By Susan Frederick-Gray

January 18, 2023

Dear friends,

Happy New Year! I am sending you care as we begin another year. This, 2023, is an important year for Unitarian Universalism.

We are currently in a multi-year process to consider changes to our UUA Principles and Purpose. This process formally began in 2020 when the UUA Board appointed an Article II Study Commission. This is a dry name for such important work. The reason is our Principles, Purpose, covenant and Sources are contained in Article II of the UUA Bylaws.

[Read the full article on the UUA website…]

In January 2023, the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Article 2 Study Commission released its complete, proposed revision of Article 2 of the UUA bylaws. Some reviewers of this proposal have created a “side-by-side” comparison of the current and the proposed Article 2.

In the comparison, the current Section C-2.1 is compared side-by-side with the proposed sections that replace it, Sections C-2.2 and C-2.3. In the places where the proposed Article 2 repeats ideas from the “Seven Principles” in the current Article 2, the words are both Italicized and underlined.

The rest of the comparison follows a typical revision approach, using the words of the current Article 2, with inserted words underlined and deleted words having a strikethrough.

Click here to get the Article 2 Side-by-Side Comparison.

1/23/2023.

 

by Barbara L. Barnes

With all the impact of landing on the moon, the final, proposed changes to the UUA’s Article II were submitted to the UUA Board of Trustees on January 18, 2023. As members of a staunchly non-creedal, non-shared-confirmation-of-faith based religion, Unitarian Universalists (UUs) rely on Article II of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) bylaws to fill that role held in other faiths. The majority of the current Article II contains the revered statements of the Seven Principles and Six Sources.

In an attempt to keep the concepts described in Article II as an accurate reflection of current UU beliefs, the Association’s Board of Trustees commissions a periodic review and update to this portion of the Association’s bylaws. The UUA completed the last major revision in 1985. Now, after 2.5 years of extensive study, debate, and feedback, the Article II Study Commission has released its final report to the UUA Board of Trustees and the general UU membership. The report contains the Commission’s proposed final revision of Article II. The highly readable, 26-page report can be obtained at UUA.org/A2Sc-report. This article attempts to distill down what this author feels are the highlights of that report.

The report defines Article II as follows:

Article II of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Bylaws, Principles and Purposes, is the foundation for all of the work of our UUA and its member congregations and covenanted communities. It is the covenant to which all of our congregations and covenanted communities pledge themselves when they become members of our UUA.

The proposed Article II replaces the Seven Principles and Six Sources with six values and associated covenants.

However, before reviewing the proposed changes, a look at the Commission’s membership and charge is in order to understand their backgrounds and motivations. The Commission consisted of six members, plus two Board of Trustees member liaisons, and two administrative liaisons. Of the six Commission members, one was male and five were female, with two of this last group being a college freshman and college sophomore. The remaining membership consisted of a minister, English professor, managerial consultant, and a religious educator.

The Commission quoted its original charge by the Board of Trustees, which stated the goals, scope and approach for the Commission. This charge included:

The Article II Study Commission is hereby charged to review Article II of the UUA Bylaws, and propose any revisions that will enable our UUA, our member congregations, and our covenanted communities to be a relevant and powerful force for spiritual and moral growth, healing, and justice. Proposed changes should articulate core UU theological values. The Board believes that one core theological value, shared widely among UUs, is love….

The new Principles and Purposes should guide us in the transformation of ourselves, our communities and our faith into active networks of collective care, restoration, and justice. The Principles and Purposes you will prepare should be a living document that challenges Unitarian Universalists to place the liberation, in all its dimensions, of all, at the center of our lives….

Our commitment to anti-racism, anti-oppression, and multiculturalism is love in action, and should be centered in any revision of Article II….

Further, the Commission shall de-center habitual practices that reinforce white supremacy culture.

The Commission’s report continued with a listing of the stakeholders (resources to assist in their work), and the General Assembly (GA) 2021 resolution. In that resolution, the 2021 GA delegates directed the Commission as follows:

…(W) e ask the Article II Commission and the Board to ensure proposed changes to Article II include in the Principles a clear and direct statement that accountable systemic anti-racist and anti-oppressive actions to build Beloved Community are part of what it means to be Unitarian Universalist.

In the report’s discussion of the Commission’s approach to its task, it defined the needs of Article II as follows:

The main functions of this article in our bylaws are legal and organizational. It defines who we are in a legal sense, and sets up the parameters of the UUA as an organization. In that first phase of the process, it became clear to us that in addition to these main functions, which are required of any bylaws, there were many other functions that UUs expected it to fulfill. These include:

• • Theological: helps us articulate our shared values and theology
  • Social: serves as a shared cultural touchstone
  • Educational: lists concepts to teach and sources to draw from
  • Personal: serves as a personal code of ethics
  • Evangelical: a way to explain to others who we are and draw their interest
  • Rhetorical: used in public situations to define our beliefs or morality in legal or political contexts.

The report’s approach section discusses the Commission’s opinion that the current Article II lacked commitment, covenants, action statements, and accountability.

The report then presents the current Article II before moving onto their final recommendations for a new Article II. Their recommended Article II consists of five components: Section C-2.1. Purposes, Section C-2.2. Values and Covenant, Section C-2.3. Inspirations. Section C-2.4. Inclusion, and Section C-2.5. Freedom of belief [sic: uncapitalized in the original].

The major section of the proposed Article II is C-2.2. Values and Covenant. However, the Commission chose to intersperse the values and their definitions with their associated covenant statements. Read as written, the values, meanings, and directed actions might appear diluted or confusing. As a result, I’ve chosen to separate the values and their definitions from the related covenants.

Values

• • Interdependence. We honor the interdependent web of all existence.
  • Pluralism. We celebrate that we are all sacred beings diverse in culture, experience, and theology.
  • Justice. We work to be diverse multicultural Beloved Communities where all thrive.
  • Transformation. We adapt to the changing world.
  • Generosity. We cultivate a spirit of gratitude and hope.
  • Equity. We declare that every person has the right to flourish with inherent dignity and worthiness.

Commission Member Rev. Cheryl M. Walker, in the January 20, 2023 Zoom broadcasted portion of the meeting of the UUA Board of Trustees that was open to the public, stressed that these values are bullet points. The value statements should not be prioritized or numbered. She explained that the order could be randomized. She and other members of the Commission shared that they intended the single-word values to serve as touchstones of the faith.

The Commission members, in the meeting cited above, also stressed the need for the following graphic to describe the values as individual yet with each petal stemming from a central source of love.

The report intermeshed the associated covenants, shown below, with the values. The Commission Members stressed in the January 20 meeting and in the report that they felt the covenants added “verbs” or required accountable actions to the values. Below are the covenants stated in the report.

Covenant

• • Interdependence … We covenant to cherish Earth and all beings by creating and nurturing relationships of care and respect. With humility and reverence, we acknowledge our place in the great web of life, and we work to repair harm and damaged relationships.
  • Pluralism … We covenant to learn from one another in our free and responsible search for truth and meaning. We embrace our differences and commonalities with Love, curiosity, and respect.
  • Justice … We covenant to dismantle racism and all forms of systemic oppression. We support the use of inclusive democratic processes to make decisions.
  • Transformation … We covenant to collectively transform and grow spiritually and ethically. Openness to change is fundamental to our Unitarian and Universalist heritages, never complete and never perfect.
  • Generosity … We covenant to freely and compassionately share our faith, presence, and resources. Our generosity connects us to one another in relationships of interdependence and mutuality.
  • Equity … We covenant to use our time, wisdom, attention, and money to build and sustain fully accessible and inclusive communities.

Section 2.2. Values and Covenant defines the ramification of these covenants as, “We are accountable to one another for doing the work of living our shared values through the spiritual discipline of Love.”

So where does the proposed Article II adoption process go from here? As outlined in the Article II final report:

Article II Forums will be held, so people can learn more and talk about the proposal. Congregations are encouraged to have conversations to gather input from their members to inform their GA delegates. There will be opportunities for delegates to recommend amendments to the proposal including at a mini-assembly at General Assembly. The Board will also be able to recommend amendments. Amendments to the proposal from delegates and the Board of Trustees will be prioritized and placed on the General Assembly agenda for consideration.

The final version of Article II, as amended by the Board of Trustees and/or the 2023 General Assembly, must receive a simple majority vote to move forward for a final vote at the 2024 General Assembly. It will take a 2/3rd majority vote at the 2024 General Assembly to be adopted as the new Article II of the UUA bylaws. If either vote fails, a similar proposal cannot be considered for two years.

Part of the January 20 Board of Trustees meeting consisted of Board members discussing organizing possible forums or workshops to be held this spring to discuss and coalesce proposed amendments to the proposed Article II, prior to presentation at the 2023 GA. (The public attending this board meeting was restricted from input or comments.) Additional Board Member discussion raised potential avenues to disseminate information on the proposed Article II to UU congregations, Religious Education professionals, and seminaries, through the preparation of videos, worship program aides, and materials geared for specific audiences.

We’ll have to wait and see what transpires before the voting on Article II begins at this summer’s GA. Stay tuned and stay informed! You need to let our yet-to-be-selected GA delegates know your opinion on this major change in our religious lives.

1/23/2023.

At the UUA Board meeting on December 12, 2022, a Board member said that most of the business of the next annual General Assembly will be about two things: The UUA Presidential election and the Article II Bylaws revision.

UUA Presidential Election

2023 is the year to select another UUA President for a 6-year term. At this time there is one candidate, Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt, nominated by the Presidential Search Committee. (See Dr. Betancourt’s website.) If one or more other people meet the requirements to be a candidate through the petition process, then the Association will have multiple candidates. In that case, delegates will receive information about candidates, will have the opportunity to watch a candidate forum at GA, and will be able to vote for UUA President in an election.

Article II Bylaws Revision

2023 is the first of two years of voting regarding a proposed revision of Article II of the UUA Bylaws. Article II states the purpose of the Unitarian Universalist Association, lists its principles, contains an inclusion clause, and contains a freedom-of-belief clause. Because it contains these things, it can be said to define at a very high level what the UUA is.

In October 2022, the UUA’s Article II Study Commission released a draft of its proposed revision of Article II. That draft, as well as the current Article II, can be found in the November Heirloom article, Draft of Proposed Revision to Article 2.

At the January 2023 meeting of the UUA Board, the Article II Study Commission will present its final, updated proposal for Article II. After that:

(1) The UUA Board may create Board-sponsored amendments to the proposal.

(2) Delegates may create delegate-sponsored amendments to the proposal. According to a possible timeframe shown at the December UUA Board meeting, this would start in May 2023. At least one mini-assembly to receive delegate-sponsored amendments must occur during GA, according to UUA Bylaw C-15.1(c)(3)(i)-(ii).

(3) Delegates will vote, during GA, on amendments to the proposal. Near the end of GA, they vote on the proposal itself, as amended. Possible outcomes of the vote are:

~ The proposal achieves a majority favorable vote, and it is a proposal with no amendments or with only Board-sponsored-amendments. In this case, what is approved in 2023 will be voted on again at GA 2024, and must achieve over 2/3 favorable vote at that time to take effect.

~ The proposal achieves a majority favorable vote, and it is a proposal with one or more delegate-sponsored amendments. In this case, during the next year the proposal may be modified further by the Article II Study Commission, and the version with further modifications will be voted on at GA 2024. If it achieves over 2/3 favorable vote at that time, it takes effect.

~ The proposal fails to achieve a majority favorable vote. In this case, it is the end of considering revising Article II for now, and there will be no vote on the proposal at GA 2024.

Other Business

Delegates at GA often vote on one or more of the following social-justice-related items: Congregational Study/ Action Issues, Statements of Conscience, and Actions of Immediate Witness. These types of items may or may not be present at GA 2023. The Commission on Social Witness is currently down in membership, and all available time might be needed for Article II.

Not Business at GA 2023

The UUA Board has decided that the only Bylaw revisions that will be considered at GA 2023 will be for Article II. Although the Board is working on revisions to other bylaws, those will not be brought up for a vote until GA 2024.

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If you are interested in applying to be a delegate at General Assembly, see the article Call for UUA General Assembly Delegates.

If you have questions about what typically happens at General Assembly, or would like links to more resources on the 2023 General Assembly, please contact Russ Araujo.

12/14/2022.

Wednesday, June 21 through Sunday, June 25, 2023, in Pittsburgh and online

General Assembly is the annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists, where we conduct business of the Association, explore the theological underpinnings of our faith, and lean fully into our mission and principles. Please join us Wednesday, June 21 through Sunday, June 25, 2023, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and/or online for this 5-day immersive experience where we participate in inspirational worship services and informative workshops, reconvene with friends and colleagues, and explore our bustling exhibit hall. GA is an unforgettable experience for the thousands of UUs who attend. Meet us online or in Pittsburgh and you’ll leave with renewed energy and innovative ideas to share with your congregation and community-at-large!

Registration and Housing

Registration is available at UUA.org/ga/registration. Register before March 1 for the lowest rate. Rates will increase on March 1 and again on May 1.

There are those who may find it more manageable to spread out their GA registration fee in smaller, periodic installments rather than one lump sum. When you register you many now choose to pay with a payment plan option to spread out your payments over several months. Registration can be paid in installments, with as little as $50 down.

The UUA General Assembly (GA) Housing Reservation System offers attendees premium amenities, discounted rates, and the best networking opportunities. Booking in the hotel block assists the UUA in effectively controlling meeting space, attrition, and penalty fees; all of which directly benefit you and the future of General Assembly. Additionally, the UUA is able to negotiate on behalf of our block of attendees for sustainability and accessibilities requirements. You can find housing information here: uua.org/ga/travel/general-assembly-hotels

FAITHIFY has a proven record of helping people get to General Assembly. Crowdfunding is a democratic, grass roots, and increasingly common tool to fund GA travel and registration expenses. When we contribute to a GA scholarship campaign, we welcome more people to be full participants in the largest gathering of our faith community. Get inspired at FAITHIFY.org.

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh sits at the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers, and is home to some of the more beautiful American bridges. Pittsburgh is affordable, has temperate summers, and is known for its friendly and sincere residents. The city is home to many cultural attractions including the Carnegie Museums and Library, the Andy Warhol Museum, and Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Once the epitome of American industrial power, Pittsburgh has recently seen new waves of changes that have turned it into a vibrant destination for visitors. Hop on the Duquesne Incline to get to the top of Mount Washington, or visit the Senator John Heinz History Center’s exhibitions on the city’s history, its baseball and football legacies, and Heinz products.

Excellent Programming

GA will offer dozens of outstanding programming selections (workshops, panel discussions, worship services, and other presentations) over the course of five days. Programs will provide attendees with concrete and usable tools to further the work, and the balance needed to explore multiple identity-based and theological perspectives. The theme for General Assembly 2023 is “Faithfully Becoming.”

Like Unitarian Universalism, GA offers a wealth of theological diversity. A variety of worship choices are offered throughout GA. The Service of the Living Tradition is where we commemorate fellowshipped and credentialed religious leaders, those who have died, those who have completed active service, and welcome those who have received fellowship or credentialed status in the past year. Sunday Morning Worship at GA is a powerful, communal worship experience and is the largest annual gathering of UUs in Worship.

Each year a distinguished guest speaker is invited to address the General Assembly as the Ware Lecturer. Recent lecturers have included Stacey Abrams, Bryan Stevenson, and Cornel West. The 2023 Ware Lecturer will be announced soon.

Financial Support Available

The UUA is committed to the goal of making GA accessible to as many attendees as possible. Go to UUA.org/GA to learn about scholarships to support delegates – particularly those from marginalized groups – and volunteer opportunities (work in exchange for registration).

Congregational Participation from Off-site

The votes that GA delegates cast have a huge impact on Unitarian Universalism. They determine our elected leaders, amend the bylaws and rules that govern our Association, and shape the justice work that we do as a movement. If you are interested in serving as a delegate from your congregation, talk to your minister or your congregation’s governing body.

Technology provides opportunities to connect on-site participants with those who participate from off-site. GA has transformed into a multiplatform meeting—incorporating off-site participation, live-streaming of events, and a dynamic event app to create an interactive experience for in-person and virtual attendees.

Accessibility

The UUA is committed to addressing the inclusion of all people, whatever their abilities might be, in all GA activities. Beyond the physical accessibility of the facilities, we use—ramps, captioning, seating cut-outs, etc.—we endeavor to take the next step: to truly welcome people with disabilities into every facet of GA.

Children

All children are welcome to attend GA events with their parents or guardians. Children who have not yet entered high school (or its equivalent) are welcome to attend GA events with their parents or guardians at no cost but are still required to register. For parents who need childcare, Children’s Programs are available Thursday, Friday and Saturday during GA. Register for Children’s Programs at UUA.org/GA.

Youth

Attending the annual General Assembly as a high school aged youth (grades 9-12 in the preceding school year, or the equivalent for home-schooled youth) is an incredible experience. Not only do you get to worship, witness, learn and connect in a multigenerational continental community, you can get to know hundreds of other youth and participate in making an impact on the Association through the democratic process.

Additional Materials

Click here for information for first-timers.

11/23/2022.

Representatives of the Unitarian Universalist Council of Greater Cincinnati participated in the Shared Planning Conference of the Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition of Cincinnati (MARCC) on November 15, 2022. The MARCC conference meets each year in the fall to select two social concerns for emphasis in the coming year.

This year the UU Council presented for consideration to the MARCC Shared Planning Conference a social concern related to building hope in our youth and young adults, with a focus on pursuing peaceful alternatives to gun violence.

The proposal was joined with a related proposal from another religious group, and the result was the adoption of Community Violence Intervention as one of the two MARCC social concerns for 2023. The other MARCC social concern will be a continuing one, Displacement/Affordable Housing/Homelessness.

To learn more about MARCC, visit the MARCC website. To get involved, please contact Carole Womeldorf, the UU Council Representative to MARCC:

Or contact Martha Walker, the Alternate UU Council Representative:

A key section of the bylaws of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is Article 2, which includes the Association’s Principles, Purposes, and Freedom of Belief clause. The UUA’s Board of Trustees established an Article II Study Commission to develop a proposed revision for Article 2.

In October 2022, the Commission issued a draft of its proposed revision. This draft will be presented to the UUA’s Board of Trustees in January 2023, possibly after having been revised further. Eventually, the new Article 2 will be up for a vote by General Assembly (GA) delegates in 2023 and 2024. (Because Article 2 is a “C” bylaw section, changing it requires votes at two successive GAs.)

In this article, what is provided immediately below is the draft of the proposed revised Article 2 issued in October 2022. After that, in a second section of this article, is the current Article 2.

For more information and to register for a feedback session, go to this Article II Study Commission page on the UUA website.

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Draft of the Proposed Revised Article 2

Article II Purposes and Covenant

Section C-2.1. Purposes.

The Unitarian Universalist Association shall devote its resources to and exercise its organizational powers for religious, educational, and humanitarian purposes. Its primary purposes are to equip congregations for vital ministry, to support and train leaders both lay and professional, to heal historic inequities, and to advance our Unitarian Universalist values in the world. We will transform the world by our liberating love.

Section C-2.2. Values and Covenant.

Love is the enduring force that holds us together.

As Unitarian Universalists in religious community, we covenant, congregation-to-congregation and through our association, to support and assist each other in engaging our ministries. We draw from our heritages of freedom and reason, hope and courage, building on the foundation of love.

Love inspires and powers the passion with which we embody our values. Inseparable from one another, these shared values are:

Justice. We work to be diverse multicultural Beloved Communities where all people thrive.
We covenant to dismantle racism and all forms of oppression within individuals and our institutions. We are accountable to each other for this work.

Generosity. We cultivate a spirit of gratitude and hope.
We covenant to freely share our faith, presence, and resources. Compassionate generosity connects us one to another in relationships of mutuality.

Evolution. We adapt to the changing world.
We covenant to collectively transform and grow spiritually and ethically. Evolution is fundamental to life and to our Unitarian Universalist heritages, never complete and never perfect.

Pluralism. We celebrate that we are all sacred beings diverse in culture, theology, and experience.
We covenant to learn from one another and openly explore the depth and breadth of our many wisdoms. We embrace our differences and commonalities with love, curiosity, and respect.

Equity. We declare that every person has the right to flourish with dignity and worthiness.
We covenant to use our time, wisdom, attention, and money to build and sustain a fully inclusive and accessible community of communities.

Interdependence. We honor the sacred interdependent web of all existence. With humility we understand our place in the web.
We covenant to care for and respect the earth and all beings by fostering relationships of mutuality. We work to repair the bonds we have broken.

Section C-2.3. Inspirations.

As Unitarian Universalists, we draw upon, and are inspired by, the full depth and breadth of sacred understandings, as experienced by humanity. Grateful for the religious lineages we inherit and the pluralism which enriches our faith, we are called to ever deepen and expand our wisdom.

Section C-2.4. Inclusion.

Systems of power, privilege, and oppression have traditionally created barriers for persons and groups with particular identities, ages, abilities, and histories. We pledge to replace such barriers with ever-widening circles of solidarity and mutual respect. We strive to be an association of congregations that truly welcome all persons who share our values. We commit to structuring congregational and associational life in ways that empower and enhance everyone’s participation.

Section C-2.5. Freedom of belief.

Nothing herein shall be deemed to infringe upon the individual freedom of belief which is inherent in the Unitarian Universalist heritages or to conflict with any statement of purpose, covenant, or bond of union used by any congregation unless such is used as a creedal test. In expressing our beliefs, we do so in the spirit of love, in ways that further Beloved Community.

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Current Article 2

ARTICLE II Principles and Purposes

Section C-2.1. Principles.

We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote

• The inherent worth and dignity of every person;

• Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;

• Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;

• A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;

• The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;

• The goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all;

• Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

The living tradition which we share draws from many sources:

• Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;

• Words and deeds of prophetic people which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion and the transforming power of love;

• Wisdom from the world’s religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;

• Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God’s love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;

• Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit;

• Spiritual teachings of Earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

Grateful for the religious pluralism which enriches and ennobles our faith, we are inspired to deepen our understanding and expand our vision. As free congregations we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust and support.

Section C-2.2. Purposes.

The Unitarian Universalist Association shall devote its resources to and exercise its corporate powers for religious, educational and humanitarian purposes. The primary purpose of the Association is to serve the needs of its member congregations, organize new congregations, extend and strengthen Unitarian Universalist institutions and implement its principles.

Section C-2.3. Inclusion.

Systems of power, privilege, and oppression have traditionally created barriers for persons and groups with particular identities, ages, abilities, and histories. We pledge to replace such barriers with ever-widening circles of solidarity and mutual respect. We strive to be an association of congregations that truly welcome all persons and commit to structuring congregational and associational life in ways that empower and enhance everyone’s participation.

Section C-2.4. Freedom of Belief.

Nothing herein shall be deemed to infringe upon the individual freedom of belief which is inherent in the Universalist and Unitarian heritages or to conflict with any statement of purpose, covenant, or bond of union used by any congregation unless such is used as a creedal test.

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10/24/2022.

The 2022 General Assembly recordings library of over 80 workshops, worship services, and other events is now available to the public. Some recordings are no longer available due to copyright or agreements with the presenters.

[Click here to access the recordings…]

9/17/2022.

by Russ Araujo

The 2022 Universalist Convocation gathered at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church in Bellville, Ohio, on July 29 through 31. For Rae Jane and me, this was our sixth Convocation.

David Damico, editor of the Universalist Herald, the oldest continuously-published liberal religious magazine in North America, talked about his background and how he runs the magazine. For each of the four yearly issues he picks a theme and invites articles that can come from both ministers and lay people. (For more information, see http://www.universalist-herald.org/.)

Jay Kiskel, board member of UU Studies Network, formerly UU History and Heritage Society, gave a talk on “History of the Young People’s Christian Union (Y.P.C.U.).” In the later 1800s and early 1900s, the Y.P.C.U. was a grassroots organization of youth and young adults which grew quickly and did a lot of successful missionary work spreading the Universalist message and establishing churches. Kiskel also traced the repeated rise and fall of our denomination’s youth organizations. He noted that the youth organizations of the Unitarians and the Universalists formally merged in the 1950s, nearly ten years before the consolidation of the two denominations in 1961. The last national UU youth organization, the Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU), was disbanded by the UUA Board of Trustees in 2008.

Rev. Dr. V. Elaine Strawn, Co-chair of the regional Commissioned Lay Ministry Council, gave a talk titled “Breaking Open Our Hearts.” She noted how often it is that we might say to ourselves, “That man cut me off in traffic. What an idiot!” or “That woman voted for so-and-so. What an idiot!” She suggested that we should add three words to our internal monologue. “That man cut me off in traffic. What an idiot, just like me!” and “That woman voted for so-and-so. What an idiot, just like me!”

Rev. Schuyler Vogel, Senior Minister of the Fourth Universalist Society in New York City, talked on “Not for Ourselves Alone.” He started with the observation that mainline churches in America are in decline, and that UUism is also in a decline, though one that is somewhat less steep. He described how reaching out to the wider community can save Universalism both as an ethic and in physical terms. In the case of the Fourth Universalist Society, it actually helped obtain a new roof and thereby save the church building.

On Sunday, All Souls Church celebrated its 200th anniversary. Its minister, Rev. William Humphrey, asked the question, “What is Universalism?” and solicited answers from those in the sanctuary. Among those who gave their thoughts were several members of the All Souls congregation. I was struck by how their answers involved theology. I surmise that in the rural area served by this church, surrounded by evangelical Christians and Biblical literalists, to say that Universalism is about “including all people” would be a vague answer without power. In the present day and place, when the prevailing message was that God would send a person to Hell if they did not believe a certain way, the response of the Universalists was that God, who is love, will not send anyone to eternal torment in an everlasting Hell.

A big part of the Convocation was the chance to talk with many people informally. One attendee remembered when Heritage Universalist Unitarian Church in Cincinnati hosted the Convocation in 2014. What they remembered particularly was the wonderful food we provided!

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can watch videos of these Convocation talks, recorded by David Damico:

History of the Young Peoples’ Christian Union, Jay Kiskel
https://youtu.be/tqS7G7HGp6o

Breaking Open our Hearts, Rev Dr. V. Elaine Strawn
https://youtu.be/yPncfYhMaKM

Not For Ourselves Alone: a Universalist Survival Guide, Rev. Schuyler Vogel
https://youtu.be/m5Nq5x3kgIg

The 2023 Universalist Convocation will be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (For more information, see https://universalistconvocation.org/.)

8/3/2022.

Sunday, July 31 through Sunday, August 7, 2022. Offsite.

The Unitarian Universalist Council of Greater Cincinnati will participate in the fifth annual Festival of Faiths. The theme of the festival is Compassion through Action: Working for the Common Good.

Most of the events will be online, including the Interfaith Devotional Observance on Sunday, July 31, at 1:30 pm.

The festival will conclude on Sunday, August 7, with an exhibition at the Cintas Center at Xavier University, 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. The UU Council will be one of the exhibitors.

For more information, including the complete schedule for the week, please visit equasion.org, the web site of the sponsor, EquaSion (Equality, Spirituality, Inclusion). All are welcome.

To volunteer to be present at the UU table and help us represent Unitarian Universalism, please contact Dan Schneider at: