Submission 42 Ronald Schaeffer Unitarian Universalists of Southern Delaware
What is your suggestion or idea?
Keep Section C-2.1. Principles, with the following improvement:
We the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, building on the foundation of love, covenant to affirm and promote (list the seven principles as currently stated)
What is the reason for your amendment idea?
The seven principles are clear, concise, and cohesive statements that already incorporate all the values being proposed. This language is easily understood, whereas the rewrite is ambiguous, and can be easily misinterpreted.
Have you discussed this idea with your congregation or other UUs?
I have discussed this with members in my congregation and with other UUs around the country. There is strong support to keep our current principles, along with an openness to add any new language to strengthen them, but not replace them.
Dear Mona Lee (#23), Eric Burch (#29), Kenneth Button (#30), Ronald Schaeffer (#42), Diane Conrad (#132), Jerald Ross (#156), and Virginia Nixon (#183):
Your suggestions are all very similar. You all appear to want to add the 7 principles back into Article II. You are encouraged to work together, combine your suggestions into one proposed amendment, and decide who will be the delegate to sponsor it.
I agree our Principles and also our Sources must remain. I have offered a slightly rewritten version taking into account many people’s comments on possible tweaks to include some additional ideas & strengthen language. I’m waiting for it to be posted. My congregation strongly identifies with the principles.
@CharlesD, Is there a mechanism by which these folks could directly contact each other. Is there a way for these people send each other email? I see no way to find email address on this site. Have I missed it?
I am Eric Burch @eburch and the author of submission #29. Charles DuMond recommended we consolidate our similar ideas to one thread. During the May 18th Zoom call, the breakout room I was in discussed my idea for adding the current seven Principles verbatim as Section C-2.1-and-a-half (then renumbering the sections). I will propose that as an amendment. There was discussion about adding an 8th Principle or reworking the current principles but that will not be the scope of my amendment. My amendment can serve as a base for additional changes; we can do this a step at a time until we get through the pre-GA discussion, mini-assemblies, then final plenary vote. If we want to collect some of the other discussions into the submission #29 thread that is OK, just keep in mind my submission is a simple first step.