams. Due to her being so efficient, I know remarkably little about this leg, other than the fact that I’d love to meet you. There is a big meet up somewhere in the evening of Tuesday, then a smaller meet up somewhere the day after. I will spend the whole time singing about tossed salad and scrambled eggs.
Chicago: Thursday June 27th – Friday June 28th
Thursday 27th will be spent wondering why I booked an overnight flight, and thinking of ways to kill myself and others. That thought will pass, and in the evening I’ll be meeting up with local supporters (like Nikki, Taryn, Shane and Mehta) to talk through SA. On the Friday there’ll be another evening meet up.
By day, I’ll wander round screaming: “IRA GLASS, WHERE ARE YOU? THIS IS THE MOST THIS AMERICAN LIFE STORY THAT HAS EVER EXISTED. RING ME. I LOVE YOUR WORK (BUT YOUR DOG SOUNDS LIKE A FREAK).” [apologies to people who don’t listen to TAL, that won’t make any sense unless you like your podcasts poignant].
New York: Saturday June 29th and Sunday June 30th
Super exciting times. Dinner on Friday night for organisers in New York. 12.30 pm June 30th at Tobacco Road will be the first Sunday Assembly in the States. This is such super exciting news. It is only six and a bit months ago since we started, and already this has hopped the pond.
There just seems to be something in the air, at the moment. A whole host of folk who are tired of the ‘he said, she said’ between religious types and our team and think, instead of criticising, let’s just build something of our own that speaks for itself.
And the atheist missionary work I referred to in the title? That will mostly involve converting atheists to the idea of positiveness, community and congregation. Life, let’s celebrate it.
