Well, a couple more thoughts on GA – as my mind tries to return to normal --
Jane Greer of the UU World did an excellent job of documenting the various positins and debates that went into the final resolution: http://www.uuworld.org/news/articles/167428.shtml
Also, the Minneapolis – St Paul Star Tribune published an article on our meeting: http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/faith/96943709.html?. We got the first part of the article and the Evangelical Covenant Church got the second part of the article. Actually, I had close friends and family members at both meetings.
And, one other GA note. In response to the GA 12 business resolution, the following responsive resolution was passed,
“WHEREAS the UUA Board Report on the Business Resolution on Phoenix General Assembly 2012 calls for a gathering of Unitarian Universalists for the "purposes of witnessing on immigration, racial, and economic justice --‐ a 'Justice' General Assembly,"
“THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association strongly urges the UUA Staff, the Board of Trustees and the General Assembly Planning Committee to consider a number of conditions while planning for this "Justice" General Assembly in Arizona 2012.
“The Youth Caucus envisions a General Assembly in which:
“1. We gather in nonviolent protest with a focus on public witness and social action;
“2. Appropriate consideration is given to make this General Assembly accessible for all participants;
“3. Efforts are made to recognize the voices of delegates who choose not to attend General Assembly 2012 for reasons of safety or personal ethics;
“4. Worship services, specifically a bridging celebration and multigenerational worships, are preserved;
“5. Programming, including Youth, Young Adult and Multigenerational programming, is educational, informative and reflective of the spirit of a "Justice" General Assembly; and
“6. Youth and Young Adults are involved as both participants and leaders throughout the process.”
Thursday, July 1, 2010
General Assembly
General Assembly number 49.
We gathered in Minneapolis for our annual business meeting; we gathered to learn, we gathered to socialize, we gathered to worship.
A total of 3,880 of us (1,957 delegates, 367 ministers, 581 congregations) gathered. And then we went back to our home congregations to spread the enthusiasm, to share what we learned, to report back on what we all did at GA.
So, what did we do?
Some of us participated in a pre-GA meeting organized by the District Presidents’ Association (DPA) that included all the district presidents and many district board members as well as members of the UUA Board of Trustees. We talked a lot about governance, what it means, roles of the districts in governance and how governance in our association could be improved. Pretty much everybody agreed that there’s room for improvement. There was less agreement about how to improve or what to change. District presidents and board members agreed to discuss with their boards regionalization, how to better provide services to congregations and to report back on next steps. The meeting was historic – we’ve never had a similar meeting in the history of the Association.
We honored the Rev. Jane Rzepka, retiring senior minister of the Church of the Larger Fellowship for her long and dedicated service to the CLF and to UUism.
To Phoenix or not to Phoenix. The listservs have been busy carrying on the debate, various UU and UU-related organizations prepared positions on GA12 in Phoenix – or not. The Board had a meeting to resolve some of the policy divergences around Phoenix. After much negotiating (well into the night, umm, early morning) among advocates for the various positions agreement was reached and a substantial amendment was proposed to the Assembly. With some minor wording changes, here’s the agreed upon text:
“Whereas the state of Arizona has recently enacted a law—SB 1070—that runs counter to our First Principle, affirming the worth and dignity of every person; and
Whereas we have been invited to enter into an historic partnership with Puente and National Day Laborers Organizing Network (NDLON) to work for human rights and against racial profiling; and
“Whereas the UUA Bylaws specify that the power to call and locate a General Assembly belongs solely to the UUA Board of Trustees;
Be it resolved, the Assembly hereby:
“1. Calls on the UUA Board to gather Unitarian Universalists for the purposes of witnessing on immigration, racial and economic justice—a “Justice” General Assembly in which business is limited to the minimum required by our bylaws—in June 2012, to be held in Phoenix, AZ.
“2. Calls on the UUA Administration to work with leaders in Arizona UU congregations to establish an Arizona immigration ministry to partner with other groups in Arizona working for immigration reform to strengthen those partnerships in preparation for our arrival in 2012.
“3. Recognizing people with historically marginalized identities will be exposed to increased risk and inaccessibility, instructs the UUA Board to work in accountable relationship with Diverse Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM), Latina/o Unitarian Universalist Networking Association (LUUNA), EQUUAL ACCESS, Transgender Religious Professional Unitarian Universalists Together (TRUUST) and other stakeholders to identify measures that can be taken to increase safety and accessibility at the 2012 “Justice” GA.
“4. Calls on the UUA Board to direct the economic impact of our presence in Phoenix toward our partners and allies as much as is feasible.
“5. Calls on the UUA Board to provide the resources needed to build the capacity of Unitarian Universalists to stand in opposition to systemic racism in our congregations, local communities, and in our own lives.”
So what a “Justice GA” and what is the “minimum business” that must be conducted at a GA. Stay tuned – many details to be worked out, but GA12 will not be GA as usual. I expect that almost everything we do there will be focused on immigrant rights including economic, social and legal issues.
It’s no coincidence that we adopted a Congregational Study Action Issue (CSAI) entitled, “Immigration, a Moral Imperative.” Expect more information on this soon, but this CSAI will give us all the opportunity to do our homework as we approach GA12.
That’s enuf for now. More soon.
We gathered in Minneapolis for our annual business meeting; we gathered to learn, we gathered to socialize, we gathered to worship.
A total of 3,880 of us (1,957 delegates, 367 ministers, 581 congregations) gathered. And then we went back to our home congregations to spread the enthusiasm, to share what we learned, to report back on what we all did at GA.
So, what did we do?
Some of us participated in a pre-GA meeting organized by the District Presidents’ Association (DPA) that included all the district presidents and many district board members as well as members of the UUA Board of Trustees. We talked a lot about governance, what it means, roles of the districts in governance and how governance in our association could be improved. Pretty much everybody agreed that there’s room for improvement. There was less agreement about how to improve or what to change. District presidents and board members agreed to discuss with their boards regionalization, how to better provide services to congregations and to report back on next steps. The meeting was historic – we’ve never had a similar meeting in the history of the Association.
We honored the Rev. Jane Rzepka, retiring senior minister of the Church of the Larger Fellowship for her long and dedicated service to the CLF and to UUism.
To Phoenix or not to Phoenix. The listservs have been busy carrying on the debate, various UU and UU-related organizations prepared positions on GA12 in Phoenix – or not. The Board had a meeting to resolve some of the policy divergences around Phoenix. After much negotiating (well into the night, umm, early morning) among advocates for the various positions agreement was reached and a substantial amendment was proposed to the Assembly. With some minor wording changes, here’s the agreed upon text:
“Whereas the state of Arizona has recently enacted a law—SB 1070—that runs counter to our First Principle, affirming the worth and dignity of every person; and
Whereas we have been invited to enter into an historic partnership with Puente and National Day Laborers Organizing Network (NDLON) to work for human rights and against racial profiling; and
“Whereas the UUA Bylaws specify that the power to call and locate a General Assembly belongs solely to the UUA Board of Trustees;
Be it resolved, the Assembly hereby:
“1. Calls on the UUA Board to gather Unitarian Universalists for the purposes of witnessing on immigration, racial and economic justice—a “Justice” General Assembly in which business is limited to the minimum required by our bylaws—in June 2012, to be held in Phoenix, AZ.
“2. Calls on the UUA Administration to work with leaders in Arizona UU congregations to establish an Arizona immigration ministry to partner with other groups in Arizona working for immigration reform to strengthen those partnerships in preparation for our arrival in 2012.
“3. Recognizing people with historically marginalized identities will be exposed to increased risk and inaccessibility, instructs the UUA Board to work in accountable relationship with Diverse Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM), Latina/o Unitarian Universalist Networking Association (LUUNA), EQUUAL ACCESS, Transgender Religious Professional Unitarian Universalists Together (TRUUST) and other stakeholders to identify measures that can be taken to increase safety and accessibility at the 2012 “Justice” GA.
“4. Calls on the UUA Board to direct the economic impact of our presence in Phoenix toward our partners and allies as much as is feasible.
“5. Calls on the UUA Board to provide the resources needed to build the capacity of Unitarian Universalists to stand in opposition to systemic racism in our congregations, local communities, and in our own lives.”
So what a “Justice GA” and what is the “minimum business” that must be conducted at a GA. Stay tuned – many details to be worked out, but GA12 will not be GA as usual. I expect that almost everything we do there will be focused on immigrant rights including economic, social and legal issues.
It’s no coincidence that we adopted a Congregational Study Action Issue (CSAI) entitled, “Immigration, a Moral Imperative.” Expect more information on this soon, but this CSAI will give us all the opportunity to do our homework as we approach GA12.
That’s enuf for now. More soon.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Follow-up
This is a follow-up to my last entry. Thanks for reading; thanks for caring.
Please, discuss these issues within your congregations. Hopefully, all this will lead to substantive discussions among members and congregations and with your respective delegates and your UUA trustees.
DELEGATES: Come to Minneapolis prepared: to learn; to seriously weigh the factors involved; to come to a reasoned, carefully thought out decision; and to vote.
“So, when I have conversations in my congregation, or with delegates, or with trustees, what should I be focusing on?” Outstanding question! I’m glad you asked.
Remember that the board put this issue on the agenda for a couple reasons:
1. to get a lot more people involved in the discussion of what is the right thing to do in this case, and
2. to get all of us to focus on our principles in making important decisions like this one.
So, a few questions to stimulate your thinking:
- Which of our principles is in play here? One of them was specifically called out in the motion; are there others?
- The board decided that we want to make a statement opposing the new Arizona law. What’s the best, most effective, way to do that? Should we take our money and go elsewhere? Should we stay in Phoenix and make a visible public witness opposing the new law? Some other action?
- Does it matter that, if we move away from Phoenix, the UUA will have to pay just over $600,000 for defaulting on existing hotel contracts? Or, should principle overshadow any monetary cost that might be charged?
- What would you tell our members who are concerned for their personal safety in Phoenix?
- Does it matter that several other organizations have moved major meetings away from Arizona? For example, the following organizations have moved:
• The United Church of Christ has moved their 2011 SW conference meeting.
• The Immigration Lawyers Association has moved their national meeting.
- Whichever way you have decided, what would change your mind?
- What are the long-term policy issues when it comes to future GA sites? Should we avoid cities that:
• Have adopted laws we find oppressive of minority populations?
• Have adopted laws against marriage equality?
• Have recently been the target of ICE ([Federal] Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids?
• Have particularly poor environmental records?
• Others?
BOTTOM LINE: We want to make a reasoned, carefully thought out, decision on how to proceed. If you can participate at GA in Minneapolis, great. If can’t make it to GA this year, please ensure you’re your delegates know your thoughts.
Also, please let me know (lphinney@uua.org) so that I can participate on your behalf.
Please, discuss these issues within your congregations. Hopefully, all this will lead to substantive discussions among members and congregations and with your respective delegates and your UUA trustees.
DELEGATES: Come to Minneapolis prepared: to learn; to seriously weigh the factors involved; to come to a reasoned, carefully thought out decision; and to vote.
“So, when I have conversations in my congregation, or with delegates, or with trustees, what should I be focusing on?” Outstanding question! I’m glad you asked.
Remember that the board put this issue on the agenda for a couple reasons:
1. to get a lot more people involved in the discussion of what is the right thing to do in this case, and
2. to get all of us to focus on our principles in making important decisions like this one.
So, a few questions to stimulate your thinking:
- Which of our principles is in play here? One of them was specifically called out in the motion; are there others?
- The board decided that we want to make a statement opposing the new Arizona law. What’s the best, most effective, way to do that? Should we take our money and go elsewhere? Should we stay in Phoenix and make a visible public witness opposing the new law? Some other action?
- Does it matter that, if we move away from Phoenix, the UUA will have to pay just over $600,000 for defaulting on existing hotel contracts? Or, should principle overshadow any monetary cost that might be charged?
- What would you tell our members who are concerned for their personal safety in Phoenix?
- Does it matter that several other organizations have moved major meetings away from Arizona? For example, the following organizations have moved:
• The United Church of Christ has moved their 2011 SW conference meeting.
• The Immigration Lawyers Association has moved their national meeting.
- Whichever way you have decided, what would change your mind?
- What are the long-term policy issues when it comes to future GA sites? Should we avoid cities that:
• Have adopted laws we find oppressive of minority populations?
• Have adopted laws against marriage equality?
• Have recently been the target of ICE ([Federal] Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids?
• Have particularly poor environmental records?
• Others?
BOTTOM LINE: We want to make a reasoned, carefully thought out, decision on how to proceed. If you can participate at GA in Minneapolis, great. If can’t make it to GA this year, please ensure you’re your delegates know your thoughts.
Also, please let me know (lphinney@uua.org) so that I can participate on your behalf.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Special Board Meeting
Well, after much research, conversation, questioning, contemplation, some gnashing of teeth, many questions, and lots of disgust at the actions of the Arizona legislature and governor, the UUA Board determined last night to propose a resolution for consideration at General Assembly in Minneapolis to move General Assembly 2012 to a location outside of Arizona.
Here’s the resolution:
“Whereas the state of Arizona has recently enacted a law, SB 1070, that runs counter to our first principle, affirming the worth and dignity of every person,
Whereas the Association stands in solidarity with allies using a widespread economic boycott of Arizona as leverage for Love against this hateful legislation;
Be it resolved: we will not meet in a state of fear.
Accordingly, the Assembly hereby:
• Directs the UUA General Assembly Planning Committee to recommend to the Board of Trustees an alternate location for General Assembly 2012 at a location outside the state of Arizona;
• Pledges to generate from Member Congregations the amount sufficient to cancel arrangements in Phoenix for GA 2012;
• Pledges further to generate an equal or greater amount to fund ongoing efforts to Stand on the Side of Love in Arizona.
• Pledges to renew and redouble our efforts to become a multicultural, anti racist Association; to live as a people standing faithfully in opposition to systemic racism in our congregations, local communities, and in our own lives.”
So, what happens next? The resolution above will be on the GA business agenda. Delegates will be asked to vote on this resolution. However prior to any vote, delegates will have the opportunity – no, the obligation -- to learn:
• about the new law,
• its anticipated affects,
• the financial affect on our association of defaulting on existing contracts with hotels in Phoenix,
• the nature of the fund raising commitment involved in this resolution (to cover our own costs as well as support for “Standing On The Side of Love in Arizona,”
• the views of leaders of the Phoenix UU congregations and of the Pacific Southwest District,
• et cetera – there’s a lot involved here.
Please, discuss these issues within your congregations. In my next blog entry, I’ll summarize, as best I can, the various factors that the Board wrestled with. Hopefully, all this will lead to discussions among delegates, members of congregations with each other, delegates with their congregations, members and congregations with your respective UUA trustees.
DELEGATES: Come to Minneapolis prepared: to learn; to seriously weigh the factors involved; to come to a reasoned, carefully thought out decision; and to vote.
Here’s the resolution:
“Whereas the state of Arizona has recently enacted a law, SB 1070, that runs counter to our first principle, affirming the worth and dignity of every person,
Whereas the Association stands in solidarity with allies using a widespread economic boycott of Arizona as leverage for Love against this hateful legislation;
Be it resolved: we will not meet in a state of fear.
Accordingly, the Assembly hereby:
• Directs the UUA General Assembly Planning Committee to recommend to the Board of Trustees an alternate location for General Assembly 2012 at a location outside the state of Arizona;
• Pledges to generate from Member Congregations the amount sufficient to cancel arrangements in Phoenix for GA 2012;
• Pledges further to generate an equal or greater amount to fund ongoing efforts to Stand on the Side of Love in Arizona.
• Pledges to renew and redouble our efforts to become a multicultural, anti racist Association; to live as a people standing faithfully in opposition to systemic racism in our congregations, local communities, and in our own lives.”
So, what happens next? The resolution above will be on the GA business agenda. Delegates will be asked to vote on this resolution. However prior to any vote, delegates will have the opportunity – no, the obligation -- to learn:
• about the new law,
• its anticipated affects,
• the financial affect on our association of defaulting on existing contracts with hotels in Phoenix,
• the nature of the fund raising commitment involved in this resolution (to cover our own costs as well as support for “Standing On The Side of Love in Arizona,”
• the views of leaders of the Phoenix UU congregations and of the Pacific Southwest District,
• et cetera – there’s a lot involved here.
Please, discuss these issues within your congregations. In my next blog entry, I’ll summarize, as best I can, the various factors that the Board wrestled with. Hopefully, all this will lead to discussions among delegates, members of congregations with each other, delegates with their congregations, members and congregations with your respective UUA trustees.
DELEGATES: Come to Minneapolis prepared: to learn; to seriously weigh the factors involved; to come to a reasoned, carefully thought out decision; and to vote.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
UUA April Board meeting
Yes, it’s blogging time again – the UUA Board has met and it’s time to write about it. As usual this was a packed agenda.
We received a report from John Hurley, the UUA Director of Communications. We had asked him to come talk with us for a variety of reasons. What emerged from the discussion will be a much enhanced Board presence on the web. There are many details to be worked out, but expect the Board page on the uua.org site to look a lot different, soon. Also, we are contemplating creating a Board Blog and exploring how FaceBook could be used to keep everyone better informed about the workings of the Board. I’ll let you know when it’s time to become a “friend” of the Board.
The Commission on Appraisal made a presentation requesting that their budget, as it appeared in the draft that was released about a month ago, be restored to its more robust former size. The Board examined the preliminary budget for both the Commission on Appraisal and the Commission on Social Witness and restored some of what they requested. Everyone acknowledged the present economic situation in which we all find ourselves.
Some time ago I wrote about the Board’s commitment to transforming our governance structure. During the Board meeting, several trustees met with leaders of the District Presidents’ Association to plan a pre-GA meeting that will include members of the UUA Board, members of district boards, key members of the UUA Staff, our president, the Rev Morales, and our moderator, Ms Courter. This is an important meeting that is key to the success of this transformation. It’s just not possible to reorganize the governance of the association without the involvement and acceptance --- no, that’s not enough --- without input and assistance from district leaders and key members of the UUA staff. Unfortunately, I wasn’t one of the trustees involved in that meeting. I intended to be in that meeting, but proved, once again, that I can’t be in two places at once. Much more, probably immediately following the pre-GA meeting.
We received a report from John Hurley, the UUA Director of Communications. We had asked him to come talk with us for a variety of reasons. What emerged from the discussion will be a much enhanced Board presence on the web. There are many details to be worked out, but expect the Board page on the uua.org site to look a lot different, soon. Also, we are contemplating creating a Board Blog and exploring how FaceBook could be used to keep everyone better informed about the workings of the Board. I’ll let you know when it’s time to become a “friend” of the Board.
The Commission on Appraisal made a presentation requesting that their budget, as it appeared in the draft that was released about a month ago, be restored to its more robust former size. The Board examined the preliminary budget for both the Commission on Appraisal and the Commission on Social Witness and restored some of what they requested. Everyone acknowledged the present economic situation in which we all find ourselves.
Some time ago I wrote about the Board’s commitment to transforming our governance structure. During the Board meeting, several trustees met with leaders of the District Presidents’ Association to plan a pre-GA meeting that will include members of the UUA Board, members of district boards, key members of the UUA Staff, our president, the Rev Morales, and our moderator, Ms Courter. This is an important meeting that is key to the success of this transformation. It’s just not possible to reorganize the governance of the association without the involvement and acceptance --- no, that’s not enough --- without input and assistance from district leaders and key members of the UUA staff. Unfortunately, I wasn’t one of the trustees involved in that meeting. I intended to be in that meeting, but proved, once again, that I can’t be in two places at once. Much more, probably immediately following the pre-GA meeting.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
GA is fast approaching
It's time to blog again, but first I must remind all blog readers that General Assembly really is fast approaching. It's approaching so fast that the Early Bird registration cost will go away at the end of April. GA is worth the cost at the regular price, but save a buck or two if you can.
See you in Minneapolis.
Lew
See you in Minneapolis.
Lew
Friday, February 19, 2010
Transformation
One of the key things I didn’t address following our January meeting, because it was rather incomplete, was the Board’s agreement in principle to initiate a transformation in Association governance. With fairly minor changes, we have the same governance structure that was created when the Us and the Us merged in 1961. We have studied our organization many times and come to substantially the same conclusion each time: our organization is too complex to be effective. So, now is the time to make some substantial changes.
Basically, in San Antonio, we ran out of time. I was pleased to be part of a small committee charged with drafting the specific language that was to become the motion initiating transformation, but I have to give Rev Jake Morrill, trustee from the Thomas Jefferson District, credit for doing the lion’s share of the actual drafting. Earlier this month the whole Board had a virtual meeting (web and telephone meeting) in which the full Board considered and approved the motion.
Click on this link to read the meeting agenda (gotta have an agenda even if there’s only one item on it), supporting contextual paragraphs, and the motion itself:
http://uua.org/documents/boardtrustees/100204_agenda.pdf.
Click here to read Gini Courter’s cover letter.
http://uua.org/documents/moderator/100204_special_meeting.pdf
Or, click on this link to read what the UU World had to say:
http://www.uuworld.org/news/articles/158307.shtml
Members of the Board are already working with key leaders in our Association to take substantial steps toward implementation of the vision of a smaller Board and a much more effective governance structure throughout the Association. The president of the District Presidents’ Association, Mary Ellen Morgan, attended most of the meeting in San Antonio and contributed valuable insights from her perspective. Next month I will meet with the MDD Board. Certainly I’ll talk with them about what the UUA Board is doing and hopes to do, but I expect to do a lot of listening, learning from their perspective on how we can best implement the changes that will make our Association a better, more effective organization. I’m pleased to report that the UUA Board has emphasized during every conversation about this transformation that the major focus must be support to congregations.
Basically, in San Antonio, we ran out of time. I was pleased to be part of a small committee charged with drafting the specific language that was to become the motion initiating transformation, but I have to give Rev Jake Morrill, trustee from the Thomas Jefferson District, credit for doing the lion’s share of the actual drafting. Earlier this month the whole Board had a virtual meeting (web and telephone meeting) in which the full Board considered and approved the motion.
Click on this link to read the meeting agenda (gotta have an agenda even if there’s only one item on it), supporting contextual paragraphs, and the motion itself:
http://uua.org/documents/boardtrustees/100204_agenda.pdf.
Click here to read Gini Courter’s cover letter.
http://uua.org/documents/moderator/100204_special_meeting.pdf
Or, click on this link to read what the UU World had to say:
http://www.uuworld.org/news/articles/158307.shtml
Members of the Board are already working with key leaders in our Association to take substantial steps toward implementation of the vision of a smaller Board and a much more effective governance structure throughout the Association. The president of the District Presidents’ Association, Mary Ellen Morgan, attended most of the meeting in San Antonio and contributed valuable insights from her perspective. Next month I will meet with the MDD Board. Certainly I’ll talk with them about what the UUA Board is doing and hopes to do, but I expect to do a lot of listening, learning from their perspective on how we can best implement the changes that will make our Association a better, more effective organization. I’m pleased to report that the UUA Board has emphasized during every conversation about this transformation that the major focus must be support to congregations.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
My Plagiarism
"Winter is the Perfect Time to Think About Summer - in Minneapolis!"
Guilty as charged. I stole this piece from the Prairie Star district newsletter -- without permission. The Prairie Star district will be hosting General Assembly in June. It should be a great GA.
"February is an excellent time to start making plans to attend General Assembly, June 23-27, 2010, in Minneapolis. Although registration for GA will not open until March 1st, this is an ideal time to look at air fares and to budget for your expenses for this not-to-be-missed five-day meeting.
"There are also many housing options at GA this year and at a variety of price points. The GA Planning Committee offers some scholarships, and there may be other financial aid available if you start planning now. Air fare deals abound at this time of the year as well.
"But the biggest draw is General Assembly itself - the largest assemblage of Unitarian Universalists (thousands of them) from congregations large and small. Below is just a sample of special events and programs planned.
•Opening Celebration and Banner Parade on Wednesday night will feature the talented, singer, songwriter, and UU Peter Mayer. Check out his sound at www.petermayer.net/music. You may be familiar with some of his songs: "Holy Now" and "Blue Boat Home."
•The Ware Lecturer this year is Minnesotan Winona LaDuke, an internationally renowned Native American (Anishinabe) activist working on issues of sustainable development, renewable energy, and food systems.
•GA in Minneapolis coincides with the Twin Cities' Pride Festival & Parade; our Public Witness event this year will be part of that event.
Read all about GA 2010 at www.uua.org/ga"
See you in Minneapolis !
Guilty as charged. I stole this piece from the Prairie Star district newsletter -- without permission. The Prairie Star district will be hosting General Assembly in June. It should be a great GA.
"February is an excellent time to start making plans to attend General Assembly, June 23-27, 2010, in Minneapolis. Although registration for GA will not open until March 1st, this is an ideal time to look at air fares and to budget for your expenses for this not-to-be-missed five-day meeting.
"There are also many housing options at GA this year and at a variety of price points. The GA Planning Committee offers some scholarships, and there may be other financial aid available if you start planning now. Air fare deals abound at this time of the year as well.
"But the biggest draw is General Assembly itself - the largest assemblage of Unitarian Universalists (thousands of them) from congregations large and small. Below is just a sample of special events and programs planned.
•Opening Celebration and Banner Parade on Wednesday night will feature the talented, singer, songwriter, and UU Peter Mayer. Check out his sound at www.petermayer.net/music. You may be familiar with some of his songs: "Holy Now" and "Blue Boat Home."
•The Ware Lecturer this year is Minnesotan Winona LaDuke, an internationally renowned Native American (Anishinabe) activist working on issues of sustainable development, renewable energy, and food systems.
•GA in Minneapolis coincides with the Twin Cities' Pride Festival & Parade; our Public Witness event this year will be part of that event.
Read all about GA 2010 at www.uua.org/ga"
See you in Minneapolis !
Saturday, January 23, 2010
By-Laws, again
OK, which 19th century Boston lawyer wrote the UUA By-Law Article XV? That paragraph has more “wherefores,” “whereases”, and “not-with-standings” than any legal document I’ve read in a very long time. If there are any 19th century Boston lawyers reading this, please accept my apologies – um – Oh yeah, never mind.
At GA in Salt Lake city, during the debate on proposed changes to Article II (Principles, Purposes and Sources) it became VERY apparent that Article XV (the section that prescribes how we change the By-Laws) was in serious need of a rewrite. So, that’s what a small committee of the Board is doing. We’ve been redrafting Article XV in language that is much easier to understand – actually language that belongs in this century.
Watch for a report at GA in Minneapolis that will include an opportunity for you to provide input and will layout the timeline for adoption of the changes to Article XV and ultimately to Article II. That’s the major objective. In Salt Lake City, we debated changes to Article II, “Principles and Purposes” and rejected the proposed amendment. A subsequent responsive resolution directed the Board to continue the work on Article II.
The immediate problem is to fix the process – that’s Article XV. When that is completed, the Board will address amendment to Article II under the new Article XV process. A new Article XV will pave the way for another look at Article II.
Full report at GA in Minneapolis. By the way, it’s not too early to plan to join us in Minneapolis. The preliminary agenda will be available on line soon. In March, you will have the opportunity to volunteer to help make this a great GA.
See you in Minneapolis!
Lew
At GA in Salt Lake city, during the debate on proposed changes to Article II (Principles, Purposes and Sources) it became VERY apparent that Article XV (the section that prescribes how we change the By-Laws) was in serious need of a rewrite. So, that’s what a small committee of the Board is doing. We’ve been redrafting Article XV in language that is much easier to understand – actually language that belongs in this century.
Watch for a report at GA in Minneapolis that will include an opportunity for you to provide input and will layout the timeline for adoption of the changes to Article XV and ultimately to Article II. That’s the major objective. In Salt Lake City, we debated changes to Article II, “Principles and Purposes” and rejected the proposed amendment. A subsequent responsive resolution directed the Board to continue the work on Article II.
The immediate problem is to fix the process – that’s Article XV. When that is completed, the Board will address amendment to Article II under the new Article XV process. A new Article XV will pave the way for another look at Article II.
Full report at GA in Minneapolis. By the way, it’s not too early to plan to join us in Minneapolis. The preliminary agenda will be available on line soon. In March, you will have the opportunity to volunteer to help make this a great GA.
See you in Minneapolis!
Lew
Friday, January 22, 2010
January Meeting, in San Antonio
So, what’s the UUA Board been up to now? Maybe a short vacation in sunny South Texas? Yeah, right! It rained most of the time we were there. Other than the fact that I didn’t get my usual morning walk, the rain didn’t slow us down a bit.
There were lots of reasons for making the move to San Antonio, but I consider it of extreme symbolic significance that we met someplace other than Boston. The UUA is not focused on Boston or even New England. The main reason for moving out of Boston was to better connect with members of the congregations in South Texas. We hope to meet in other areas of the country during future meetings. Maybe the MDD could host the next meeting.
Why South Texas; why San Antonio? In my last post, I quoted Will Saunders. He explained it well. More important at this point is what we gained by meeting in San Antonio.
We met with clergy and members of several Texas congregations (including members of the El Paso congregation; an MDD congregation). We shared some serious meetings, great fellowship and Sunday morning worship. The meetings gave Board members the opportunity to test, yup, they were the guinea pigs, our new efforts at “Linkage.” The whole idea is for members of the Board to better connect with congregations. We can be, we need to be, in much closer conversation about what our Association should be doing, what we can do better, how the Board and staff can better support congregations. Congregations in all districts, all size categories, lay and professionally led, etc. were selected at random to participate in these continuing conversations. I’ll pass along an update as those conversations occur.
Rev Morales has promised that we will hear a lot more about immigration in the coming months. Based on immigration controversies in many states and in congress, that focus is most timely. We met with an organization headed by a group of Roman Catholics from one of the San Antonio churches. The group has a strong UU element from several San Antonio area congregations. We heard about the local and area organizing that they are doing to further comprehensive immigration reform. That part, I expected. Most of us knew the issues and what is needed to change the legal barriers. What had a much stronger impact were the stories, related by victims of unreasonable, unjust immigration law and policies. The impact is startling when you can put a face to the problem; when you can directly understand the affect that our immigration laws have on families and individuals who are in every sense except the credential, active, contributing members of our communities. We heard from both personal and legal perspectives about what is needed in immigration reform: we need a path to legitimacy. That might not mean citizenship, but it does mean a means for folks who have been in the country, in some cases for many years, to be able to get a driver’s license, to be able to work at jobs above the menial level, to be able to stop hiding from any official notice. The time has come for comprehensive immigration reform.
Enuf for now – stay tuned.
Lew
There were lots of reasons for making the move to San Antonio, but I consider it of extreme symbolic significance that we met someplace other than Boston. The UUA is not focused on Boston or even New England. The main reason for moving out of Boston was to better connect with members of the congregations in South Texas. We hope to meet in other areas of the country during future meetings. Maybe the MDD could host the next meeting.
Why South Texas; why San Antonio? In my last post, I quoted Will Saunders. He explained it well. More important at this point is what we gained by meeting in San Antonio.
We met with clergy and members of several Texas congregations (including members of the El Paso congregation; an MDD congregation). We shared some serious meetings, great fellowship and Sunday morning worship. The meetings gave Board members the opportunity to test, yup, they were the guinea pigs, our new efforts at “Linkage.” The whole idea is for members of the Board to better connect with congregations. We can be, we need to be, in much closer conversation about what our Association should be doing, what we can do better, how the Board and staff can better support congregations. Congregations in all districts, all size categories, lay and professionally led, etc. were selected at random to participate in these continuing conversations. I’ll pass along an update as those conversations occur.
Rev Morales has promised that we will hear a lot more about immigration in the coming months. Based on immigration controversies in many states and in congress, that focus is most timely. We met with an organization headed by a group of Roman Catholics from one of the San Antonio churches. The group has a strong UU element from several San Antonio area congregations. We heard about the local and area organizing that they are doing to further comprehensive immigration reform. That part, I expected. Most of us knew the issues and what is needed to change the legal barriers. What had a much stronger impact were the stories, related by victims of unreasonable, unjust immigration law and policies. The impact is startling when you can put a face to the problem; when you can directly understand the affect that our immigration laws have on families and individuals who are in every sense except the credential, active, contributing members of our communities. We heard from both personal and legal perspectives about what is needed in immigration reform: we need a path to legitimacy. That might not mean citizenship, but it does mean a means for folks who have been in the country, in some cases for many years, to be able to get a driver’s license, to be able to work at jobs above the menial level, to be able to stop hiding from any official notice. The time has come for comprehensive immigration reform.
Enuf for now – stay tuned.
Lew
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