2018 Plenary III
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Friday afternoon’s plenary session at Hynes Auditorium
in Boston began with delegates singing the African chant Oomama
baku dala babethandeza, “Our mothers taught us
to pray.” Moderator Diane Olson called to order the
third plenary session of the 42nd General Assembly, and invited
Executive Vice President Kay Montgomery to deliver
her report (complete text here).
Montgomery said that by some weird twist of faith, today
was the day that twenty years ago she came to work for the
Association. She remembered being exhilarated and scared and
overwhelmed. Everyone on the UUA staff, she said, has felt
that at some time.Yet the UUA Staff are like guitarist Freddy
Green, a back-up guitarist for Count Basie, whose job it was
not to be heard by the audience, but by the musicians. His
job was to keep the beat going strong, which is what the UUA
Staff does for our congregations and Association.
Highlights of the staff work this past year are:
- A new credentialing program for lay religious education
professionals. This includes a comprehensive path for meaningful
recognition of achievement of those who choose to dedicate
their lives to religious education. The Rev. Beth Williams
is the new RE Credentialing Director.
- The RE Lifespan Faith Development Plan has begun a new
lifespan integrated curriculum project that will provide
moral and justice grounding for people of all ages.
- During the past year, “Mind the Gap Sundays”
raised more than one million dollars to support work for
youth and young adults. There are now 130 campus ministry
groups, up from 70 last year, and with 200 anticipated by
this time next year.
- The UU Women’s Federation has endowed the Clara
Barton Internship in the Washington Office that will enable
an intern to focus on justice issues for women in Washington.
This is just a continuation of the UUWF’s creative
and revolutionary decisions.
Montgomery then introduced Harlan Limpert, Director for Lay
Leadership Development. Limpert, who began work in September,
2002, announced the launch of a series of new web resources
for lay leadership in our congregations. By clicking on the
link to InterConnections:
Resources for Layleaders, lay leaders can access
10,000 pages of material developed with them in mind.
This new web site section provides:
- Quick
Start, which suggests the three most useful books, articles
and websites on particular topics, and is designed specifically
for new lay leaders;
- Leadership
Events Calendar, which lists a wide variety of educational
opportunities for lay leaders that can be searched by date,
topic, sponsor or keyword;
- FAQ,
an easy to use list of 100 frequently asked questions including
ones on canvass that includes six different answers with
online links to the Office of Congregational Fund Raising,
books on the topic and where to purchase them, and links
to articles that are helpful; and
- On-line link to InterConnections
newsletter.
Limpert said his vision of lay leadership development is
to offer a well-coordinated, effective and spiritually grounded
resource that can increase lay leaders effectiveness.
Montgomery continued her report by asking Patricia Frevert,
head of the Publications Office for sixteen years, to report
on Skinner House Books. Frevert reported that Skinner House
began as a Beacon Press imprint for the denomination, and
that it now focuses on publishing resources which promote
worship, heritage and healthy congregations. Worship resources
include Great Occasions and meditation manuals; heritage
resources include the popular Pocket Guide to Unitarian
Universalism and Being Liberal in an Illiberal Age;
and healthy congregation resources include such books as Churchworks,
Essex Conversations and Soul Work.
Montgomery stated that if there is one thing we’ve
done well, is that we’ve learned to be clear about justice
for bisexual, gay, lesbian and transgender people. We have
done better than much of the world. She called on the Rev.
Keith Kron, director of the Office of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian
and Transgender Concerns, to speak about the work of this
office.
Kron reported that we are celebrating thirty years of work,
joy, struggle and meaning making through what was originally
the Office of Gay Affairs, to today’s office that covers
a much broader understanding of human sexuality. The work
of those who came before has set the path for the resources
and services offered today, including stickers, bibliographies,
pamphlets, guides and other resources. Seven years ago there
were sixty Welcoming Congregations, and now we have 390. This
is the highest percentage of welcoming congregations in any
predominantly heterosexual religious movement. Two transgender
ministers have been called to ministries in congregations,
and we have widened our ability to see a minister before us,
rather than a category. The members of the office have provided
direct service to 400 congregations over the past seven years.
Montgomery said that these reports give just a taste of what
the 200 UUA staff members do -- transformative and hard work
of ‘playing rhythm’ behind the scenes as we all
work to make the world a more just place and advocate for
UU values. For most of the staff, their work is what Frederick
Buechner defines as the ideal vocation: the place where “your
deep gladness and your deepest hunger meet.”
Olson then called upon Janis Elliott, chair of the
Commission on Appraisal, to present the Commission’s
annual report.
Elliott reported that the COA is charged to review any function
of the UUA that they believe will benefit by review and to
report to the GA on their assessment. The last two studies
and the current one have all centered on the theme of how
we are together, first Interdependence on congregational polity,
then Belonging on membership, and the current study
on The Unity in our Theological Diversity.
Elliott reported that the COA issues a major report every
four years, and also provides an annual report every year
at GA. These reports, she said, should always represent their
best work, but to the Commission’s dismay and regret,
their oral report last year did not live up to their ideals
of their best work or their commitment to be anti-racist and
anti-oppressive. Elliott then called upon Commission member
the Rev. Roberta Finkelstein.
Finkelstein said that last year the Commission had found
out, much to their dismay and embarrassment, what their (report)
was really about. Their skit, planned by email at the last
minute, was supposed to talk about transition from the old
study to a new one, but what was seen among those words was
a tall white man elbowing a small woman of color out of the
way. It was a powerful but unintended meaning, accidental
and careless. In spite of intentions, the skit was not just
about old books and new topics. It showed a lack of awareness
of the depth of racism, and the need to look at all that is
done through a lens of anti-racism and anti-oppression.
Finkelstein described the process of last year’s GA
as being “caught in the headlights,” and said
it took them a while to regroup. There was one omission, though,
that they all regret—that they did not return to apologize.
Finkelstein said that she would remedy that now: the Commission
is sorry for the hurt and distress caused by their presentation
last year.
Finkelstein also reviewed the process that the Commission
undertook over the past year to become more aware of the deep
impact of racism. They attended retreats with outside facilitators,
devoted part of every meeting on focusing on their message
and their relationships, and have reflected on additional
steps so they do not misstep again. They have created ongoing
relationships with DRUUM and Journey Toward Wholeness and
the Anti-Racism Team. It is not easy, Finkelstein said, “to
find out what your sermon is about, but the only way to maintain
right relationship in religious community is not only studying
it, but living the changes that need to be made.”
Commission member Charles Redd spoke of the Commission’s
current work on finding the unity in our theological diversity.
They have held hearings in various cities, written statements,
and are excited about the exploration of this unity. The Commission
suspects there might be an answer to this question, but not
in the form of a statement of belief or creed for UU’s.
Rather, they believe it is in shared commitment to certain
values, practices and assumptions, or maybe a worldview or
way of experiencing life. The Commission invites feedback
and ideas on their work.
Rick Van Dyke, chair of the Board of the Unitarian
Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) reported on
the work of the UUSC during the past year. They have continued
their partnerships with other like-minded organizations and
indigenous programs both in the United States and around the
world. They continue their work camps, free speech projects,
and support for women’s right organizations, as well
as supporting speaking tours on social justice issues. They
have also been working for peace in Congo, again with indigenous
groups. Domestically, they helped raise $40,000 for those
who suffered from natural disasters, and they also brought
news to UU’s of justice issues that often went unreported
by major media. More information about the UUSC and their
work can be found at their website, www.uusc.org
 .
Fran Mercer, Executive Director of the UU United
Nations Office (UUUNO), delivered the report on the
work of the UUUNO by taking delegates on a virtual tour of
their annual social justice conference which focused on access
to and protection of clean water. This conference brings together
UUs of various ages, introduces them to the work of the UN
and the UUUNO, and provides them with a grounding of how this
affiliate organization works on their behalf. More information
about UUUNO can be found on their website at www.uu-uno.org
.
Olson declared the plenary session in recess until 8:30 a.m.
on Saturday, June 28, 2003.
Reported for the web by Lisa Presley; edited by Debbie
Weiner; Web Design by Julie Albanese
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