UUA Trustee Lew

WE MADE A DIFFERENCE – YEA!.

2011-01-30T08:40:00.000-07:00

We’ve all heard that the presence of UUs in Phoenix on May 29, wearing yellow Standing on the Side of Love T shirts, was obvious, organized and noticed by everyone in the area. What I hadn’t heard until this past weekend was that it had a positive impact on Sheriff Joe Apaio (Maricopa County, Phoenix) and his tactics. Until May 29th, he had been organizing “sweeps” of largely Hispanic areas looking for people in this country “illegally.” Based on Arizona law and flimsy excuses for stopping and requesting proof of citizenship, he arrested and incarcerated large numbers of people. Yes, he’s been under federal investigation for racial profiling, but that’s not the point. As of May 29th, the sweeps have stopped. We had an impact – a very positive impact.

One of the speakers at our meeting, Mr Joe Rubio, may have identified an important aspect of our impact. The super conservative folks who pushed through Arizona’s law that’s know as SB1070 think that the only folks who were concerned are the folks who illegally crossed the border. When they see middle aged white folks (like most of us) protesting their law, they get worried. It becomes apparent that the super conservative folks don’t have the support that they thought they had. They are far more likely to pay attention to middle aged white folks than they are to anyone from any other racial group.

So, what’s the message? Participate. Come to Phoenix for General Assembly 2012. You won’t necessarily have to overtly protest – your presence itself registers a protest. Your presence, our presence, is important. It will make a difference. Please join me in Phoenix, June 20 – 24, 2012.

Then again – don’t wait for 2012, participate in your state. Many states, mine included, are contemplating laws similar to Arizona’s.

UUA Board Meeting

2011-01-29T16:57:00.000-07:00

I’ve just returned from the UUA Board’s January meeting – and I’m confused, conflicted. Should I be disgusted and outraged at the tactics being used by the US government to deal with immigration issues or should I be inspired by the work being done by many organizations in border areas to support immigrants and bring some order to the immigration chaos?

Our January meetings aren’t what you’d expect a board meeting to look like. Yes, of course, we conduct the usual board meeting business, but for this meeting, we went to listen, to learn, to celebrate and get frustrated, outraged, disgusted, and angry. It was an “interesting” meeting. I’ll describe some of the business actions in a future post.

Several members of the Board prior to the meeting, sadly I could not be with them, traveled to Tucson and to the border (both sides). My colleague, Linda Laskowski, trustee from the Pacific Central District, was part of that group and provided an excellent description of that few days in her blog: http://pcdtrustee.blogspot.com/. Scroll down a ways to the entry entitled, “Me llamo Lourdes” You’ll probably note that Linda is much more politically correct that I tend to be. I’ve seen some of the border towns and, since I’m an old white guy, have only heard and read the stories. The reality is truly disgusting. I tend to be skeptical of stories told from only one side, but if there is any truth at all to the stories, my confusion and disgust are well founded.

We heard from members of the Board, UU ministers, members of Arizona UU congregations who had participated in the May 29th protest in Phoenix. From many we heard about their experiences of being arrested and incarcerated in the Maricopa County jail. I’m pleased to report that most of the criminal charges against these folks have been dismissed.

We heard stories of abuse of migrants who had crossed the border and had been arrested. When they were arrested all their possessions were taken from them (credentials [both US and foreign], money, cell phones, everything). They were deported with no money and no credentials and no way to contact family or friends. In some cases where families crossed the border together and were arrested, members of the family were deported (with no credentials, money or cell phones) to different cities in Mexico. Is this an anti-family tactic? It sure sounds like it. Such folks are dependent on charitable organizations working on both sides of the US – Mexican border to help them reunite with families, return home or find work. Yes, some cross the border, again, as soon as they possibly can.

We heard about operation “Streamline.” This is a US Justice Department program to expedite the deportation process where it is required. I’ve read written descriptions that validate what we heard in Phoenix. Detainees are held in commercial prisons where they are fed very little; shackled together, hands and feet (much like our penal systems shackle serial murders); brought into a court room with fifty or so similarly charged individuals; and as a group sentenced to deportation. On the record these folks are assigned a public defender attorney, but it is likely that they will never talk with that attorney. Public defenders are assigned forty or fifty detainees at a time. There is no time to actually talk with “clients.”

Next – WE MADE A DIFFERENCE – YEA!.

More GA

2010-07-01T16:29:00.000-06:00

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.”

General Assembly

2010-07-01T12:57:00.001-06:00

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.

Follow-up

2010-05-09T17:58:00.001-06:00

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.

Special Board Meeting

2010-05-07T09:53:00.003-06:00

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.

UUA April Board meeting

2010-04-24T16:56:00.000-06:00

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.

GA is fast approaching

2010-04-21T17:31:00.003-06:00

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

Transformation

2010-02-19T20:00:00.002-07:00

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.

My Plagiarism

2010-01-28T11:59:00.003-07:00

"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 !

By-Laws, again

2010-01-23T14:42:00.003-07:00

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

January Meeting, in San Antonio

2010-01-22T20:49:00.001-07:00

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

UUA Board of Trustees to meet in San Antonio, TX

2009-12-06T16:31:00.000-07:00

My collegue from the Northern New England Dist., the Rev Will Saunders, wrote about the Board's next meeting -- in San Antonio. Since he said it well, here's what he wrote:

"The UUA Board of Trustees will meet in San Antonio, TX in January, 2010. This is a significant change, as the tradition is to meet at the Association’s headquarters in Boston.

"There are at least three reasons for this decision. First, as the Trustee from the Southwestern Conference has written, this “is as purposeful move by the Board to visit a city that is on the forefront of demographic trends impacting the whole country…/and/ with a distinctly multi-cultural flavor.” As President Morales has observed, it is critical that the UUA engage directly and respond robustly with these changes if we are to remain relevant in the coming decades. This meeting will include opportunities for the Board to explore multicultural issues in new ways. We are taking our lead from President Morales, once a resident of San Antonio and Donna Morrison, current resident of that city.

"A second reason is to challenge widespread notions that the UUA is wedded to Boston. We take seriously the admonition that the past should have a vote, not a veto. We recognize that there is a widespread belief among Unitarian Universalists that all things Boston have too much sway, consciously or sub-consciously, on the life and work of the Association. We are determined to address these issues so that our movement may truly be national in both intent and design. The neighborhood of Boston, once an amusing third party in the Unitarian Universalist trinity, is no longer merely amusing. It is a subtlety which must be addressed. We meet in San Antonio to begin removing the shroud of all things Boston from our deliberations and our work.

"A third reason is that, as the Board lives into Policy Governance, we must be intentional about linkage with our congregations. This has proved to be challenging; our initial efforts at linkage have been mixed. We are very much in a learning mode on how to link effectively. Our meeting in San Antonio is part of this effort and we look forward to spending time with leaders of UU congregations in the area. We approach this opportunity for linkage with learners’ mind, with hope and with a desire to be servants of our congregations."

Watch for the Board's "Meeting Packet" to be posted, sometime in late December, at http://www.uua.org/aboutus/governance/boardtrustees/agendas/.

Peace,
Lew

Board Observer

2009-11-18T16:53:00.000-07:00

Afternoon all

The Board Observer has posted informal minutes of the last Board meeting. To read the whole summary, either click on the "Board Observer" words above or go to:

http://www.uua.org/documents/dpa/091018_board_observer.pdf

More soon as we prepare for our January meeting.

Peace,
Lew

First Board Meeting

2009-11-06T10:34:00.000-07:00

First Board Meeting !

Wow, or, WOW ! Described it to a friend, “Long, intense and frustrating.” It was also rewarding, challenging and, well, actually fun (at times).

The board meeting is really almost a week of working group and committee meetings leading up to the day and a half of actual board meeting. The most impressive part was working closely with an outstanding group of truly dedicated UUs – everyone doing everything possible to make our association stronger and further the movement. They (oops, we) must be pretty dedicated – six days of twelve to-fourteen hour days of meetings.

One of the things we decided to do is share our perspectives on what the board did or plans to do. So, some of what you read below is my re-working of other trustee’s points. In some cases, I just used their sentences – and added my twist. However, all of this is unofficial. The official voice of the board will come out in the approved minutes. Everything you read here is strictly Lew Phinney’s take on things (with a little help of some of my fellow trustees).

After several years of study and preparation, this was the first board meeting actually convened under Policy Governance® procedures. In spite of the years of preparation and study, we all found that we had a lot to learn, many specific procedures to be worked out and many remaining discussions about how this will really work. The most important part of the Policy Governance approach is that the board sets limits on itself and its relationship with the UUA staff. While there is much yet to be done, the objective is to create a fully functioning effective board with a carefully defined, working relationship with the UUA staff. I’m sure I’ll be writing more about all of that as we progress.

So, some specifics:

Finances. The UUA has been very conservative in considering budget projections during these difficult economic times. Fortunately, contributions have continued, pretty much, as expected – yes a little down from previous years, but really quite good. Unfortunately, the endowment funds have taken substantial dip. However, the fiscal folks have presented a strong balanced budget for the current and next fiscal year.

Anti-Racism / Anti-Oppression / Multi-Culturalism (AR/AO/MC) permeates every board conversation on everything from the budget to what’s for dinner – well, almost. One of the ways that we further our Association goals within AR/AO/MC is through cooperation with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC). We received a presentation by two UUSC staff members about the work that the UUSC and the UUA have been working side-by-side on recent disaster response efforts. The work, and the extremely positive legacy, in affected areas is impressive. The thrust of the discussion around the presentation concerned how the UUA board and partner more effectively with the UUSC board. I have the PowerPoint version of their presentation. Let me know if you would like to have the full presentation.

Linkages: Part of the Policy Governance construct asks us to identify the needed linkages or connections that a PG board must have with, what the board has identified as, Sources of Authority and Accountability. Some time ago, the board identified these sources:

1. Our member congregations
2. Current and future generations of Unitarian Universalists
3. The heritage, traditions, and ideals of Unitarian Universalism
4. The vision of Beloved Community
5. The Spirit of life, love, and the holy

Note that the first item is “Our member congregations” -- That’s you, the congregations and districts that make up the UUA. So, basic question, How do we do that? We are trying to tackle the issues around connecting and listening to congregations and districts -- to whom we are accountable. Yup, being a bit more difficult, “The Spirit of life, love, and the holy” will come later.

To govern accountably, the Board must maintain meaningful connections, or what we call “linkage,” with these Sources, including constructive dialogues concerning the Sources’ values and the UUA’s Ends (goals). In other words, the focus of connection is not “telling” or “reporting” but rather listening to the Sources’ perspectives regarding their needs and what benefits the UUA can or should provide. When we have heard those inputs, we must be accountable – to respond by letting you know what action was taken, what happened, what were the successes (or not, and why). Watch for much more on this topic as we get this Linkage process going.

UUA Trustees in Districts. Mary Ellen Morgan, President of the District Presidents Association (DPA) met with the board. We were struck by the wide variety of relationships among UUA trustees and the boards in the districts that elected them. There is little consistency across districts – then again, maybe there doesn’t need to be consistency. I’m confident that these relationships will evolve as best suits individual trustees and district organizations. “If it ain’t broke ….”

The DPA has invited representatives of the UUA to board to return to meet with them during their regular meeting in early November. The meeting will focus on the roles and relationships among the UUA board, individual trustees, and the district boards and how the Policy Governance model will affect those relationships.

UUA Board of Trustees will hold its January meeting in San Antonio, TX. This is a important step. This is the first time in recent memory (probably in anybody’s memory) that the UUA Board, with the exception of GA meetings, has met outside Boston. Is there a westward movement afoot within the UUA? Well, our new president is from Colorado and our moderator is from Michigan. Leadership on the UUA Board is from all over the country. There just might be something significant going on here.

What is definitely happening is that the UUA Board is working to implement the “Linkage” goals that they set for themselves. Basically, get out there and connect with congregations in ways that we haven’t done in the past. In an earlier paragraph there is more on Linkages.

Youth Ministries. Following discussion among trustees based on inputs we received during the past two General Assemblies and at district gatherings, we voiced concern about the status of UUA Youth and Young Adult organizations and goals. In 2007 a decision was made to dismantle the national youth organization known as YRUU (Young Religious Unitarian Universalists). Unfortunately, despite many good intentions and a number of planning meetings, there is no national structure to take its place. It was apparent that some members of the Youth and Young Adult groups feel that they have been abandoned by the UUA; that there is no support in place for their unique issues and concerns.

Several members of the board volunteered to form an ad hoc task force to focus the board’s concerns. I’m pleased to be part of that task force. The board’s direction to the task force was to work within the Policy Governance constraints to devise an appropriate way to work with the staff to answer the myriad questions and work toward resolution of the issues involved. The results of the lunch-time meeting was a carefully crafted list of questions for the staff. The list of questions was winnowed down from a full page of questions to arrive at the following board motion:

VOTED: The UUA Board requests the Staff to provide the following information and reports to the UUA Board by December 1, 2009.

Chronology about what happened from 2004 on.
Where are we now on District and National Youth Leadership?
Administration’s vision.
What are the models of youth leadership in other denominations?

The task force will receive the staff report and initiate the board discussion for our meetings in January 2010.

District trustees agreed to contact youth leadership in their districts to try to determine our shared values around youth leadership and how should these be reflected in UUA policy?

Other stuff. The board does a lot of work electronically between meetings. Therefore, I’ll be posing to this space as significant things happen. For example, we will receive the auditor’s report on Monday. I don’t expect anything earthshaking from that report, but, if there is, I’ll certainly let you know.

So, stay tuned.

Lew

Policy Governance

2009-11-03T13:20:00.001-07:00

Policy Governance®

The transition to Policy Governance is at once frustrating and empowering. This was the first board meeting in which the board tried to operate completely under the PG model. We found that there are a mere 2.7 million details to be worked out as we go forward. However, my board colleague, the Rev. Dr. Susan Ritchie, Trustee from the Ohio Meadville District, wrote the following about that transition. Her words are certainly more understanding and elegant than what I had started to write.

“Chances are you’ve not heard a really rousing sermon or children’s story lately about the development of English Unitarianism out of Presbyterianism. There are no martyrs, and not so many distinguished individuals. Instead there were the Middle Way Men. These good people felt that their chief job as church leaders was to concentrate on good basic governance. Within their congregations and larger associations, they promoted democratic principles, a broad understanding of the population congregations should serve, and they worked hard to develop and empower lay leadership (whom were charmingly referred to as “gifted brethren”). Over the course of generations, this focus had a liberalizing effect on their congregations’ theology, many of which eventually embraced Unitarianism. Who knew? Apparently what we do matters as much if not more than what we say we believe.

“I bring this up to say that the October UUA board meeting was the first in which our association went fully into a policy governance mode. I attended preparing to support and advance this governance choice, but not expecting to find much of a precedent for this latest thing in our own history. So I was pleasantly surprised to experience a sense of déjà vu. Others have rehearsed better than I can the basic principles of policy governance. And there are kinks to be worked out. We need remember to empower rather than manage our UUA staff, we need as a board to make sure that our relationships of accountability are real, function, and two-way. But the historian in me just has to say that I find policy governance’s unrelenting focus on making sure that our “hows” are really and always truly reflective of our values a special and good match for our tradition. It is an impressive way of not only reflecting our values but manifesting them for the future.”

Thank you Susan.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2010

2009-10-27T13:24:00.000-06:00

First, a subject near and dear to my heart – General Assembly. It’s not too early to start thinking about GA 2010.

Next year's General Assembly, the annual meeting of the Unitarian Universalist Association, will be held at the Minneapolis Convention Center on June 23 - 27, 2010. You can register to attend GA, and apply to be a GA volunteer, at www.uua.org/ga beginning on March 1, 2010. Last year, the Mountain Desert District welcomed UUs from across the country and, yes, around the world. In June the Prarie Star District will try to match the welcome we MDDers provided. See you in Minneapolis!

Want to Offer a Workshop? Do you or your congregation have something to offer congregations from other areas of the country?
The deadline is fast approaching.

The UUA has developed a new process for the selection of workshops to be offered at General Assembly. A team comprised of Unitarian Universalist Association staff and GA Planning Committee members is responsible for developing and/or inviting proposals for quality, mission-based GA programs for GA 2010 in Minneapolis. Proposals are due no later than November 16, 2009. In the past, each District had two guaranteed workshop slots to use or to give to their congregations to use. This will no longer be the case. Everyone who wants to submit a workshop application will have to use the new process. The new process is open to everyone.

First Post

2009-08-23T19:54:00.000-06:00

Thanks for finding Lew Phinney’s Blog.

I’m the guy that you, the UU congregations of the Mountain Desert District, elected to be your trustee on the Unitarian Universalist Association Board of Trustees. First, thank you for putting your trust in me. I promise to represent the District to the best of my abilities and to consistently do what is needed and appropriate to further the mission of the Association.

So, what can you expect from this blog? Well, for the moment, not much. However following each UUA Board meeting, I’ll post here an informal summary of what happened at the meeting. It’s important to remember that what I write here will be my thoughts. I won’t be providing approved minutes of the meeting. Although when the minutes come out and I find that I’ve missed something, expect an update here.

Much of what the Board does is pretty routine. I promise not to bore you with that stuff. Rather, I’ll deal with current and emerging issues that will have an impact on the Association and the District.

Examples of issues coming up at the Board’s October meeting:

Those of you who were at General Assembly know that the assembly defeated the motion to change the Principles and Sources. Near the end of GA the delegates directed the Board to further deepen discussion of the Principles and Purposes begun by the review conducted by the UUA Commission on Appraisal so that it can be addressed at a future GA. I’ll try to give you some sense of how the Board plans to implement that direction.

Oh yes, we have a new Association President. Therefore, there will be changes. I’ll try to give you some sense of where Peter Morales wants to take our Association and what it’s like to work with him.

You’re welcome to post questions or comments here. I don’t promise to answer questions posted here or comment on your comments. If you want my direct attention, send me an e-mail: lphinney@uua.org. That’s the best way to get a response.

That’s enuf for now.

Cheers,
Lew