Submission 221
Cynthia Landrum
First Parish Church Unitarian Universalist of Stow & Acton (Stow, MA) 5034
What is your suggestion or idea?
Add ““Congregations and Organizations”” (and delete an ““s””):
Section C-2.2. Values and Covenant.
As Unitarian Universalist s̶ Congregations and Organizations, we covenant, congregation-to-congregation and through our association, to support and assist one another in our ministries.
What is the reason for your amendment idea?
The Unitarian Universalist Association is an association of congregations and organizations. Its members are congregations and affiliated organizations and independent organizations. The Principles currently begin, ““We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association.”” Therefore, it is appropriate for the Values to begin by addressing the members of the UUA, but expanding beyond congregations to include all members, rather than addressing individual people who are members of its members.
Have you discussed this idea with your congregation or other UUs?
Yes. I have discussed this with my congregation, and with one particular Unitarian Universalist who drew it to my attention, in a group of colleagues, and with some UUA leaders. Most people agreed that this should be addressed, and there was no real disagreement, except that it shouldn’t be limited to congregations since the UUA now goes beyond congregations in its membership.