Submission 359
Beki Halpin
First UU Church of Austin (Austin, TX) 7713
What is your suggestion or idea?
Openness to change that express our values
Transformation.
We adapt live our values in to the changing world.
We covenant to collectively transform and grow spiritually and ethically.Openness to change that
expresses our values is fundamental to our Unitarian and Universalist
heritages, never complete and never perfect.
What is the reason for your amendment idea?
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It is a better aspiration to say that we ““live our values”” in a changing world, rather than simply adapting to a changing world.
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Opennessto ALL change, especially change that might be imposed on us from without isnot necessarily healthy.
For instance, in Texas, the legislature may disallow Trans persons from speaking before groups such as congregations if children are present. We would not embrace this change. Also, Texas has already tried to assert that Unitarians are not a religion because we are non-creedal and therefore should not receive the rights afforded a religious body in Texas. I do not think we would be open to this change because it does not express our values as a religious institution. So I think it is better to say that we are open to change ““that expresses our values.”” I think there are some forms of change we would be called on to resist.
Have you discussed this idea with your congregation or other UUs?
Yes. I discussed it at a session regarding this document led by our Interim Minister. Suggestions were very well received. However, one person thought that in a very sort of cosmic way we deeply accept all change.