Minister’s Column
In the coming weeks, this congregation will be invited to discuss (and vote upon) two foundational documents: the UUFCM covenant will be discussed on May 19, at the annual meeting; the UUA statement of principles and values will be discussed on June 2.
The covenant is specific to this congregation, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Michigan. In January, we spent our annual congregation retreat contemplating what a covenant should be and brainstorming what we want to be included. Since then, the Shared Ministry Team took the notes and compiled them into a draft covenant:
Granting each other freedom of mind and spirit, we covenant with each other to:
- Be respectful and welcoming to all members, visitors, and staff;
- Listen to and be respectful of and to one another;
- Resolve conflicts in a positive way:
- speak directly to members, friends, visitors, and staff about concerns
- speak to Minister with any concerns about job performance of staff (minister supervises all paid staff)
- speak to Shared Ministry Team regarding conflict that is ongoing or can’t be resolved directly
- Commit to a community of mutual care, taking what we need and giving what we can;
- Search for truth and meaning, while supporting others in their journey;
- Strive to embody the values of forgiveness, honesty, patience, gratitude, and kindness;
- Dedicate ourselves to the work of justice and peace, seeking always to ease suffering and inspire joy.
On May 19, everyone is invited to discuss this draft and to offer suggestions. A vote will be taken on whether to continue this process. This will not be a final vote, but will continue a process of revisions and amendments for the next year. This covenant is an expression of how we promise to treat one another in this religious community, and it applies only to UUFCM.
By contrast, the vote about Article II relates to a nationwide process that includes all Unitarian Universalist congregations. It is referred to as Article II because the statement of UU principles and values is part of the UUA bylaws, and comprises Article II of those bylaws. Most importantly, the revision of Article II would replace the Seven Principles that have been in place for decades with new language articulating UU values of Justice, Equity, Transformation, Pluralism, Interdependence, and Generosity--all centered around Love.
This revision of Article II has been ongoing for a few years. Last year a vote was taken at General Assembly to approve the new language, but a second vote at this year’s GA is necessary for final approval. And, there have been four new amendments since the last GA that will be up for debate and approval this year. Two of these amendments are wording changes to the “Equity” section of UU values. The other two amendments propose adding additional values to the list: “Reason,” and “Peace.” All the amendments can be found here: https://discuss.uua.org/c/ga24/2024-a2-amendments/28.
At our special meeting after worship on June 2, everyone is invited to discuss Article II. Members will be invited to vote on each of the four amendments separately and on the revised language as a whole. This vote will inform our delegates to General Assembly how to vote in the national voting process.
Each of these documents is an important statement about life in a UU community. The covenant, specific to UUFCM, guides us in how we interact with one another and encourages us to be our best. The statement of principles and values is a grounding document that joins together UU’s everywhere in saying what unites us. May we be thoughtful in considering each of these documents and the truth and meaning they represent.
PRAYER:
Great spirit of the whole, may there be a path forward for Unitarian Universalists.
May we come to our discussions with humility and passion; may we discern our own truth deeply and may we be open to hearing the truths of others.
May we find a way forward that is good, not expecting perfection.
Blessed be.
Rev. Drew Frantz
May 14, 2024