General Assembly 2004
 |
Home About Us | Programs & Services | News & Events | Publications | Giving & Funding | Press Room |
|
GA 2004 Home |
3004 Plenary IIPlenary II at Long Beach GA included the Executive Vice President's Report, a status report on lifespan religious education, the vote on this year's Study Action Issue (SAI), reports by Beacon Press and Amnesty International USA, and the election of the Moderator.
(Long Beach, California - June 26, 2004) Acting Moderator Gini Courter called to order the second plenary session of the General Assembly by announcing that it was President's Day at GA, and offered appreciation for the UUA Web Staff, a group of volunteers and staff persons who are providing access to this GA through streaming of and reporting on events through web coverage. Courter then introduced Executive Vice President Kay Montgomery to give her report. Montgomery began her report by focusing on publishing efforts at the UUA. UU&Me, the magazine for children, will appear in each issue of UU World beginning in the fall, bringing to fruition the idea of making UU World a true family magazine. For those with visual challenges, two hundred copies of UU World have been requested thus far, free of charge, and several Beacon Press and other books are also available on tape. The UU Pocket Guide is now available in a new edition, as well as in a Spanish language edition. There is also a new fold-out child friendly version of the UU Principles, all of which are available from the UUA Bookstore. Small congregations are receiving services in new ways. The Northeast and New Hampshire/Vermont districts' small congregation consultant, the Rev. Jane Dwinell, produces a monthly newsletter with important information, while five other districts have trained people for small congregation work. Additionally, the UUA has been informed of a bequest of $2.1 million dollars that will be designated for support of small congregations. Montgomery also announced that the UUA is encouraging umbrella contributions — gifts that individuals can make to various UU organizations through the UUA — without any fees or costs for the service. In the first eight months of this new program, UUA staff have raised $3.5 million for congregations, seminaries, the UU Service Committee and other organizations. Montgomery then introduced the Rev. Judith Frediani, Director of Lifespan Faith Development. Frediani stated that religious education has never been more important in the life of the Association. The recent major developments are:
Frediani said other "big questions" are being considered. Given our diversity of theology, who we are, and who we would be, what curricula do we want and need to offer UUs present and future? Frediani said that these answers seem clear. We seek:
The new curricula will draw on all six sources, but whichever are used, all content will be evaluated on how well it nurtures us spiritually and ethically, deepens the faith, strengthens religious community, and creates UU identity. The curriculum also needs to help us keep our own children, as well as attract others. The first resource of the new curriculum addresses this latter need. Meanwhile, the Association has also published resources to meet immediate needs, including Full Circle: 15 Ways to Grow Lifelong UUs and A Lamp In Every Corner, a UU storybook. In the fall, a book for families of special needs children will be available. The work on the new curricula has also begun, and the good news, said Frediani, is that the new curricula will be published electronically and will be free for congregations to take, adapt, and make their own at no cost. Montgomery continued her report by stating that Frediani is one of about 200 people who work for the UUA. She said, "They are some of the best people on the planet, and they work hard and smart on our behalf." She asked the delegates to express their appreciation for the staff and their work. Concluding with a story about courageous stances taken in congregations and by their leaders in the face of difficult situations, Montgomery said, "Amazing things happen in the wake of courage," and thanked delegates for their work on behalf of their faith. Courter then welcomed the Rev. Burton Carley, UUA Trustee from the Southwest District, who asked people to reflect on their participation in lifespan religious education, either as a parent, participant, or teacher. He said that our need now is to create a new generation of educational materials for the 21st century. That need is for an integrated curriculum from pre-school to adult focused on ethical, spiritual and faith development, and religious identity. The mission is to enrich our faith, the vision is this new curriculum, and the ministry is to fund this so that the work may continue. Delegates were asked for contributions that would be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $250,000 by a single donor. The good news, Carley reiterated, is that once the curriculum is complete, it will be available free to every congregation. Awards for Religious Education and ServiceFrediani returned to present the 33rd Annual Angus McLean Award. This award is presented by St. Lawrence Theological School Alumni to a person who has provided outstanding service in the area of religious education. The award was given to Betty Jo Middleton, who has ministered to an untold number of children, youth, adults, and colleagues with a generous spirit and dry sense of wit. The Rev. Tracey Robinson-Harris, Director of Congregational Services, presented the Unsung UU Award to Linda Horton from Rochester, Minnesota. Among her other volunteer work, Horton is the current Vice President and incoming President of the National Braille Association. She has helped teach Wisconsin inmates Braille so they can produce Braille children's books, and transcribed our hymn book Singing the Living Tradition into Braille for the UUA. She is also a proud member of the Rochester Diversity Council, and has been of service to Prairie Star District. In receiving the award, Horton said that enabling the independence of individuals, growth of churches, districts and the Association is one of the greatest privileges and one of the greatest things we can do. Jessica Halperin, from Pittsburgh, Pa., was presented with the Unsung UU Youth Award. She has shared her leadership skills with her local congregation, the Ohio Meadville district, and continental YRUU. Michael Tino, Young Adult and Campus Ministry Director, presented the Donna DiSciullo Award for Young Adult and Campus Ministry to Natalie Brewster Nguyen of Chicago, an outstanding advocate, organizer, educator, and justice-seeker. Betty Jeanne Rueters-Ward, the new YRUU Programs Specialist in the Youth Office, presented the Youth Advisor of the Year award to John Weiss from White Bear UU Church in Mahtomedi, Minn. Weiss said that it is an honor to receive the award, but more of an honor to be part of worship, touch groups, planning meetings, and all-nighters with the youth. The Rev. Earl Holt, Chair of the Commission on Appraisal (COA), introduced the Commission members, and reminded delegates that the COA is elected by the delegates to study, review, and report at least every four years on issues of importance in the Association. Holt said that next year at GA 2005 in Ft. Worth they will be releasing the results of their current study concerning "the unity in our theological diversity: what it is that holds us together." Debate on Study Action IssuesThe Rev. Meg Riley, Director of Advocacy and Witness, reported on how Study Action Issues (SAI's) work. The purpose of GA social witness statements, she reminded delegates, is to provide vehicles for congregations to rally around, but they don't set staff priorities. The staff offers resources for congregations and individuals to take action, but each issue is complex, nuanced, and demands involvement with coalition partners-work that takes time to be built and that cannot be shifted each year with every new SAI. Riley said that the UUA's Public Witness Team suggests three criteria in social justice work: grounding, fit and opportunity:
If so, said Riley, the particular issue could be the spark which ignites small, concrete, choreographed actions for congregations. The Rev. Richard Nugent, Chair of the Commission on Social Witness (CSW), outlined the process that a SAI goes through for presentation to the GA. He also advised delegates on the process for presenting Actions of Immediate Witness. Acting Moderator Courter then invited delegates to turn their attention
to the four
proposed SAIs
The Rev. Gary Kowalski, main sponsor of S3 Stopping Mass Extinction, asked delegates not to vote or speak on this SAI, but rather to join together with those working on S4 Threat of Global Warming as they issues of concern are similar and can be covered by the latter SAI. Supporters of S1 Civil Marriage Equality cited the following reasons for supporting the proposed action:
Supporters of S2 Oppression of Women World Wide advocated for support for the following reasons:
Supporters of S4 Threat of Global Warning stated:
Delegates submitted their choice for the next SAI by paper ballot. Later during the Plenary, it was reported that no one SAI received a majority of the votes cast: S1 (Civil Marriage Equality) received 522, S2 (Oppression of Women World Wide) 166, and S4 (Threat of Global Warming) 425. A run-off was held, with Threat of Global Warming receiving the majority of 540 votes with Civil Marriage receiving 456. Proposed Changes to Study Action Issue processThe Rev. Jan Carlsson-Bull, member of the Commission on Social Witness and the Task Force reviewing the Study Action Issue process, reported on the proposed changes to the Study Action Issue process, and how the process, if it had been entered into in this Plenary, would have been different. The first difference would be to spread the process over a four year period, rather than the current three year period.
The task force would also recommend expanding the list of those who can propose SAIs to include, in addition to congregations and districts, associate member organizations, sponsored organizations, independent affiliates, and UUA staff. As well, the task force suggests reducing the number of issues appearing in the Congregational Directives from ten to seven, thus allowing for greater focus. They recommend that this Directive be renamed the Congregational Poll and that there would be a reduced number of SAIs from that poll that would reach the ballot, dropping it from a maximum of five to three. The changes would also require that at least 25% of our congregations participate in the poll. As Carlsson-Bull put it, "No quorum, no new issue." The Commission on Social Witness would also encourage delegates
to consider grounding, fit, and opportunity when selecting the issues
to study. More details of this plan can be found in the Final Report
of the Social Witness Process Review Panel , available on the web
at
www.uua.org/uuawo/new/downloads/swrp_finalreport.pdf Skinner Sermon AwardThe Rev. Rebecca Cohen then presented the Skinner Sermon Award to the Rev. Joshua Pawelek of the Unitarian Universalist Society, East, of Manchester, Conn. Journey Toward Wholeness Transformation CommitteeKim Varney, Chair of the Journey Toward Wholeness Transformation Committee (JTWTC), and Sofia Betancourt Craethnenn spoke about the work of this team. Varney said that the JTWTC has monitored the transition of the UUA toward being an anti-racist, anti-oppressive, multicultural (ARAOMC) organization. They have surveyed the UUA staff on issues such as: what are your goals; how do you define your measures of success and progress so far; what financial resources were used, what challenges were encountered, and focusing on the ways in which people of color, bisexual, gay, lesbian, transgender, disabled, and other underserved groups engaged in this work. Craethnenn reported that JTWTC has deep appreciation for the ongoing commitment and dedication of the staff to bear witness to the holistic integration across all areas of administration. The preliminary analysis showed that there is an ever-deepening commitment to the work. The work of the outgoing Committee members (Kurt Kuhwald, Susan Suchoki-Brown, Leon Spencer, James Hobart, and Emily Rickett) was appreciated, and the new members of the Committee were welcomed. The Committee has been renamed the "Transformation for Wholeness and Justice Committee" in order to distinguish the committee from the process. Voting and DemocracyDenny Davidoff, former Moderator of the UUA, introduced G. Welton
Gaddy, Executive Director of The
Interfaith Alliance Gaddy said that he knows Unitarian Universalists well:"You are among the best friends of TIA, and you care about religion and politics, religion in politics, and politics in religion. We write letters, march, adopt platforms, and labor incessantly to live up to our potential. We must continue, and we must do more-this is our moment, the nation needs our voice." Gaddy said, "Why schedule a presentation on voter registration?" and then replied, "I'm so glad you asked!" He reminded delegates of what is at stake this year: the fate of every issue of social, moral, ethical and politically important issue to religious people including civil rights, fair housing, taxation, foreign relations, economic justice, poverty, health care, the nation's children, and more. "While we don't all agree on the specifics of these issues and how they are addressed," he said, "people of faith and good will care about them, want them addressed responsibly and helpfully. This underscores the importance of voting." Urging the delegates to participate in democracy by registering to vote and then registering others, Gaddy was followed on the podium by the Rev. Meg Riley, who talked about how past Statements of Conscience (SOC) have been implemented. She cited examples of town hall meetings, forums, socially responsible investing, voter registration, and other activities that congregations have taken on. For the 2003 SAI on criminal justice and prison reform, handouts and other materials are available at the Washington Office web site: www.uua.org/uuwo. Statements of ConscienceActing Moderator Courter then moved the delegates on to considering the Statement of Conscience on Civil Liberties, and invited Richard Nugent, chair of the Committee on Social Witness, to explain the process of arriving at the final text being presented to the delegates. Nugent reported that the CSW held a three-hour mini assembly where 40 amendments were considered. Many of them are incorporated into the text presented, and the others are listed for consideration by delegates if anyone so moves. Delegates voted to allow 12 minutes for debate on the main motion before allowing for the presentation of amendments. However, only one person rose to speak against the motion, and no amendments were offered, so delegates moved quickly to the vote where the SOC was accepted. Courter commended the CSW for their new more inclusive process. UUA Secretary Wayne Arnason returned to speak about the proposed changes to the SOC process. If the proposed changes are adopted, one important change would have happened before this GA. The Congregational Poll would have included the SOC's proposed text, and in order to be on the agenda, it would need to be approved by a two-thirds vote in that poll, with quorum of at least 25% of certified member congregations. If approved by the poll, we would now be at the third GA where the issue involved was under study. Amendment work would still be possible, but it would have occurred at GA only in working groups. The text of SOCs might be more compact. The fourth GA would be devoted to implementation of the SOC. If the SOC had failed to attract two-thirds of the delegates' votes,
but had more than 50%, a motion to recommit the draft text to the
CSW would be in order, to be brought back to the delegates the next
year. Arnason said that if people wish to provide thoughts or conversation
on this changing process, they should contact Linda Olsen Peebles
at lpeebles@uua.org Helene Atwan, Director of Beacon Press, reminded delegates that Beacon Press is doing well and is ahead of their plan. But, she said, rather than focusing on this aspect of the Press, she is focusing on how Beacon Press supports the work of congregations. Atwan named the concerns of the congregations and their members:
In all these areas, Beacon Press publishes books to help people understand the issues, and think critically about how to make decisions on these complex matters. To keep Beacon Press strong, and help maintain this record, Atwan encouraged delegates to buy Beacon books. (Beacon books are available through the UUA Bookstore at www.uua.org/bookstore.) Acting Moderator Courter said introduced the Rev. William F. Schulz,
Executive Director of Amnesty
International, USA Schulz said that in the past ten years he has become all too familiar with the matter of torture. He observed, "I am not just speaking as the Executive Director of AI, but also as a person of faith, a person of our faith, a person who carries inside his heart your faces, your values, your hopes, wherever I go and whatever I do." He then asked: "How have we arrived at this place that young Americans, no different from my children or yours, could inflict such humiliation, such suffering and, in thirty-seven cases, such death upon human beings confided to their care?" It is too simple, Schulz said, to blame one party, or one system. He stated that Alan Dershowitz, the Harvard law professor and renown civil libertarian, did more in the months following September 11th to make torture respectable than any other commentator in America. Schulz's remarks continued, with him observing that none of this is new. When the U.S. occupied the Philippines at the turn of the 20th century, our soldiers carried out torture then. But, he asked, "Couldn't we have learned anything in 100 years?" Our consciences have been raised, Schulz said, and now it is time for us to raise the consciences of others. He encouraged Unitarian Universalists to send a letter to the President demanding the appointment of a Special Prosecutor, independent of the Justice Department, to bring all those responsible to justice. We owe this not just to the victims themselves, Schulz stated, but to every innocent Afghan or Iraqi who has died in these two wars, and also to every American service man or woman who has died in Afghanistan or Iraq. We owe it to every citizen of the world who has ever looked to America as the embodiment of what is good. And, he said, we owe it to every American who wants to be proud again, or at least not embarrassed, proud again to be an American. We need the same boundaries of treatment for every person who walks this earth. Schulz said, "We are engaged in a great struggle between those who see enemies in the face of every stranger, and those who make it easier for strangers to be friends. The heart of the struggle is whether or not we will care for every murdered child, raped woman, tortured prisoner. That is what human rights is about, and what America, at its best, is all about." Moderator's ElectionActing Moderator Courter then yielded the chair to the First Vice Moderator, the Rev. Ned Wight. Wight called on the Rev. Wayne Arnason, Secretary of the UUA, to provide background on events leading up to the election of a Moderator for a one-year term. Arnason said that with the resignation of the previous moderator, we would ordinarily have had an election at this year's General Assembly to elect someone to complete the remaining one year of the previous Moderator's term. Since there were no candidates other than Gini Courter, it seemed economically wise not to prepare paper ballots. Nevertheless, Arnason said, "the need to affirm and elect your Moderator seemed important. The results need not be preordained: Every delegate has the radical freedom to make a choice in elections." The motion was put forward that the General Assembly elect Gini Courter to fill the one year remaining of the term. The motion passed overwhelmingly, and Courter resumed the chair as the Moderator of the Association. Reported by Lisa Presley; edited by Deborah Weiner | ||
|
Home | About Us | Programs & Services | News & Events | Publications | Giving & Funding | Press Room
Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Search | Site Map
Unitarian Universalist Association
|
(TIA). Gaddy, the author of over 20 books including Faith and
Politics, and is the former Board Chair of Americans United
for the Separation of Church and State. 
.
