I think the graphic is beautiful. However, I believe a graphic would better be displayed on our website and in informational documents that explain the meaning of UUism, not in the formal document of the bylaws.
2 Likes
Hmmm⌠What does it even mean âcongregation-to-congregation"and through our associationâ? The older wording was much simpler and clearer. This wording from A2SC almost doesnât even make sense.
How about instead, the more direct:
âWe, the member congregations of the UUA, covenant to support and assist one another in our ministries.â
Our intent is too limit our edits mostly to the Inspirations sections and let others propose amendments to the other verbiage of the covenant and the values. I have only included the other sections in this version of our amendment for context. The exception I made was to change the sentence that talked about heritage âWe draw from our heritages of freedom, reason, hope, and courage, building
on the foundation of love.â as I think that could be better articulated using the revised inspirations paradigm we are proposing.
1 Like
@CharlesD The initial amendment proposals had to be limited to a specific section of Article II. This revised version of our amendment recombines the covenant, values, and inspirations sections. Is this something that is possible to do in an amendment or do we need to limit our amendment to a specific section of the new proposed article II?
Also our new amendment deviates significantly from our first proposed amendment based on the feedback we have received here. My understanding is that is acceptable but I just want to make sure that a change this large is still considered as being proposed and discussed prior to the required deadlines.
We have been encouraging people to focus on individual sections, because it seems like it would be easier for the delegates to discuss changes in that way.
You can combine sections into one new section.
And, yes, your proposed amendment can be different from the idea or suggestion that started the process.
3 Likes
@CharlesD The guidelines the UUA just presented tonight include ânot taking a section in a new directionâ I think we are staying within the intent of the covenant, values, and inspirations but we are proposing a very new direction for the inspirations. Could you comment on whether or not this inspirations amendment would be within the UUA guidelines? #290 | Jennifer Courtwright | Proposal is too Generic to be Meaningful - #19 by courtwrightj01
I think this will qualify for consideration. Please be advised the priority order is not the sole decision of any one of us. âThe Moderator, in consultation with the chair of the study commission, the parliamentarian and legal counsel shall prioritize proposed amendments for consideration by the General Assembly.â
1 Like
@CharlesD great thanks! I understand the prioritization of amendments is complex. Just wanted to make sure we werenât coloring too far outside the lines to even be considered.
Here is the latest version of our amendment
Section 2.2 Covenant, Values, and Inspirations
As Unitarian Universalists, we covenant, congregation-to-congregation and through our association, to support and assist one another in our ministries. Drawing from our Universalist heritages of love and our Unitarian heritages of wonder, these diverse ministries of our living religious tradition can be thought of as a metaphor of a flower and its environment. The flowerâs petals represent our values. Our values are how we communicate and live out our tradition with the ultimate goal of love. Our inspirations, represented by the sun, stem, leaves and ground, provide energy, pathways, and nutrients needed for life. Air and water represent our free and responsible search for truth and meaning, that which cannot be named, and the ultimate forms in which we live, move, and have our being.
Values
[[[ insert love statement âLove is the power thatâŚâ and values here. We are not proposing any changes to the values or love statement but are open to other amendments that specifically focus on those sections]]]
Inspirations
As a pluralistic, living religious tradition, we draw inspiration from direct experiences of transcending mystery and wonder as well as historical wisdom and grounding which provide many paths to feeling a part of something larger than ourselves. Inseparable from one another our inspirations are:
Wonder . We find energy and joy in the mystery, beauty, and creativity of life.
We cultivate wonder by using science to explore mystery and quantify uncertainty, experiencing and creating moral and physical beauty, and connecting physically and emotionally with others.
Wisdom. We make meaning from our experiences which provides courage, hope, and faith needed for our work.
We expand our wisdom by gaining perspective, practicing discernment, and learning from philosophies and religious and spiritual traditions, the creative arts, science, and history.
Grounding. We practice balance, resiliency, and resurrection during difficult times.
We ground ourselves using rituals, mindfulness practices, and sacred rest. By deeply listening to ourselves, each other, reason, and the ground of being, we co-create and re-create our home.
We are mindful of the cultures in which these paths were created and are currently practiced. Grateful for the experiences that move us, the religious and cultural ancestries we inherit, and the diversity that enriches our community, we are called to ever deepen and expand our paths of connection.
3 Likes
Thank you for removing photosynthesis and composting
3 Likes
Here is our revised rationale statement
During these difficult times, we need inspiration now more than ever. Yet we feel like the commissionâs proposal has made inspirations an after-thought. Our goal was to put inspirations back on equal footing with the values, create an amendment that was truly inspirational, and to breathe life into our bylaws. We built on the existing graphic in the commissions proposal and focused on three categories of what our inspirations do for us: They provide us with wonder, wisdom, and grounding.
Reactions to including a graphic in the bylaws has been mixed, but we strongly feel that metaphor is the best way to articulate concepts that are this complex while still allowing room for future spiritual growth of our living tradition. We have succeeded in showing that we can have specificity without prioritizing one source over another or creating laundry lists. We have tried to incorporated ideas from all other inspirations amendments into ours. Additionally, our amendment addresses other amendments that deal with definitions of love, decentering of love, and the current flower graphic. If others feel that our amendment is too different from the commissionâs proposal or that specifics need more discussion, we ask that the board create an interdisciplinary team of professionals and lay people that focus on the inspirations, as the commission suggested in their proposal, so we can further these inspirational conversations.
2 Likes
If you are a delegate and support this amendment. Please add your name to this google doc form
which will be posted as a comment on this site after June 4th
1 Like
@CharlesD we just submitted this final version of our amendment under Dorothea Wallaceâs name but there was no way to tie it back to this original posting number. Will the final submitted amendments get posted somewhere else and if so where should we put a list of delegates that support it? https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BHfo0aHAPX1wDD4MUxjNSarbZUagoM_P/view?usp=sharing
The UUA staff is in the process of posting all the proposed amendments to discuss.uua.org. There will be 4 new upper level topics with names similar to the following:
- Proposed Amendments to the Rules of Procedure
- Proposed Amendments to the Business Resolution
- Priority Proposed Amendments to Article II
- Other Proposed Amendments to Article II
Your proposed amendment will appear in priority proposed amendments to article II. Those who support your proposal can indicate their support in the thread for your proposed amendment.
3 Likes
Final version of our amendment submitted today with brackets for deletions and italics for additions
Section 2.2 Covenant, Values, and Inspirations
As Unitarian Universalists, we covenant, congregation-to-congregation and through our association, to support and assist one another in our ministries. [We draw from our heritages of freedom, reason, hope, and courage, building on the foundation of love.] Drawing from our Universalist heritages of love and our Unitarian heritages of wonder, these diverse ministries of our living religious tradition can be thought of as a metaphor of a flower and its environment. The flowerâs petals represent our values. Our values are how we communicate and live out our tradition with the ultimate goal of love, which is represented by a flaming chalice in the center of the flower. Our inspirations, represented by the sun, stem, leaves and ground, provide energy, pathways, and nutrients needed for life. Air and water represent our free and responsible search for truth and meaning, that which cannot be named, and the ultimate forms in which we live, move, and have our being.
Values
Love is the power that holds us together and is at the center of our shared values. We are accountable to one another for doing the work of living our shared values through the spiritual discipline love. Inseparable from one another, these shared values are:
Interdependence . We honor the interdependent web of all existence.
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 celebrate that we are all sacred beings diverse in culture, experience, and theology. 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 work to be diverse multicultural Beloved Communities where all thrive.
We covenant to dismantle racism and all forms of systemic oppression. We support the use of inclusive democratic processes to make decisions.
Transformation. We adapt to the changing world.
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 cultivate a spirit of gratitude and hope.
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 declare that every person has the right to flourish with inherent
dignity and worthiness. We covenant to use our time, wisdom, attention, and money to build and
sustain fully accessible and inclusive communities.
Inspirations
[As Unitarian Universalists, we use, and are inspired by, sacred and secular
understandings that help us to live into our values.] As a pluralistic, living religious tradition, we draw inspiration from direct experiences of transcending mystery and wonder as well as historical wisdom and grounding which provide many paths to feeling a part of something larger than ourselves. Inseparable from one another our inspirations are:
Wonder . We find energy and joy in the mystery, beauty, and creativity of life.
We cultivate wonder by using science to explore mystery and quantify uncertainty, experiencing and creating moral and physical beauty, and connecting physically and emotionally with others. These experiences open our hearts, renew our spirits, and transform our lives.
Wisdom. We make meaning from our experiences which provides courage, hope, and faith needed for our work.
We expand our wisdom by practicing discernment and learning from philosophies and religious and spiritual traditions, the creative arts, science, and history. By gaining perspective and humility, we are reassured we are not alone in our efforts to embody these understandings.
Grounding. We practice balance, resiliency, and resurrection during difficult times.
We ground ourselves using rituals, mindfulness practices, and sacred rest. By deeply listening to ourselves, each other, reason, and the ground of being, we co-create and re-create our home.
We strive to understand and appreciate the cultures in which these paths were created and are currently practiced. [These sources ground us and sustain us in ordinary, difficult, and joyous times.] Grateful for the experiences that move us, the religious and cultural ancestries we inherit, and the diversity that enriches our community, we are called to ever deepen and expand our paths of connection.
1 Like
Thank you - My Amendment is covered by the amendment. I can get behind this too. Beautifully done
1 Like
@katole , do you mean the one you also thought might be worked into our (#147) amendment is? I also thought your idea might combine better into @courtwrightj01 's longform amendment than our mid-length one.
Ours is kind of crowded with considerations already, although I know @Janet liked your thoughts. By the way if you are on Facebook, right now our mid length one is being worked on in the Blue Boat Passengers group:
Blue Boat Passengers: Info & Constructive Discussion re Article II, etc. | Last call for kibbitzing on amendment #147 (combining this amendment with my #460 | Facebook
@katole if you are a delegate would you mind signing the google doc above showing your support. Thanks for you consideration!
Jennifer, I have looked and LOOKED to find the google document to support your amendment, and saying âsee aboveâ does not help, and the link to the Blue Boat does not take me to yours. I am truly at a loss for both the support page AND for the final wording⌠help?
Bek Wheeler
Charles, when will these amendments be posted? And it seems that all proposed amendments will be posted. Wow. When? June 6? or? @CharlesD
thx,
Bek Wheeler