Sally Watts was one of our congregation’s representatives at this year’s UUA General Assembly. Read about her experience and takeaways HERE.
Note from Rev. Mark: UUA General Assembly
As most of you already know, the revisions to Article II in the UUA bylaws passed overwhelmingly with 80.2% of our delegate colleagues voting to accept the changes proposed. The new Article II weaves our Principles into “values” around a core centered in love.
Not everyone is happy with this change – it feels as if our beloved Principles, which so many of us hold onto dearly, have somehow disappeared, have somehow vaporized. How does this change affect each of us? How will this change affect our denomination? What is different now with this new Article II wording in the UUA Bylaws?
Quite frankly, for me, nothing has changed! It does not affect how I walk through my life. It does not affect how I treat others. It does not affect my core belief that everyone deserves respect and dignity, and we are charged with doing the best we can to make the world a better place. And it certainly does not affect my belief that it is only with love can we change the world. I may need to tweak my elevator speech a bit, but my core values and my core beliefs remain steadfast and strong.
The beautifully framed print of our Principles will remain hanging in the church vestibule as a beacon of what we aspire to. Perhaps at some point in the future we might want to add the new graphic of the values now part of Article II somewhere within our walls. But what is most important for each of us is continuing to do what we are doing – walking with each other in love, battling injustice, and showing the world that Beloved Community is possible – exactly what we do at UUSWH!
May the warm breezes of summer refresh and renew you and I look forward to seeing all of you after Labor Day. As my dad was fond of saying “God willing, and the creeks don’t rise!” (He was a great John Wayne fan…)
With love and gratitude,
Rev. Mark