Submission 343
Azure Forte
Woodinville UU Church (Woodinville, WA) 8312
What is your suggestion or idea?
Replace C-2.2: Values and Covenant that currently reads as follows: 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. 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 of Love. Inseparable from one another, these shared values are: (diagram)
Suggested Replacement: As Unitarian Universalists we choose a ministry of love, accepting the lifelong responsibility of learning the healthy practice of loving well. In accordance with our foundation of freedom, reason, hope, honor and courage, we engage in loving ministry with each other, congregation to congregation. We are accountable to the ongoing search for healthy resolution where conflict may arise.
What is the reason for your amendment idea?
The original the first sentence does not take into account the importance of how to “covenant congregation to congregation.” The reference to “support and assistance” does not include reference to knowing how to offer support without overdoing it to the opposite result. The statement “Love is the power that holds us together” needs more clarification, as our current cultural order (Including the UU community) often regards Love as a reasonable cause to separate. Love, as a practice and a value, is best accepted as our collective unending heartfelt intent of learning and improving. In the present wording “accountable” falls short of offering needed understanding. Simple accountability to one another suggests permission to point one’s focus judgmentally. The word “accountable” is literally defined as an act of justifying actions or decisions. True resolution occurs when one is accountable to oneself. The Article II proposal presently includes the use of the word “accountable” with too wide an interpretation of correct actions and decision. The word “resolution” is a more fitting description in our ongoing quest to achieve inclusion.
Have you discussed this idea with your congregation or other UUs?
Ever since the Article II proposal manuscript was published I’ve had ongoing conversations with fellow congregants. We’ve included each other with email conversation several times per week, and in person conversations approximately twice per month.