Kay Montgomery

Michael Tino

Sofia Craethenen

Church of the Younger Fellowship

Gini Courter

Plenary voting

3004 Plenary III

Prepared for UUA.org by: Lisa Presley, Reporter; Deborah Weiner, Editor

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Read the Executive Vice President's Report

UUA Moderator Gini Courter called Saturday morning's Plenary to order, and invited Dr. Helen Bishop and Accessibility Committee members to present their report. Bishop reported that the Accessibility Committee is working with every organization within the UUA to help them become more accessible, and once again the Committee addressed accessibility issues in song.

Courter called upon Executive Vice President Kay Montgomery to present her report (Full Text of Report).

Montgomery began her report with a short list of anniversaries important to Unitarian Universalism: the 200 th anniversary of Hosea Ballou's Treatise on Atonement, ten years since the first email list began at the UUA, five years since the Our Whole Lives (OWL) curricula debuted. Twenty-five years ago the Minister of Religious Education designation was created, and since then there have been 103 MREs ordained. And, Montgomery noted, "on this very date, June 25, in 1863, Olympia Brown was ordained by the St. Lawrence Association of Universalists, becoming the first woman ordained with full denominational authority."

Moving to the present, Montgomery highlighted the work of the Young Adult and Campus Ministry program, headed by Michael Tino. She noted the successes of this work: "Whereas not too long ago there were only 30 UU campus ministries, now there are 141, with a monthly newsletter going out to approximately 3500 young adults."

Tino reported that the UUA Young Adult (YA) and Campus Ministry (CM) office provides services to congregations seeking to provide ministry to young adults and college students. They are, he said, "not only the future, but also the irrepressible present of our congregations. Young adults and youth are providing leadership in their own groups, as well as in congregations, districts and association wide. This past year the young adult leaders created a code of ethics for peer leaders."

Tino reported that the Church of the Younger Fellowship (CYF) was created this year by young adults working in concert with the Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF) to provide an on-line spiritual community and worship center for young adults, and that youth and young adults are also on the leading edge of efforts to become anti-racist, anti-oppressive and multicultural. It is, for them, he said, "a positive identity development. They have been working to bridge the connections between youth and young adulthood and the congregations. Young adults are seeking congregations that are radically inclusive, spiritually alive, and justice centered. A new film, A Living Faith, has been created by young adults as outreach tools, and it is available on DVD through the Young Adult and Campus Ministry Office."

Tino said that in order to attract and retain young people, "we must examine the way we worship, and make sure that our worship offers ways to feed spiritual, emotional and visceral needs." Tino concluded, thanking his colleagues in the Young Adult and Campus Ministry staff group: Petra Aldrich, Erik Kesting and Joseph Santos-Lyons.

Montgomery continued her report by revealing the new logo which will be used by the UUA staff for identifying work done on the Association's behalf. Design consultants Emily Mitchell and Tim Nielsen worked to knit together the chalice, two circles and the flame, and created a logo and name representation that is more modern and appealing. This new logo will be used first on the web pages of the UUA as they are being redesigned, and on print products in the fall.

Montgomery said that www.uua.org is being redesigned to make it more "user friendly" for both the newcomer and the long-time UU. There will be 75% fewer links on the new home page, and easy ways for visitors and members to enter in and find what they are looking for. The redesign will allow for easier updating and additions.

UU World will also change this fall, becoming a quarterly print publication, with weekly electronic versions. Some articles will appear both in print and on the website, but some will appear only in one place. Subscribers will be sent notice of each new website edition. It is expected that this change will allow for news to be delivered on a more timely basis, and the web edition will be a good outreach tool.

Turning to the Association's work in support of equal marriage, Montgomery spoke of the hearts that were sent to the UUA from around the country for the one-year anniversary of the first same-sex weddings in Massachusetts . Her favorite message read, "Same sex marriage; nothing rong [sic], rock 'n roll." Monntgomery announced that UUA President Bill Sinkford has been named this year's recipient of the Spirit of Justice Award by GLAAD, Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, honoring the Association's work to support equal marriage. Thunderous applause greeted the announcement.

Montgomery ended her report by thanking attendees "for all the good work you do in our congregations, to make the world a better place, more whole and more holy."

Moderator Courter then introduced members of the Journey Toward Wholeness Transformation Committee (JTWTC). Chair the Rev. Sofia Betancourt Craethenen stated that "strong relationships with, between and among various stakeholders has been of utmost importance [in doing this work]. This takes time and effort, to search out common ground, and sometimes repair relationships with those people committed to this work."

Craethenen reported that this year, at the request of the ministerial credentialing office and the Ministerial Fellowship Committee, the JTWTC had employed an anti-racist, anti-oppressive, multicultural lens to review the forms that potential ministers and religious educators must file. She reported that the committee have also had fruitful conversations with the UUA staff, and they are excited about future visions for this work.

The Rev. Michelle Bentley of the UUA Ministerial and Professional Leadership Staff Group came to the stage to present the 2005 Borden Sermon Awards. $10,000 awards for sermonic excellence were presented to: Me adville/Lombard Theological School student Bret Lortie; the Rev. Krista Taves, interim minister in New Orleans ; and the Rev. Cynthia Frado from Westborough , Massachusetts . The runner-up, the Rev. Randy Becker of Park Forest , Illinois , received a $2,500 award.

The Rev. Tracey Robinson-Harris, UUA Director of Congregational Services, presented the Unsung UU Award to Todd Jones of the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship, Bellingham , Washington . Robinson-Harris presented the Young Adult Unsung UU award to Nick Mirkin of Allen Avenue UU Church, Portland Maine . Michael Tino returned to the stage to present the Donna DiSciullo Young Adult and Campus Ministry award to Erik David Carlson and Jonathan Craig, co-founders of fuuse.com, an on-line community of over 1400 UU youth and young adults.

Denny Davidoff, former UUA moderator and current board chair of the Church of the Larger Fellowship, spoke about the founding of the Church of the Younger Fellowship (CYF). When approached by young adults to create CYF, the members of the board, along with CLF minister the Rev. Jane Rzepka and administrator Lorraine Dennis, talked back and forth and then "sucked in their collective breath" and opened their collective wallet to help in the creation, reported Davidoff. She said, "CYF bridges the gap for young adults as their spiritual home on line, anywhere, twenty-four hours a day. Once a young adult signs in to the web page, the flame on the chalice is lit, thereby reminding them that this is a spiritual community. They can access audio and text sermons, receive pastoral consultation, post joys and concerns, borrow materials form the religious library, and join in chats and other on-line discussion forums." Davidoff reported that there is even a button that allows them to make a donation. Davidoff called on Frank Wells, a member of the Board of the Church of the Larer Fellowship, to provide further information on CYF and to show the organization's new website.

The Youth Advisor of the Year Award was presented by UUA Youth Office staff members Beth Dana and Lily Sparks to Joy Cobb of the UU Church of Arlington, Virginia. Cobb has been a Youth advisor, OWL teacher and trainer, sponsor of youth at GA, and has sparked new life in their youth group.

Me mbers of the YRUU Steering Committee were introduced. The Steering Committee works all year round to provide guidance to youth aged 14 to 20. They provide leadership, plan youth council, learn and training on anti-racism and anti-oppression issues, and advocate for all youth.

First Unitarian Universalist Church of Dallas was highlighted as another "breakthrough congregation." The congregation's leaders said they believe that their can-do attitude and strong ministerial leadership help them grow in strength and depth. They have strong religious education leaders, and the congregation members have deep roots in social justice. Me mbers were active in desegregating the city's kindergartens and various members worked to get the Roe v. Wade decision to the Supreme Court. They have strong lay leadership, and engage people of all ages.

Currently the congregation has more than 1000 active members, and its leaders believe they have broken through "unseen and powerful barriers by taking care of the church building, planning for the future, and welcoming visitors." They have a five year plan to be more generous, more creative and more committed to the future of the church and the legacy of the generations to come. They believe that by deepening their spiritual quests and asking hard questions they will grow more.

Moderator Gini Courter said, "some people may remember that the preliminary agenda for GA showed a language change to Bylaw Section C-2.3. This change would have added the category of gender identity to the list of non-discrimination categories." Courter explained that a closer review of the procedures showed that there should, in fact, be a committee to study changes to this bylaw. This will be done, she said, "and a bylaw amendment will be brought back to the assembly in a future GA."

Next on the agenda was action on the draft Statement of Conscience, "Criminal Justice and Prison Reform." Committee on Social Witness Chair the Rev. Richard Nugent reminded the delegates that this process began over four and a half years ago when a youth delegate from the Me quon, WI church proposed criminal justice and prison reform as a study/action issue. In 2001, GA delegates chose economics over prison reform. The same youth delegate relocated, and got his new congregation in Newark , DE , to propose the issue again. But in Quebec in 2002, the delegates chose civil liberties over prison issues. In 2003, the Newark , DE congregation proposed the Criminal Justice and Prison Reform item again, and it was selected as the 2003 Study/Action issue with the active support of Youth Caucus. At the 2004 GA there were workshops on the issue and an initial draft was mailed to congregations last fall. Comments from local congregations were considered and a revised draft was prepared in March by the Commission on Social Witness. This year mini-assemblies were held at GA and other amendments made, and that revised draft is the version being presented today.

Courter called for debate on the issue. Proponents for the statement of conscience included:

• The Rev. Kathy Reis, director of Prison Ministry for Church of the Larger Fellowship, stated that for many inmates, Unitarian Universalism is the first time they have experienced simple human respect, and passage of this statement will make a difference in the future.
• A former public defender, now a criminal defense lawyer, stated that the war on drugs and guns has not changed things, and that the death penalty is not a deterrent.
• The Youth Caucus believed that this action should be passed because it is in deep agreement with our UU principles; prisons do not use justice, equity or compassion and are racist and classist institutions that must be changed.
• The mother of a young man imprisoned for drug offenses said that many in prison are there because they do not have access to good counsel and are not places that respect human beings.

Opponents argued:

• The statement does not take into account victims of crime outside of our congregations.
• Utopian ideas have historically proven to be ineffective, and that in earlier times, there was both low prison occupancy and low crime rates, due in part to the frequent use of the death penalty.
• One delegate said that if people were not going to act on the statement of conscience personally, they should not vote as we need no empty priorities.

• An amendment was proposed to replace the words "allows for discretionary sentencing" with "disallows mandatory minimum sentencing, provides for fair, equitable, non-racist sentencing, and..." within the document.

A delegate appeared at the procedural microphone to ask the difference between the words "non-racist" and "anti-racist." UUA Board Trustee at Large and chair of the UUA Board's Anti-Racist, Anti-Oppression Multicultural Assessment Team, Tamara Payne-Alex explained that the word "non-racist" would raise questions, since we live in a society that is racist, and thereby it is not possible (yet) to be non-racist. It is possible, though, to be anti-racist, someone within the racist system that fights against that system. The mover of the motion then, with permission from the Moderator and Parliamentarian, asked that the word "non-racist" be changed to "anti-racist." This was agreed to, and there being no further debate, the question was called, with the Amendment being carried.

A further amendment was made to delete words that specified the post-prison restrictions by adding that voting rights would only be restored to those who had paid their debt to society. Since this was wording added in plenary, it was in order, and with no debate, the delegates voted to delete the added language.

A further proposed amendment failed. There being no other debate, the Moderator called for a vote on the Statement of Conscience as amended, and it was adopted.

The Commission on Social Witness members were introduced: the Rev. Richard Nugent (Chair), the Rev. Jan Carlsson-Bull, Robert Sarley, the Rev. Susan Smith, and Christopher Trace. Me gan Joyner is the outgoing administrator for the Commission. Moderator Courter said that while the Commission on Social Witness (CSW) is empowered to say which Actions of Immediate Witness can appear on the final agenda, this year the CSW asked to have a straw vote from the delegates to get a sense of their preferences. Delegates were asked to vote for no more than three. The advisory vote was taken. 

Rob Keithan , Director of the UUA Washington Office for Advocacy, came to the stage to present the Holmes Wetherley Award, presented annually to someone whose social justice work is reflected in society. This year the award was presented to Ken and Lois Robison. Their son was executed in Texas in January, 2000 for murder, 17 years after he was convicted for murder. He was a paranoid schizophrenic who did not have consistent treatment for his illness because he did not have good access to health care. The Robisons said that it was easier for the state to get the death penalty determination for their son than treatment for his mental health. Since their son's conviction and execution, the Robisons have turned to advocacy to try to repair the flaws in the justice system and mental health care system.

As part of the day's announcements, a representative from the Florida congregations thanked the delegates and all UUs for their tremendous support following the four hurricanes that hit Florida last year. Notes of care and concern and financial contributions helped them repair their homes, congregations, and spirits.

With that, Moderator Gini Courter called for the plenary to stand in recess until Saturday night at 6:00 PM CDT.

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