Submission 244 Cecelia Russell-Jayne All Souls Indianapolis
What is your suggestion or idea?
I read the Article 2 Proposal several months ago. I have revisited it several times, trying to keep an open heart.
As the spouse of a man whose has fought his whole life to prevent environmental degradation, I am pained by the lack of a covenant statement regarding our relationship to the Earth. It’s inexplicable as our mother, our home faces irreversible damage due to climate change.
While I see racial equity as a high value in the proposed revision, the debt we owe to indigenous people is ignored.
I am grateful for the thoughtfulness and hard work that went into this. Yet, I feel compelled to express my concerns.
What is the reason for your amendment idea?
The Earth is calling to us in terror and desperation - with tornados, wildfires, droughts, floods, famine, and hurricanes.
I speak for the Earth.
Have you discussed this idea with your congregation or other UUs?
I have spoken with two trusted friends and my husband. I also mentioned it to my minister, but haven’t scheduled a meeting with her.
An unexpected death in our family reduced my time and emotional ability to go any further.
I wanted to take the opportunity to express my thoughts.
Hello, Cecilia.
My name is Denise Frizzell and I am a long time UU. I am currently a member with the Eno River UU Fellowship in Durham, NC and am serving as a GA delegate this year.
I too am pained by the proposed Amendment of Article II’s lack of emphasis on our unprecedented global climate crisis and other life-threatening environmental degradation and call for a unified response.
Thus, I wanted to let you know that I submitted the following amendment today (see below). If you are serving as a delegate, I invite you to support it. If you are not, I invite you to share with your congregation’s delegates and invite them to consider supporting it.
Thank you.
With active hope for a healthy, peace-filled, just, and sustainable planet for all life,
Denise Frizzell
ADD
C-2.6. Earth Solidarity.
Earth, our beautiful blue boat home, is in great peril. Humanity, all sentient beings, and nature itself face numerous unprecedented challenges to life as we now know it and take for granted. Climate change, mass extinction of species, desertification, deforestation, massive die-off of coral reefs, and pollution threaten to disrupt the delicate balance of ecosystems on which we all depend. At this historical and evolutionary crossroads, where every choice matters, we are called to bridge our differences and call upon our shared heritage, principles, and values to unite as Unitarian Universalists to transform ourselves and our consumer culture and invest in real solutions at every level of society for a thriving common future for all life.
If you are a delegate to GA 2023, and would vote Yes on this Earth Solidarity Amendment to better highlight, emphasize, and unite UU’s at this “code red moment for humanity” (UN Secretary-General António Guterres, August 9, 2021), please add your name and information to this support list. Please feel free to share with other delegates in your congregation and beyond. Probably a long shot but if enough of us support it, something good might result. Thank you!
Here is the Earth Solidarity Amendment as submitted:
ADD
C-2.6. Earth Solidarity.
Earth, our beautiful blue boat home, is in great peril. Humanity, all sentient beings, and nature itself face numerous unprecedented challenges to life as we now know it and take for granted. Climate change, mass extinction of species, desertification, deforestation, massive die-off of coral reefs, and pollution threaten to disrupt the delicate balance of ecosystems on which we all depend. At this historical and evolutionary crossroads, where every choice matters, we are called to bridge our differences and call upon our shared heritage, principles, and values to unite as Unitarian Universalists to transform ourselves and our consumer culture and invest in real solutions at every level of society for a thriving common future for all life.
With appreciation,
Denise (Denny) Frizzell
Eno River UU Fellowship
Durham, NC