EVENT: B2016 0626 PLENARY IV 0800AM EST CAPTIONS PROVIDED BY: HEAR INK http://www.hearink.com PHONE: 314‑427‑1113 **********DISCLAIMER********** THE FOLLOWING IS AN UNEDITED ROUGH DRAFT TRANSLATION FROM THE CART CAPTIONER'S OUTPUT FILE. THIS TRANSCRIPT IS NOT VERBATIM AND HAS NOT BEEN PROOFREAD. TO DO SO IS AN EXTRA FEE. THIS FILE MAY CONTAIN ERRORS. PLEASE CHECK WITH THE SPEAKER(S) FOR ANY CLARIFICATION. THIS TRANSCRIPT MAY NOT BE COPIED OR DISSEMINATED TO ANYONE UNLESS YOU OBTAIN WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE OFFICE OR SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT IS PROVIDING CART CAPTIONING TO YOU; FINALLY, THIS TRANSCRIPT MAY NOT BE USED IN A COURT OF LAW. **********DISCLAIMER********** >> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. I NOW CALL TO ORDER THE FOURTH GENERAL SESSION OF THE 55TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION. HOW ARE WE DOING? THE EARLY BIRDS ARE HERE. IT'S GOOD TO SEE SO MANY OF YOU. THAT WAS PRETTY TIMID. YOU CLEARLY DIDN'T GET ENOUGH SLEEP. HOW ARE WE DOING TODAY? OH, THAT'S MUCH BETTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I NEED THIS ENERGY RUSH THIS MORNING FROM YOU. I'VE INVITED A SPECIAL GUEST TO LIGHT OUR CHALICE THIS MORNING, AND WHILE SHE NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION, I'M GOING TO DO SO ANYWAY. GINI VON COURTER SERVED AS MODERATOR OF THIS ASSOCIATION FROM 2003 TO 2013 AND WHOSE METAPHORICALLY BIG SHOES I WAS ELECTED TO FILL. IT'S BEEN HARD TO FILL THOSE METAPHORICALLY BIG SHOES, BUT SHE'S BEEN A GOOD MENTOR AND COACH DURING MY BREAK IN PROCESS. SO PLEASE WELCOME GINI VON COURTER. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, JIM. GOOD MORNING, Y'ALL. A FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN JIM CONTACTED ME, HE ASKED IF I WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME REFLECTIONS THIS MORNING AND WE'D LIGHT THE CHALICE TOGETHER. DURING MY TENURE AS MODERATOR, I WAS SCHOOLED BY THE CLERGY AND LAY LEADERS OF THE SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE, WHICH IS IN UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM NOT JUST A GEOGRAPHY, BUT A LEADERSHIP CULTURE THAT IS OLDER AND EVEN MORE SEASONED THAN THAT OF THE UUA. SO I KNEW WHEN OUR MODERATOR ASKED, I WOULD SAY YES. AND WITH GREAT JOY. SO HERE WE ARE TOGETHER ENERGIZED AND EXHAUSTED, RELAXED AND FRAZZLED, JOYFUL, FRUSTRATED, READY TO GET TO WORK, READY TO GET THE HECK OUT OF HERE, AND IT SOUNDS, THEREFORE, LIKE WE'VE ARRIVED AT THE LAST DAY OF THIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY. MUCH GOOD HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED HERE IN THIS HALL. YOU KNOW, EVEN A BUSINESS RESOLUTION THAT GAINED A MAJORITY, BUT FAILED TO PASS BECAUSE IT CANNOT RECEIVE TWO‑THIRDS HANGS A SIGNAL FOR THOSE WHO ARE ATTENTIVE, AND THERE ARE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIS BODY TO SPEAK YET TODAY. I WAS ONLY 14 YEARS OLD WHEN I FOUND MYSELF PLANTED AS THE ONLY YOUTH ON A COMMITTEE IN MY COMMUNITY. THE OTHER COMMITTEES WERE OLD, OLD, OLD. YOU KNOW, A LITTLE YOUNGER THAN I AM NOW. [LAUGHTER] AND THE MEMBERS WHO HAD AGITATED FOR THE INCLUSION OF YOUNGER VOICES WERE WELCOMING, BUT NOT ALL OF THOSE FOLKS HAD EVER BEEN AGITATORS. MY IDEAS WERE NOT ALWAYS WELCOME AT THE TABLE AND I TIRED OF FIGHTING TO BE HEARD. I HAD MY CONVERSATION WITH A FAVORITE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER WHO DRAGGED ME TO THE LIBRARY AND INTRODUCED ME TO ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER. ANGUS JOHNSON, WHO WRITES STUDENT ACTIVISM.COM, SAYS THE FIRST THING WORTH SAYING ABOUT ROBERTS RULES ASK THAT IT'S A TOOL. IT EXISTS TO SERVE AS A MECHANISM FOR FACILITATING DEMOCRATIC DECISION MAKING IN GROUPS, PARTICULARLY LARGE ONES. IT'S NOT THE ONLY WAY TO RUN A MEETING, BUT IT IS EFFECTIVE AND EVEN EMPOWERING. TO EXPLAIN WHY, HE CONTINUES, I WANT TO GO BACK AND UNPACK ONE WORD FROM THE PREVIOUS PARAGRAPH: DECISION‑MAKING. ROBERTS ISN'T PRIMARILY A TOOL FOR MANAGING DISCUSSIONS AND IT'S NOT PARTICULARLY USEFUL IN FACILITATING OPEN‑ENDED DEBATE. THAT IT WEAKNESS IS A NECESSARY SIDE EFFECT OF THE SYSTEM'S GREAT STRENGTHS. IT TURNS OUT, BECAUSE ROBERTS IS DESIGNED TO ALLOW CONSIDERATION OF ONLY CLEARLY STATED QUESTIONS AND TO ALLOW ONLY ONE SUCH QUESTION TO BE TAKEN UP AT A TIME. AND ALTHOUGH THE BASIC PREMISES ARE STRAIGHTFORWARD, IMPLEMENTING THOSE PREMISES IN A FAIR AND REASONABLE WAY IS VERY COMPLICATED AND THAT'S THE WEIRD PARADOX OF ROBERTS RULES. IT'S CONFUSING AND ALIENATING, PRECISELY BECAUSE IT TRIES SO HARD TO BE FAIR AND INCLUSIVE, PARTICULARLY TO THE MINORITY. OVER FOUR DECADES AGO, A DOG EARED BOOK WRITTEN BY A RETIRED COLONEL WAS THE TOOL THIS YOUNG QUEER NEEDED TO LEVEL THE FIELD THAT I HAD BEEN REQUIRED TO PLAY ON, AND I'VE BEEN GRATEFUL FOR THAT KNOWLEDGE EVER SINCE. THE MARGE PIERCY POEM, TO BE OF USE, EXCERPTED AS A RESPONSIVE READING IN OUR GRAY HYMNAL, IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES, AND I HAPPEN TO KNOW IT'S ONE OF DENNY'S, TOO, AND PROBABLY ONE OF JIM'S. IT SAYS, I WANT TO BE WITH PEOPLE WHO SUBMERGE IN THE TASK, WHO GOES INTO THE FIELDS TO HARVEST AND WORK IN A ROW AND PASS THE BAGS ALONG, WHO STAND IN THE LINE AND HAUL IN THEIR PLACES. BUT IT IS ANOTHER OF POET PIERCY'S WORKS I WOULD OFFER YOU THIS MORNING. THIS IS HOW THINGS BEGIN TO TILT INTO CHANGE, HOW COALITIONS ARE KNIT FROM STRANDS OF HAIR, OF BARBED WIRE, TWINE, KNITTING WOOL, AND GUT. HOW PEOPLE EASE INTO ACTION, ARGUING EACH INCH. BUT THE TEDIUM OF IT IS WATCHING BRACHES ERODE. LET US MEET TO DEBATE MEETING. THE DATE, THE TIME, THE LENGTH. LET US DISCUSS WHETHER WE WILL HIT OR STAND OR HANG FROM THE CEILING OR TAKE IT LYING DOWN. LET US ARGUE ABOUT THE CHAIR AND THE TABLE AND THE CHAIR PERSON AND THE MOTION TO TABLE THE CHAIR. IN THE ROOM, FOG GATHERS UNDER THE CEILING AND THICKENS IN EVERY BRAIN. LET US FORM COMMITTEES, SPAWNING SUBCOMMITTEES, ALL LAYING LITTLE MOLDY EGGS OF REPORTS. UNDER THE GRAY FLUORESCENT SUN, THEY WILL CRACK TO HASH SCUTTLING LIZARDS OF MORE COMMITTEES, THE PLIOCENE GATHERS MOMENTUM AND FADES. THE EARTH TILTS ON ITS AXIS. MORE AND MORE SNOW FALLS EACH WINTER AND LESS MELT EACH AGE. A NEW ICE AGE IS PRESSING OVER THE FLOOR. WE WATCH THE WALL OF ICE ADVANCE. WE ARE TURNED INTO MULLOCKS, WHILE THE STALE AND FLOTSAM TIDE OF RHETORIC INCHES UP THE SHINGLES AND DODDLES BACK. THIS IS TRUE VIRTUE, TO SIT HERE AND STAY AWAKE, TO LISTEN TO ARGUE, TO WADE ON THROUGH THE MUCK, WRESTLING TO SOME MOMENTARY SMALL AGREEMENT, LIKE A PIN HEAD PEARL PRIZED FROM A DRAGON OYSTER. I BELIEVE IN THIS DEMOCRACY AS I BELIEVE THERE IS BLOOD IN MY VEINS, BUT OH, OH, IN ME LURKS A TYRANT WITH A DOUBLE BLADED AX WHO LONGS TO SWING IT WIDE AND SHINING, WHO LONGS TO STAND AND SHRIEK, YOU SHALL DO AS I SAY, PIG BASTARDS! NO MORE COMMITTEES. ONLY PICNICS AND ORGIES AND DANCES. I HAVE SPOKEN. SO BE IT FOREVER MORE. [APPLAUSE] SO HEY Y'ALL, IF YOU WANT TO LOOK IT UP, IT IS CALLED THE REPORT. FOURTH SUBCOMMITTEE ON CONVENING A DISCUSSION GROUP, A NECESSARY POEM FOR CONGREGATIONAL LEADERS AND BOARD CHAIRS. IT APPEARS IN MARS AND HER CHILDREN. IF I GET AN ASK THIS MORNING, HERE IT IS. BEFORE YOUR WORK OF THE DAY BEGINS, WHETHER IT'S WORK HERE IN THE HALL, WORK PACKING YOUR HOTEL ROOM WITH YOUR WIFE OR PARTNER OR KIDS, OR THE WORK IS IN THE TRUCK OF YOUR CAR ON THE DRIVE HOME, WHATEVER IT IS, TAKE A MINUTE RIGHT NOW AND LOCATE YOUR LOVING KINDNESS BUTTON SO THAT YOU CAN PRESS IT REPEATEDLY SHOULD THE NEED ARISE. IT IS WHAT WE OWE EACH OTHER. YEAH? COOL. SPEAKING OF CULTURE AND FAITHFULNESS AND ANY DELL AT THIS, MY FRIEND IS YOURS, NAOMI KING, EVERY MORNING AT 6:00 POSTS ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK CHALICE LIGHTING WITH A HASHTAG, HASHTAG CHALICE LIGHT. AND EVERY LIGHT AT 6:00 P.M., CHALICE OUT. IT IS PART OF MY DAILY DEVOTIONAL. I WAKE UP TO THE CHALICE LIGHTING OF MY FRIEND NAOMI DID AT 6:00 A.M. I ASKED HER TO WRITE ONE FOR US TODAY. AND IF WE COULD SEE THAT ON THE SCREENS. AND IF YOU WOULD READ TOGETHER WITH ME, WHILE OUR MODERATOR, MR. KEY, LIGHTS THE CHALICE. LIGHT OF LOVE AND REASON, NOW AND ALWAYS SHINE THROUGH OUR DISSENTS, DEBATES, AND DEEDS AS WE ACT FOR LOVE WITHOUT EXCEPTIONS AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HAVE A GREAT DAY, FRIENDS. [APPLAUSE] >> WHAT A BREATH OF FRESH AIR. THANK YOU, GINI. DOES THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIP TEAM HAVE A REPORT? I SEE THAT IT DOES. PLEASE WELCOME BACK LISA BOVEE‑KEMPER. [APPLAUSE] >> DOES THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIP TEAM HAVE A REPORT? IT'S WHAT WE DO. GOOD SUNDAY MORNING TO YOU‑ALL. WE APPROACHING THE END OF OUR TIME TOGETHER. WITH RELIEF AND SOME SADNESS, ALL WOVEN TOGETHER. THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIP TEAM WOULD LIKE TO REPORT THAT WE HAVE WITNESSED SOME TRULY BEAUTIFUL MOMENTS OF CONNECTION AND RECONCILIATION AT THIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY. MANY OF YOU HAVE DONE GOOD AND BEAUTIFUL WORK TOGETHER. BUT WE ALSO HAVE NOTICED THAT WE, AS A TEAM, RECEIVE AND HOLD A GREAT DEAL OF PAIN. WHEN YOU COME TO US, YOU ALWAYS BEGIN WITH AN EXPRESSION OF THE PAIN THAT YOU FEEL AT BEING MARGINALIZED IN A SPACE THAT PROMISED INCLUSION. WE HAVE ALL BEEN BROUGHT UP IN THIS SOCIETY THAT PERPETUATES WHITE SUPREMACY CULTURE, AND IN ORDER TO TRULY BE THAT RADICALLY WELCOMING, BELOVED COMMUNITY WE HOPE FOR, WE MUST, WE MUST WORK TOGETHER TO TEAR DOWN THAT OPPRESSIVE SYSTEM. THIS WEEK, WE HAVE HEARD YOUR STORIES ABOUT EXPERIENCING ABLEISM, RACISM, TRANS‑OPPRESSION, AGEISM, ISLAMOPHOBIA, ANTISEMITISM, AND SO MANY OTHER ISM'S, ALL IN THIS SPACE WHICH WE WORK SO HARD TO MAKE RADICALLY WELCOMING. THIS, MY FRIENDS, IS THE TAINTED LEGACY OF WHITE SUPREMACY CULTURE. THE NEEDS AND EXPERIENCES OF PEOPLE WITH MARGINALIZED IDENTITIES ARE LEFT COMPETING FOR AIRTIME, BECAUSE THE NEEDS OF THE DOMINANT GROUP TAKE UP ALL THE SPACE. THIS, MY FRIENDS, IS THE CORE OF OUR WORK AS A RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY. FOR THOSE OF US WITH PRIVILEGE, TO STEP BACK, AS IMPOSSIBLE AND FRIGHTENING AS THAT MAY FEEL. STEP BACK AND LISTEN. MAKE SPACE. STEP BACK TO CHANGE OUR SYSTEM. REFUSE TO ACCEPT THE PREMISE THAT JUSTICE IS A FINITE RESOURCE. THERE IS ALWAYS MORE LOVE, MORE UNDERSTANDING, MORE JUSTICE. WE MUST CHANGE THIS UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SYSTEM BEFORE WE CAN CHANGE THE LARGER SYSTEM. AND WE CANNOT WAIT. [APPLAUSE] BECAUSE, MY FRIENDS, PEOPLE IN OUR MIDST ARE SUFFERING DEEPLY AT OUR HANDS. AS ALWAYS, LOOK FOR THE ORANGE. WE WOULD LOVE TO MEET YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> SO WE HAVE A BUSY MORNING AHEAD. WE'RE GOING TO DEBATE AND VOTE ON ONE BYLAW AMENDMENT AND ONE BUSINESS RESOLUTION. WE'RE FIRST GOING TO TAKE UP THE BYLAW AMENDMENT. SO LET ME INTRODUCE JUSTINE SULLIVAN, WHO FACILITATED THAT MINI‑ASSEMBLY YESTERDAY THAT CONSIDERED THE PROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENT TO SUSPEND ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS AT GA IN 2017 IN NEW ORLEANS. I'VE ASKED JUSTINE TO GIVE THE DELEGATE BODY SOME SENSE OF THE MINI‑ASSEMBLY BEFORE WE DEBATE AND VOTE. JUSTINE? >> GOOD MORNING. OUR DELEGATES HAD A FAITHFUL DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PROPOSED BYLAW CHANGE TO ALLOW FOR THE SUSPENSION OF AIW'S AT NEXT YEAR'S GENERAL ASSEMBLY. THERE WERE NO AMENDMENTS PROPOSED, BUT FOLKS WERE VERY EAGER TO SAY THAT MANY OF THEM HAD BEEN AT JUSTICE GA IN PHOENIX AND WERE EXCITED TO HAVE US MOVE FORWARD WITH DOING MEANINGFUL JUSTICE WORK IN NEW ORLEANS NEXT YEAR. THE ONLY CONCERN, IF THERE WAS ONE, IS THAT IF WE WERE GOING TO TAKE THE ACTION OF SUSPENDING AIW'S, WHICH ARE ALSO IMPORTANT TO THIS BODY, THAT WE DO MEANINGFUL WORK. AND SO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS COMMUNICATED TO OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES. >> THANK YOU, JUSTINE. SO OUR NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO DEBATE AND VOTE ON THIS PROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENT. SO I CALL ON VICE‑MODERATOR DENISE RIMES TO MAKE THE MOTION. >> MOVED, THAT THE PROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENT TO SUSPEND ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS AT GA 2017 IN NEW ORLEANS DETAILED ON PAGE 97 OF THE FINAL AGENDA AND AS AMENDED IN THE MINI‑ASSEMBLY BE ADOPTED BY THIS ASSEMBLY. >> SO IT HAS BEEN MOVED TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENT TO SUSPEND ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS IN NEW ORLEANS. SO THE CHAIR NOW CALLS ON GREG BOYD, TRUSTEE‑AT‑LARGE, TO MAKE THE BOARD'S STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE BYLAW AMENDMENT FROM THE AMENDMENT MICROPHONE. I RECOGNIZE THE TRUSTEE AT THE AMENDMENT MICROPHONE. >> MY NAME IS GREGORY BOYD AND I SERVE OUR UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION AS A MEMBER OF YOUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES. YOUR BOARD RECOMMENDS THE SUSPENSION OF ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS IN 2017. WE ARE CONVINCED IT WILL INCREASE OUR CAPACITY FOR JUSTICE‑MAKING AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY. I WANT YOU TO ENVISION A GA WITHOUT AIW'S, ONE WHERE WE USE OUR TIME FOR ACTION RATHER THAN TALKING ABOUT ACTION. RATHER THAN TRYING TO ACCURATELY NAME ALL THE DYNAMICS OF INJUSTICE, WE COULD LEAVE THE GENERAL SESSION HALL TO WORK FOR JUSTICE. WHILE OUR STATEMENT OF CONSCIENCE PROCESS DOES THE WORK OF BUILDING CONGREGATIONAL CONSENSUS AND SHOWING US WAYS TO BRING HOME OUR HUNGER, AIW'S ARE MUCH NARROWER IN FOCUS. OUR BROAD BASE OF PARTNERS, MANY OF WHOM YOU'LL HEAR FROM SHORTLY, HAVE MADE CLEAR THAT WE NEED THE APPROPRIATE SPACE FOR SPIRITUAL GROUNDING AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN NEW ORLEANS. IN THIS COMING YEAR, CONSIDER WHAT WE MIGHT LEARN ABOUT DEEP, SUSTAINABLE JUSTICE WORK. WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE THE IMAGINATIVE SPACE FOR NEW MOVEMENT BUILDING, CONGREGATIONS ACTIVATING RESPONSES TO THE INJUSTICES OF OUR TIME. I YIELD MY TIME. >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] BEFORE WE BEGIN THE DEBATE, LET ME JUST GO OVER THE RULES AGAIN. UNDER THE RULES YOU APPROVED THURSDAY MORNING, WE HAVE 30 MINUTES TO DEBATE THIS BEFORE VOTING. THE MOTION CANNOT BE AMENDED SINCE NONE WERE MADE IN THE MINI‑ASSEMBLY. THIS BYLAW REQUIRES TWO‑THIRDS VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE TO BE ADOPTED. THERE MUST BE 20 MINUTES OF DEBATE BEFORE A DELEGATE CAN CALL THE QUESTION. THE MOTION TO CALL THE QUESTION MUST THEN BE VOTED ON WITH A MAJORITY VOTING IN FAVOR TO REQUIRE AN IMMEDIATE VOTE TO CLOSE DEBATE. THE CHAIR REMINDS THOSE WHO WISH TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OR AGAINST THE BUSINESS RESOLUTION THAT DEBATE MUST BE CONFINED TO THE MERITS OF THE BUSINESS RESOLUTION, AVOID INJECTING A PERSONAL NOTE INTO THE DEBATE, AND PLEASE DO NOT ATTACK OR MAKE ALLUSION TO THE MOTIVES OF OTHERS OR THE CHAIR WILL RULE THE COMMENTS OUT OF ORDER. EACH SPEAKER, AS YOU KNOW, IS LIMITED TO TWO MINUTES AND MAY ONLY SPEAK ONCE. SUBSEQUENT SPEAKERS MAY MAKE NEW POINTS RATHER THAN REPEAT WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID. AND THERE ARE REALLY TWO POSSIBLE OUTCOMES. TO APPROVE OR NOT TO APPROVE. TECHNICALLY YOU COULD POSTPONE INDEFINITELY OR MOVE TO ASSIGN THE RESOLUTION TO A COMMITTEE, BUT THAT WOULD RENDER THEM MOOT, SO IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THIS DEBATE. SO ARE WE READY TO DEBATE THIS? ALL RIGHT. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> I'M JOSH POLLACK, MINUTE HE IS OFFICER DELEGATE FROM THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY EAST IN MANCHESTER, CONNECTICUT. ALSO A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST MINISTER'S ASSOCIATION, AND I'M STANDING HERE WITH RUTH EDAKULA AND DEANNA VANDIVER FOR THE CENTER FOR ETHICAL LIVING AND SOCIAL JUSTICE RENEWAL IN NEW ORLEANS. [APPLAUSE] I JUST WANT TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE RESOLUTION TO SUSPEND THE AIW PROCESS. WE BELIEVE THAT NEW ORLEANS, BECAUSE OF ITS CULTURE, BECAUSE OF BOTH ITS LONG‑TERM HISTORY AND ITS VERY RECENT HISTORY AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA AND BECAUSE OF SO MANY INCREDIBLE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE CENTER, LIKE THE PEOPLE'S INSTITUTE FOR SURVIVAL AND BEYOND THAT EXISTS IN NEW ORLEANS, WE HAVE A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE THE BLESSINGS OF NEW ORLEANS AND WE NEED TO SUSPEND SOME BUSINESS AS USUAL IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THOSE BLESSINGS AND BE TRANSFORMED IN THE WAY THAT I THINK ONLY NEW ORLEANS CAN TRANSFORM THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >> I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE CON MICROPHONE. I AM DICK BURKHART, CHURCH OF THE LARGER FELLOWSHIP, CO‑CHAIR OF UU'S FOR JUST ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF OUR GROUP HAS DONE MANY AIW'S IN THE PAST AND WE ARE CONVINCED WE COULD DO A BETTER PROCESS THAN WE ACTUALLY NEED MORE OPTIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, WHY NOT ONE YEAR STUDY ACTION ISSUE WITHOUT A STATEMENT OF CONSCIENCE WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME REAL FOLLOW‑UP AND SOME HELP FROM CONGREGATIONS? BUT THIS PROPOSAL DOES NOT DO THAT. WHAT I THINK NEEDS TO BE DONE IS A TASKFORCE OF THE BOARD THAT WOULD ACTUALLY LOOK AT ALL KINDS OF PROPOSALS AND COME UP WITH A PLAN FOR TESTING SOME OF THESE OUT AND AFTER YOU'VE TESTED SOME THINGS AND THE GOT MEN IS FEEDBACK, PROPOSING A NEW ALTERNATIVE AND CHANGING THE BYLAWS. AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, THERE MAY BE A HOT ISSUE NEXT YEAR AND WE MIGHT HAVE TO GO TO RESPONSIVE RESOLUTION OR SOMETHING ELSE. PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE THESE OPTIONS OF AIW IN PLACE UNTIL WE HAVE SOMETHING BETTER, NOT JUST SOMETHING AMORPHOUS, WHICH IS WHAT THE PROPOSAL IS. FOR EXAMPLE, I'VE HEARD A PROPOSAL FOR OPEN SPACE DISCUSSIONS. I'VE DONE THOSE MYSELF. THEY'RE GREAT. BUT THEY'RE NOT GOOD FOR ACTIONS. SO I WOULD URGE YOU TO VOTE NO. WE'VE ACTUALLY WORKED OUT SOME OPTIONS AND KEEP OUR AIW IN PROCESS TEMPORARILY. >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. MY NAME IS ASIA HAUSER FROM EAST SHORE UNITARIAN CHURCH IN BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION THERE, A MEMBER OF LREDA AND FORMER CHAIR OF THE DIVERSITY AND I KNOW COLLUSION TEAM. WE HAVE HEARD FROM DEANNA AND RUTH, WHO ARE FROM NEW ORLEANS, LIVE IN NEW ORLEANS, AND TO DISREGARD THEIR FEELINGS ABOUT THIS WOULD BE, AT LEAST, INCENTIVE AND AT WORST, INAPPROPRIATE. AN ACTION OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS IS NOT AN ACTION. IT IS US IN A GENERAL ASSEMBLY HALL TALKING ABOUT OUR FEELINGS. AND WHILE THAT IS FINE, MOST OF THE TIME IT IS NOT WHEN WE ARE IN A PLACE THAT WAS DEVASTATED AND HAS NOT RECOVERED AFTER HURRICANE SANDY. WE'VE BEEN ASKED BY THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND WHO ARE THERE WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE. LET US PLEASE NOT DISREGARD WHAT THE NEEDS ARE OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE. THIS IS ABOUT IMPACT, NOT INTENT. WE ARE A DENOMINATION FULL OF WELL‑INTENTIONED PEOPLE. LET US THINK ABOUT IMPACT, WHICH IS NOT ABOUT US. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE CON MICROPHONE, ALTHOUGH I CAN'T SEE THAT DELEGATE. >> HI. SALLY GELLERT, CENTRAL YOUNG CHURCH, PARAMUS, NEW JERSEY. I'M SPEAKING AGAINST THIS AMENDMENT. AFTER THE MINI‑ASSEMBLY JUST NOW, I THOUGHT, WHAT'S REALLY LUXURY FOR US IS ALL OF THESE WORKSHOPS WE DO. THIS IS BUSINESS. WE USED OUR ACTION OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS LAST YEAR TO SUPPORT BLACK LIVES MATTER TO ENERGIZE OUR SOCIETY TO WORK TO HANG A BANNER, TO GET EDUCATION PROGRAMS. SO THAT ACTION OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS HAD A VERY STRONG RIPPLE EFFECT FOR US. I SAW LAST NIGHT, EVEN OUR VOTE THAT FAILED WITH A SIMPLE MAJORITY BUT CANNOT HAVE A TWO‑THIRDS MAJORITY ON THE SCREENING RESOLUTION GOT MEDIA COVERAGE. OUR WORDS MATTER. WHEN WE HAD THE JUSTICE AN SELL ANY PHOENIX, THAT WAS IN RESPONSE A SPECIFIC CRISIS, A SPECIFIC CALL FOLLOW A BOYCOTT AND WE HAD TO RESPOND TO THAT AND WE DID AND WE DID IT BEAUTIFULLY. I DON'T THINK ‑‑ YEAH, NOT SAYING NEW ORLEANS DOESN'T HAVE ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS THAT WE NEED TO HELP WITH, BUT I DON'T THINK SUSPENDING THE POSSIBILITY OF MAKING AN IMMEDIATE STATEMENT ON SOMETHING THAT WE CAN'T KNOW ABOUT NOW IS THE WAY TO DO IT. YES, WE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE WORKING WITH ALL OF THOSE ALLIES, BUT LET'S NOT GIVE THIS UP YET. >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> THANK YOU, MR. MODERATOR. I'M JIM CREVART GRAHAM, CHURCH OF THE LARGER FELLOWSHIP. MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH GENERAL ASSEMBLY WAS IN MINNEAPOLIS IN 2010. AS A MEMBER OF A BRICK AND MORTAR CONGREGATION IN THE PHOENIX VALLEY, I AND A COALITION OF OTHER FOLKS WHO WERE NEW TO UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST POLITY CAME TO MINNEAPOLIS TO URGE THE UUA TO RETAIN OUR GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN PHOENIX WITH THE INTENT THAT WE WOULD DO WORK ON THE GROUND THAT WOULD BE MEANINGFUL, WORK ON THE GROUND THAT WOULD INCLUDE PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES, WORK ON THE GROUND THAT WOULD LIVE OUT THE VALUES THAT WE HOLD DEAR. I AM IN FAVOR OF ACTUALLY A REGULAR OPPORTUNITY TO SUSPEND ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS ON A PERIODIC BASIS, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RE‑THINK WHAT GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEANS. THIS IS A RELIGIOUS BODY. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A REAL IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE ARE IN, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE PARTNER AND LISTEN TO THE FOLKS ON THE GROUND IN THOSE COMMUNITIES AND ASK THEM, WHAT CAN WE DO TO ASSIST YOU IN THE VALUABLE AND MEANINGFUL WORK THAT YOU'RE ALREADY DOING IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITIES? ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS ARE MUCH ABOUT OUR COMFORT, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S ONE AREA WHERE WE, AS UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO STEP BACK, BE PEOPLE OF FAITH, AND REALLY THINK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT OUR COMFORT AND OUR FAMILIARITY WITH OUR OWN PROCESSES IS AS IMPORTANT AS GETTING WORK DONE IN THE COMMUNITIES AND HAVING REAL IMPACT IN A SERVICE CAPACITY. SO I WOULD URGE FOLKS TO VOTE YES TO SUSPEND ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS FOR THIS PARTICULAR GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN NEW ORLEANS NEXT YEAR. >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE CON MICROPHONE. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M CONNIE COLE‑INGBAR FROM THE MATTATUCK UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY. THIS YEAR WAS MY FIRST CHANCE TO I KNOW RENT AND TRY TO PROPEL AN ACTION OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS. IT WAS MY FAITH IN ACTION TODAY. WHILE I RESPECT THE COMMITTEE THAT PLANS THE WONDERFUL GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT WEIGH TEND, THAT HELPS WITH OUR CHANCES TO INTERVENE OR I WANTED ACTED IN THE COMMUNITY WE LIVE IN, I ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE AS UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS GOVERN FROM THE GROUND UP. FOR INSTANCE, BE THE BLACK LIVES MATTER CONVERSATION THAT CAME UP 2GA'S AGO BROUGHT A VERY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION INTO THE ROOM THAT WAS NOT ADDRESSED BY THE PROGRAMMING OF THE DAY. SO I FEEL THAT BY SUSPENDING THE ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS, YOU'RE SILENCING THE CONGREGATION'S CHANCE TO SPEAK TO OUR WIDER BOARD AND TO THE. TIRE CONGREGATION AND OUR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH ONE ANOTHER. THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE SPENT VOTING IN YESTERDAY'S AIW'S AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE WILL SPEND TODAY AFFIRMING THAT THOSE WILL BE STATEMENTS THAT COME FROM THE UUA AS ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS WAS MINISCULE IN COMPARISON TO THE TIME THAT WE SPENT DOING A LOT OF OTHER THINGS. SO I DO NOT THINK THAT THIS IS A WAIST OF TIME AND I THINK THAT IT IS A WASTE OF TIME AND I DO THINK IT IS A TIME FOR THE UUA TO HEAR US, THE MEMBER CONGREGATIONS, THAT MAKE US THE BIGGER COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> HOWARD TALLY, SAINT JOHNS AND UU JUSTICE OHIO. I WILL VOTE FOR THE BYLAWS AMENDMENT AFTER CONCLUDING THAT THE AIW PRACTICE VIOLATES OUR FIFTH UU PRINCIPLE AFFIRMING USE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. THIS CSAI ON THE CORRUPTION OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY WE ADOPTED THURSDAY, RECOGNIZES THAT ELECTION OUTCOMES DETERMINED BY BIG MONEY ARE ILLEGITIMATE. THIS YEAR THE UUA HAS LAUNCHED A CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS. I PAID OVER $300 FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE FOR THE ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS. THAT PROCESS PRIVILEGES THOSE WITH FINANCIAL MEANS TO PAY FOR GA REGISTRATION. IT PRIVILEGES THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD COSTLY TRAVEL EXPENSES, AND IT PRIVILEGES THOSE WHO CAN TAKE TIME OFF FROM WORK. HOW CAN THE 1,000 UNINSTRUCTED DELEGATES WITH COSTLY VOTE BEING CREDENTIALS HERE TODAY CLAIM THE RIGHT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF CONGREGATIONS THAT ARE UNAWARE OF THE PROPOSALS BEFORE US AND WHEN THOSE OF LESSOR MEANS ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND AND HAVE NO RIGHT TO VOTE. THAT WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE 24TH AMENDMENT OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION THAT PROHIBITS POLL TAXES. IT DOESN'T APPLY TO US. UU'S HAS TAKEN STEPS TO REMOVE THE EFFECT OF BIG MONEY BY LIMITING CAMPAIGN EXPENSES IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND ALLOWING ABSENTEE BALLOTS FOR NEXT YEAR. I CONFUSE MY HYPOCRISY. LAST YEAR I VOTED FOR THE BLACK LIVES MATTER RESOLUTION AND I GOT MY CONGREGATION TO INCLUDE IT IN A RESOLUTION OF COMMITMENT TO RACIAL JUSTICE. I WILL NOT DO SO AGAIN. I WILL VOTE AGAINST THE ACTIONS OF AFFIRMATIVE WITNESS, ALL OF THEM TODAY, AND I WILL NOT BE SATISFIED UNTIL THE BOARD AND THE COMMISSION ON SOCIAL WITNESS PROVIDES US WITH A PROCESS THAT IS TRULY DEMOCRATIC. >> I HAVE A DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURES MICROPHONE. >> I'M GREGORY BOYD. I AM A MEMBER OF OUR UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES. I RISE TO A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. I HAVE TWO PEOPLE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION THAT WILL HELP CLARIFY OUR DEBATE. >> THE MODERATOR WILL RECOGNIZE ESSENTIALLY SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS. SO YOU MAY ENLIGHTEN US INTO WHAT YOUR CENTER DOES AND THOUSAND MIGHT BE APPLIED IN NEW ORLEANS. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M RUTHIS DAKOLA, CO‑DIRECTOR OF CENTER FOR ETHICAL LIVING AND SOCIAL JUSTICE RENEWAL OF NEW ORLEANS. AND I'M DEANNA VANDIVER, CO‑DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR ETHICAL LIVING AND SOCIAL JUSTICE IN NEW ORLEANS AND WE'RE VERY, VERY GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR PROVIDING THE SPACE. WE JUST HAVE HAD SO MANY CONVERSATIONS OVER THE PAST YEAR AROUND THE VISION FOR WHAT OUR FAITH CAN GROW INTO IN NEW ORLEANS. I THINK THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR MOVEMENT BUILDING THAT'S HAPPENING AT THIS GA IS VERY POWERFUL, AND WHAT BECAME CLEAR LAST YEAR IN THE AIW PROCESS WAS THAT OUR MORAL AND HEART CALL CAN ACTUALLY BE HARMED BY THE STRUCTURES OF THE PROCESS. AND SO WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR NEW ORLEANS IS SOME SPACIOUSNESS, SOME LIBERATING STRUCTURES TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ACTIONS OF WITNESS THAT ARE ACTIONS, ARE WITNESS, ARE FAITHFUL SPIRITUAL JUSTICE ISSUES, BUT THAT ARE NOT BOUND BY THIS VERY PRECISE STRUCTURE IN THE BYLAWS. >> COULD YOU GIVE US SOME I KNOW LIGHTS AND I SHOULD CONFESS AS MODERATOR, I'VE BEEN IN RELATIONSHIP AND CONVERSATION WITH THEM FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES. COULD YOU GIVE THE DELEGATE BODY SOME SENSES OF THE BREADTH OF YOUR PARTNERS THAT YOU CONNECT US TO? YOU DON'T HAVE TO NAME THE SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES THAT WE MIGHT THINK ABOUT, BUT JUST WHAT YOUR CONTACTS ARE, I GUESS I'M ASKING. >> AND SO JUST IN TERMS OF THE PEOPLE'S MOVEMENT ASSEMBLY, FACILITATION, GULF SOUTH RISING, PEOPLE'S INSTITUTE FOR SURVIVAL AND BEYOND, JUSTICE AND BEYOND COALITION, FRIENDS AND FAMILIES OF LOUISIANA'S INCARCERATED CHILDREN, THE CENTER HAS BEEN CULTIVATING A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS AREA, SPECIFICALLY AND I KNOW TENSELY FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS SINCE THE FEDERAL FLOOD OF 2005 THAT SOME PEOPLE KNOW AS HURRICANE KATRINA. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE CON MICROPHONE. >> GOOD MORNING, MR. MODERATOR. ANGELA BRIDGEMAN, UU PEACE FELLOWSHIP, RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA. I CAME HERE TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY THIS YEAR WITHOUT HAVING PLANNED TO, WITH THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF BRINGING THE ACTION OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS AND RIGHT AFTER I BROUGHT THE ACTION OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS ON THE FLOOR YESTERDAY, I EXPERIENCED MYSELF AN INCIDENT OF TRANSPHOBIA WHICH TOTALLY POINTED TO THE NEED FOR THE AIW. AND I CAME HERE WITH MY CONGREGATION HAVING DECIDED IN A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE TO SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT. THIS WAS PREDICATED UPON THE IDEA THAT SOMETHING WOULD REPLACE THE AIW PROCESS SO THAT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULDN'T HAPPEN WHERE THIS WOULD BE NO VOICE. THERE HAS GOT TO BE A WAY WHERE WE DON'T TAKE AWAY THE LOCAL VOICE THAT THE PRO PEOPLE WANT TO TALK ABOUT AND TAKE AWAY THE VOICE OF PEOPLE LIKE ME AT THE SAME TIME. THIS IS NOT A ZERO SUM GAME. THERE HAS TO BE A WAY. IT IS IN KEEPING WITH OUR DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES WITHIN THE UUA THAT WE DON'T TAKE AWAY THE VOICE THAT IS THE AIW PROCESS, AND UNLESS I'M HEARING SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO REPLACE THE AIW PROCESS, AND IT DOES NOT SAY THIS IN THE BOOK, IT JUST SAID THIS AMENDMENT MAKES NO CHANGES TO OUR CURRENT AIW PROCESS, OTHER THAN ITS SUSPENSION IN 2017, WHICH MEANS VOICES LIKE MINE WOULD BE SILENCED NEXT YEAR IN NEW ORLEANS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS ANDREW AN BRISCOE, A DELEGATE FROM MAINLINE UNITARIAN CHURCH OF DEVON, PENNSYLVANIA. LAST YEAR, I PARTICIPATED IN THE UU COLLEGE OF SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTIVATE NEW ORLEANS PROGRAM WITH THE CENTER OF ETHICAL LIVING AND SOCIAL JUSTICE RENEWAL, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY I REALLY SAW FIRSTHAND WHAT OUR FAITH CAN DO IN NEW ORLEANS TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF NEW ORLEANS WHO REALLY DO NEED IT. AND WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD RECENTLY IS THERE WILL BE SOME SORT OF PROCESS TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE IMMEDIATE WITNESS IN A CERTAIN WAY, BUT ALSO, REITERATING WHAT REVEREND DEANNA VANDIVER SAID IS THIS SUSPENSION OF AIW'S IS TRULY WITNESSING OUR FAITH. AIW'S MAY JUST BE A WAY FOR OUR ASSEMBLY TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE CARE ABOUT, BUT WHEN WE GO OUT INTO THE PUBLIC AND TRULY VOICE WHAT OUR FAITH IS HERE FOR, THAT'S WHAT I THINK TRUE WITNESS IS. AND THAT'S WHY I THINK WE SHOULD SUSPEND AIW'S FOR NEXT YEAR IN NEW ORLEANS. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] >> I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE CON MICROPHONE. >> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS ERIN WHITE AND I'M THE PRESIDENT AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES AT THE FOURTH UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK. I WANT TO FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATE THE FOLKS FROM NEW ORLEANS WHO HAVE COME AND SHARED ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY ARE LINING UP FOR US TO DO AND THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT THEY HAVE. I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT WORK NEXT YEAR. I DO, HOWEVER, HAVE TWO CONCERNS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THIS AMENDMENT. THE FIRST IS THE CONCERN THAT OUR ACTIONS OF PUBLIC WITNESS FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS HAVE TAKEN PLACE INSIDE OF CLOSED CONFERENCE HALLS. I DON'T FEEL THAT THAT IS A GOOD SIGN TO ME THAT WE WILL TRULY BE ADDRESSING PUBLIC WITNESS IN A TRUE MANNER. HAVING A RALLY AMONGST OURSELVES IN A CONFERENCE ROOM THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE GAINED ADMISSION TO IS NOT PUBLIC WITNESS. AT LEAST NOT AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WHICH I HAVE TO CREDIT MY PREVIOUS MINISTER, REVEREND ROSE [INDISCERNIBLE] ABOUT THAT FOR TEACHING ME ABOUT WITNESS AND THE IMPORTANCE THAT HAVE IN OUR FAITH. THE SECOND CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT IT TAKES AWAY OUR ABILITY TO BE RESPONSIVE. I HAD THE PRIVILEGE YESTERDAY IN WORKING IN THE MINI‑ASSEMBLY ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF GUN VIOLENCE WITH THE FOLKS FROM ORLANDO, A COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN SO AFFECTED BY THE RECENT MASS SHOOTING. AND I BELIEVE THAT BY ROBBING OURSELVES OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE WITH FOLKS WHO HAVE A CURRENT AND NEEDFUL ISSUE THAT NEEDS RESPONSE AT THAT TIME AND TO WITNESS WITH THEM THE TRAGEDY AND THE ONGOING TRAGEDY EVERY DAY OF 90 PEOPLE DIEING FROM GUN VIOLENCE, WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO DO THAT, I FEEL THAT WE WILL BE LIMITING OURSELVES. AND THIRD, I JUST WANT TO SAY, I ALSO EXPRESS THAT I HAVE SOME DOUBT THAT THIS WOULD ACTUALLY SAVE US NILE GENERAL SESSION, BECAUSE I FEEL PEOPLE WOULD FEEL CALLED TO DO RESPONSIVE MOTIONS AND WE WOULD, IN FACT, SPEND AS MUCH, IF NOT MORE TIME, DEALING WITH THAT PROCEDURE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURE MIC. >> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS CAROLINA CREVAR‑GRAHAM. I HAVE A QUESTION, A POINT OF INFORMATION. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, I WAS ALSO IN PHOENIX AT JUSTICE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MUCH OF OUR TIME IS SPENT AN AIW'S IN VOTE TOTALING, AND THAT INCLUDES THE MINI‑ASSEMBLY ON THEM AND THE TIME SPENT ON THE FLOOR? IN MY EXPERIENCE IT'S BEEN QUITE EYE BIT OF TIME, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MUCH TIME IS SPENT IN TOTAL ON AIW'S THAT WOULD POSSIBLY BE FREED UP TO DO OTHER JUSTICE WORK. >> IT'S A FAIR QUESTION AND I CAN'T GIVE YOU A SPECIFIC ANSWER. WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE GA PLANNING COMMITTEE THIS SUMMER AND THE FALL GETTING AN EXACT NUMBER ON THAT WHEN WE DECIDE HOW MANY HOURS WE SPEND DOING WHAT. BUT APPROXIMATELY A THIRD OF OUR HOURS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HALL ARE AROUND THE ISSUES OF AIW'S. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. A THIRD OF OUR TIME. THANK YOU. >> I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS ELANDRIA WILLIAMS FROM TENNESSEE VALLEY UU CHURCH. THIS IS MY LAST TIME TO DO THIS FOR A WHILE, SO I THOUGHT, LET'S DO IT NOW. AS SOMEBODY WHO ACTUALLY WORKS IN NEW ORLEANS, ACTUALLY WORKS IN NEW ORLEANS, AND NOT IN TERMS OF THE U UCONN TEXT, BUT REAL LIFE, I WANT TO REALLY HOLD, AND FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE SEEN ME AT GA, WHAT IT MEANS FOR US TO BE THE CHURCH OF THE ACTUAL PROBLEM. LET ME SAY IT ONE MORE TIME. WHAT IT MEANS TO BE THE CHURCH OF THE ACTUAL PROBLEM AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE EMERGENT. WE DO NOT HAVE EMERGENT GOVERNANCE. LET ME NOT FOOL YOU. THIS IS NOT EMERGENT GOVERNANCE. OUR PROCESS IS WITH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, PART OF WHICH THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS, WHICH ACTUALLY ALLOWS FOR US, WHICH GETS BASE AND HAD ROOTED IN THE SOUTH, TO COME TOGETHER AND TRANSFORM ON A DIME. WE CHANGE SCHEDULES ON A DIME FOR 3,000 PEOPLE. IT'S ROOTED IN ACTUALLY HAVING CONVERSATION. HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY SPENT AT LEAST FOUR HOURS IN A WORKSHOP HAVING CONVERSATIONS? OKAY. HERE WE GO. SO HOW CAN WE ACTUALLY MAKESHIFTS IF YOU ARE SPENDING ALL OF YOUR TIME LISTENING TO PEOPLE TALK AT YOU AND NOT ACTUALLY BUILD? THE ANSWERS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS ARE GLORIOUS AND THEY ARE NOT MOVEMENT BUILDING. THEY ARE NOT. [APPLAUSE] THEY ARE NOT. I SAT AND LISTENED TO PEOPLE TALK ABOUT, IN A SESSION AROUND NEW ORLEANS AND CLIMATE AND TALKED ABOUT THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM WAS NOT A DISASTER RELIEF PLAN AND THAT WE NEEDED TO RE‑LOCATE. SO I NEED US TO HOLD THAT IT'S TIME TO LEARN. WE NEED OUR DENOMINATION TO COME TO NEW ORLEANS IN THE SOUTH AND LEARN AND BE WITH THE PEOPLE, DAMN‑IT, FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND NOT TRY TO TAKE OVER. BE WITH US. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> LET ME AGAIN CAUTION THE DELEGATE BODY FOR TOO MUCH CELEBRATION. THIS IS A LEGITIMATE DISCUSSION ON PROS AND CONS. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE CON MICROPHONE. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS PAUL O'BRIEN. I'VE BEEN ATTENDING GA'S FOR 27 YEARS NOW. AND I WANTED TO GIVE A CONCRETE EXAMPLE OF THE ISSUE OF WHICH I FELT MOST DESERVED IMMEDIATE WITNESS, BUT WHICH AROSE IN 2012. IT WAS THE YEAR WE CANNOT HAVE THAT. I AM SPEAKING OF CONTRACEPTIVE COVERAGE IN THE EMPLOYER PROVIDED HEALTH PLANS. AND I SAW THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAD VARIOUS EMPLOYERS WHO FELT THAT WAS DEFENSE THEIR RELIGION. MY REACTION IS DO WE OWE OUR SOULS TO THIS COMPANY STORE? AND IF I HAD KNOWN HOW TO WORK THE PROCESS, I MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET A RESPONSIVE RESOLUTION, BUT I FEEL THAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING ON RECORD SAYING THAT WE, AS A RELIGION DO, NOT FEEL WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO TELL OUR EMPLOYEES HOW TO LIVE. IF WE DO NOT HAVE ANY SUCH STATEMENT, SO THE MEDIA FELT IT WAS ENTIRELY AGAINST RELIGION, AGAINST SECULARISM. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> MY NAME IS KIMBERLY JOHNSON. I AM A DELEGATE FROM THE UU CONGREGATION OF THE SOUTH FORK IN BRIDGE HAMPTON, LONG ISLAND. I AM ALL FOR CONGREGATIONS HAVING A WAY TO AFFECT OUR SOCIAL JUSTICE IN THE WORLD. I'M NOT CONVINCE THAT HAD AIW'S ARE THE WAY TO DO THAT. THE PROCESS AS WE HAVE HAD PRIVILEGES DISCOURAGES ACTUAL DISCUSSION, ACTUAL LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER, AND PRIVILEGES PROCESS. THAT SAID, THIS ISSUE IS NOT ABOUT SUSPENDING AIW'S FOREVER. THIS IS ABOUT SUSPENDING AIW'S FOR THIS PARTICULAR JUSTICE GA. I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS, THE CENTER FOR ETHICAL LIVING AND SOCIAL JUSTICE RENEWAL THROUGH MY WORK WITH THE UU COLLEGE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE NEXT SUMMER TO LEARN FROM AND TO BE IN CONVERSATION WITH, TO BENEFIT FROM THE PARTNERSHIPS AND THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN CULTIVATING ON BEHALF OF OUR FAITH. I THINK AS A PEOPLE, WE WOULD BE WELL SERVED TO SPEND MORE TIME LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER AND LEARNING FROM THE PEOPLE THAT WE PROFESS TO BE IN SOLIDARITY WITH THAN MAKING STATEMENTS AND TAKING POSITIONS. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE CON MICROPHONE. >> I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MIKE MANNING AT THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST OF CLEAR WATER, FLORIDA. HE SAYS, GIVEN THE MULTI YEAR PLANNING THAT GOES INTO PLANNING A GENERAL ASSEMBLY, I BELIEVE THIS BYLAW CHANGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED PRIOR TO THIS GA. I MUST WONDER HOW THE PLANNING CURRENTLY PROGRESSES WITH OR WITHOUT THE INCLUSION OF AIW'S? >> THANK YOU ACTUALLY RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> GOOD MORNING, MR. MODERATOR. DAVID CARL OLSON. I'M THE MINISTER AT FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF BALTIMORE. AND I'M GOING TO TRY TO NOT CRY. AND I TELL YOU THAT, BECAUSE I SOMETIMES CALL BALTIMORE NEW ORLEANS WITHOUT THE LEVEES. AND I THINK OF THE DEVASTATION OF MY CITY AND WHAT MIGHT IT MEAN HAD FIVE, EIGHT, 10,000 UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS COME TO BE WITH US FOR A FEW DAYS. IT WOULD HAVE A LITTLE IMPACT, A LITTLE TINY IMPACT ON BALTIMORE. BUT YOUR EXPERIENCE OF BEING IN BALTIMORE WOULD HAVE A PROFOUND AFFECT ON YOU. AND I JOINED UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM AS A WAY FOR ME, MYSELF, TO BE TRANSFORMED, AS A WAY FOR ME TO WORK WITH OTHER PEOPLE TO BE A TRANSFORMATIVE AGENT IN THE WORLD, AND FOR OUR RELATIONSHIPS TO BE TRANSFORMED. AND I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER THING FOR US TO DO THAN TO SET ASIDE SOME TIME IN NEW ORLEANS TO GET REAL, TO GET REAL WITH EACH OTHER, TO BE CHANGED IN OUR HEARTS, AND TO BE CHANGED HAS AN ASSOCIATION THAT WE MIGHT BECOME THE 21ST CENTURY ORGANIZATION THAT WE NEED TO BECOME RATHER THAN THE 19th CENTURY ORGANIZATION THAT I CONTINUE TO LEAD. PLEASE, LET'S MAKE THIS CHANGE. >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURES MICROPHONE. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS KAREN McCULLOUGH AND I'M FROM THE DEL REY UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP IN DEL REY, OHIO. AND I HAVE A POINT OF INFORMATION. WOULD THE MODERATOR PLEASE EXPAND ON THE ROLE OF THE RESPONSIVE RESOLUTIONS PLAY AT GA? >> RESPONSIVE RESOLUTIONS COME TO THE MODERATOR BEFORE 6:00 P.M. ON A SATURDAY NIGHT AND WILL COME UP ON SUNDAY FOR DEBATE. WE HAVE ONE THAT WILL COME UP FOR DEBATE THIS AFTERNOON. THAT'S THE PROCESS EVERY GA. >> I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT IN ACTION. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. I'D RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE CON MICROPHONE. >> HELLO. I'M BRIANN BIRD FROM [INDISCERNIBLE] OHIO. THIS LITERALLY BREAKS MY HEART TO BE STANDING AT THIS CON MICROPHONE. I WANT TO SEE REAL WORK DONE IN NEW ORLEANS. BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT HAS TO BE SEPARATE. I AM ONE OF THOSE VOICES THAT WAS MENTIONED THAT IS USUALLY SILENCED AT GA. AS A DISABLED PERSON WHO LIVES AND SUPPORTS A FAMILY ON LESS MONEY THAN MOST PEOPLE SITTING HERE SPENT TO COME TO GA, I AM ONE OF THOSE VOICES THAT'S NORMALLY AT HOME THAT YOU DON'T HEAR, ALONG WITH A WHOLE BUNCH MORE OF THEM RIGHT NOW THAT ARE IN PAIN BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT BEING HEARD. WHY CAN'T WE HAVE ACTUAL WORK, ACTUAL ACTIONS DONE AND THE ABILITY TO HAVE ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS? BECAUSE I ALSO HAVE TO QUESTION THE I KNOW EFFECTIVENESS. IS IT REALLY THE PROCEDURE HERE OR IS IT WHAT WE DO WITH THEM WHEN WE TAKE THEM HOME TO OUR CONGREGATIONS? WHERE DOES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE INEFFECTIVENESS ACTUALLY LIE? MY OTHER PROBLEM IS I CANNOT, IN GOOD CONSCIENCE, VOTE TO TAKE AWAY THIS PROCESS WITHOUT PROVIDING ANOTHER WAY FOR THOSE NOT HERE AND WHO CAN'T ACCESS HERE TO HAVE A VOICE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> HI. I'M JAN CARLSON BOWL, MINISTER OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN MERIDIAN, CONNECTICUT. I SPEAK AS A FORMER MEMBER AND CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION ON SOCIAL WITNESS AND AS A PART OF THE MORAL MONDAY CONNECTICUT BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT. IN THE FIRST CAPACITY, WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS ARE, IN ACTUALITY, STATEMENTS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS THAT CARRY THE AUTHORITY ONLY OF THE GA AT WHICH THEY ARE PASSED. SECONDLY, WHEN AIW'S ARE SUSPENDED FOR A JUSTICE GA, AS THEY WERE IN PHOENIX, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WE TAKE ACTION IN IMMEDIATE WITNESS. ON BEHALF OF OR, YOU KNOW, IN SORT OF THE CAPACITY OF A PERSON WHO IS DEVOTED AND DEDICATED TO THE MORAL BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT, AS THOSE OF US WHO ARE WHITES NEED TO TAKE OUR CUE FROM BLACK LIVES MATTER, FROM THOSE AMONG US WHO ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR, I BELIEVE THAT THOSE OF US WHO ARE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS WHO PLAN TO GO TO NEW ORLEANS NEXT YEAR, ALL OF US NEED TO TAKE OUR CUES FROM THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY OF NEW ORLEANS. AND IN THAT VEIN, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO SUSPEND THE FORMAL PROCESS KNOWN AS AIW'S AND ACTUALLY TAKE ACTION IN IMMEDIATE WITNESS ON BEHALF OF JUSTICE THEN AND THERE. >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURES MICROPHONE. >> MY NAME IS PATRINA HOLLINGSWORTH FROM THE RIVER ROAD UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE QUESTION. >> IS THERE A SECOND? >> POINT OF ORDER, MR. MODERATOR. WHAT THIS MEANS WE WILL DEBATE ‑‑ WE'LL VOTE ON WHETHER TO CALL THE QUESTION. DOES EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND? DOES EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE VOTING? I HAVEN'T RECOGNIZED ANY DELEGATES YET. SO GET READY TO RAISE YOUR CARDS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CALLING THE QUESTION, RUNNING TO VOTE ON THE QUESTION, RAISE YOUR HAND. THANK YOU. OPPOSED? CLEARLY PASSES. SO WE WILL NOW GO TO VOTE ON THE MAIN MOTION. ARE WE READY? THOSE IN FAVOR? YOU HAVE TO SEE THE TELLER FIRST. IT IS IN ORDER SINCE WE HAVE GOTTEN OVER THE 20 MINUTE RULE, SO THIS IS QUITE IN ORDER. SO THOSE IN FAVOR OF SUPPORTING THE SUSPENSION OF AIW'S FOR ONE YEAR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR CARD. THIS REQUIRES A TWO‑THIRDS VOTE. THANK YOU. THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION CLEARLY PASSES AND WE WILL SUSPEND AIW'S NEXT YEAR. NOW, I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY, IN SOME OF THE QUESTIONING, IT'S CLEAR THAT SOME OF YOU, MANY OF ARE YOU FEARFUL OR DON'T HAVE MUCH TRUST IN THE PROCESS. LET ME TRY TO REASSURE YOU ONCE AGAIN THAT THE BOARD, THE GA PLANNING COMMITTEE, THE ADMISSION, THE ADMINISTRATION, UUSC, THE ORGANIZATION FOR ETHICAL LIVING IN NEW ORLEANS, WE'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATION FOR ABOUT A YEAR. OUR CONVERSATIONS WILL RESUME AFTER THIS GA. FRANKLY, IT'S REALLY HARD TO FOCUS ON NEXT YEAR'S GA WHEN YOU'RE TWO MONTHS AWAY FROM THIS YEAR'S GA. SO PLEASE TRY TO ENTER INTO A PERIOD OF TRUST. I THINK THERE IS NO PROBLEM OF DESIGNING VARIOUS WITNESS EVENTS IN THE CONVENTION CENTER FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T WISH TO GO OUT OR DON'T HAVE THE MOBILITY TO GO OUT AND FOR THINGS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. SO AS SOON AS WE BEGIN TO DEVELOP THOSE THINGS, WE'LL BEGIN TO RELEASE INFORMATION ON THOSE THINGS, BUT I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A FULL AND RICH EXPERIENCE IN NEW ORLEANS. SO THE MOTION TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENT TO SUSPEND ACTION IS APPROVED, AND WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE THANKSGIVING RESOLUTION. LET ME INTRODUCE DONNA HARRISON IF SHE'S IN THE HAUL WHO FACILITATED THE MINI‑ASSEMBLY THAT DISCUSSED THE BUSINESS RESOLUTION ON THANKSGIVING, AND I'VE ASKED DONNA TO GIVE THE DELEGATE BODY SORT OF A SENSE OF THE MINI‑ASSEMBLY BEFORE WE DEBATE IT. >> THANK YOU, JIM. GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. WE HELD THE MINI‑ASSEMBLY ON THE PROPOSAL AROUND THANKSGIVING ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON. WE HAD A GOOD DISCUSSION. WE HAD A NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS THAT WERE PROPOSE AND HAD WE HAVE INCORPORATED SOME OF THEM. THE ONES THAT WE INCORPORATED BASICALLY WERE TO MAKE THE PROPOSAL MORE CLEAR AND DIRECT AND INCLUSIVE AND THE ONES THAT WE INCORPORATED REFLECTED THE STRAW VOTES WE TOOK AT THAT MINI‑ASSEMBLY. DO YOU HAVE THE UNINCORPORATED AMENDMENTS? THOSE FELL INTO SEVERAL CATEGORIES. SOME OF THEM, THE DELEGATES WHO ATTENDED THE MINI‑ASSEMBLY CANNOT SUPPORT, AND SO WE CANNOT INCLUDE THOSE AMENDMENTS. AND SOME OF THEM WERE REPLACED WITH OTHER AMENDMENTS THAT WERE INCORPORATED. SO WE HAD TWO AMENDMENTS THAT WERE PROPOSE AMENDMENTS ADDRESSING THE SAME PORTIONS OF THE TEXT. AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE DELEGATES WHO PARTICIPATED. I THOUGHT WE HAD A GOOD DISCUSSION AND A VERY COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY FOR YOU. THANK YOU. >> SO OUR NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO DEBATE AND VOTE ON THE BUSINESS RESOLUTION ON THANKSGIVING RE‑CONSIDERED, AND I CALL ON MARY LOU AT THE AMENDMENT MICROPHONE TO PRESENT A STATEMENT ON THAT. DENISE, FIRST OF ALL, PUT IT IN MOTION. WELL, ACTUALLY, YOU WANTED YOU AT THE AMENDMENT MIC, BUT SINCE YOU'RE HERE. >> SO I MAKE THE MOTION TO ADOPT THE BUSINESS RESOLUTION ON THANKSGIVING DAY RE‑CONSIDERED. >> THANK YOU. >> SECOND. >> THANK YOU. YOU'RE RIGHT ON YOUR TOES THIS MORNING. SO THE MOTION TO ADOPT THE BUSINESS RESOLUTION ON THANKSGIVING RE‑CONSIDERED HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED. SO IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO SPEAK TO IT BEFORE WE ENTER INTO THE PRO AND CON DEBATE? WHO JUST WANTS TO FRAME IT UP AND SPEAK TO IT? YES, I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> LAURA WAGNER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF UU MASS ACTION IN MASSACHUSETTS, THE STATE ACTION NETWORK, AND A MEMBER OF THE FIRST PARISH IN NORTHBOROUGH. GIVEN THAT UU'S REPUDIATED THE DOCTRINE OF DISCOVERY AT THE 2012GA, WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE A STATEMENT REGARDING THE COLONIZATION OF NEW ORLEANS AND THE EVENTS THAT THIS SET INTO MOTION. UU'S ARE PART OF THE HISTORY OF COLONIZATION AND PARTICIPATED IN THE INJUSTICES THAT OCCURRED DURING THIS TIME. ONE ACTION THAT STANDS OUT IS THE ACTIVE ROLE WE PLAYED IN CULTURAL GENOCIDE THAT TOOK PLACE THROUGH FORCED REMOVAL OF FIRST NATIONS CHILDREN AND THE PLACEMENT OF THESE CHILDREN IN BOARDING SCHOOLS. WE ASK THAT UU'S PREPARE FOR THE 400TH ANNIVERSARY BY CO‑FRONTING OUR PAST AND BY EXAMINING OUR BEHAVIOR IN THE PRESENT. WE BELIEVE THAT PASSING THIS BUSINESS RESOLUTION IS AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP TO BRINGING ATTENTION TO THIS ANNIVERSARY. WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISPEL THE MYTHS OF THE PLYMOUTH LANDING AND WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE FIRST THANKSGIVING. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SET AN EXAMPLE FOR WHAT IT MEANS TO BE IN RIGHT RELATIONS WITH PEOPLE OF THE FIRST NATIONS TODAY. IT IS OUR DESIRE THAT WE INSPIRE EACH OTHER TO EXPLORE THE TRUE HISTORY AND LEGACY OF COLONIALISM, RAISE AWARENESS OF HOW THESE EARLY EVENTS CONTINUE TO IMPACT OUR COMMUNITIES, AND TO LEARN HOW TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND ENGAGE IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE FIRST NATIONS TODAY. WITH THE DOCTRINE OF DISCOVERY, THE DISCUSSION STARTED BEFORE 1992 IN THE 500TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE COLUMBUS VOYAGE. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESPONDED TO THE DOCTRINE OF DISCOVERY TEN YEARS LATER IN 2012. THIS TIME WE'RE MOVING AT THE RIGHT MOMENT. IT IS OUR INTENTION THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE A POSITIVE, NATIONWIDE INFLUENCE AS WE PREPARE FOR THE EVENTS IN PLYMOUTH IN 2020. >> THANK YOU. LET ME ISSUE SOME INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE I RECOGNIZE ANYBODY AT THE PROCEDURE MICROPHONE. AND AGAIN, A LITTLE REDUNDANT, BUT I WANT YOU TO BE AWARE THAT UNDER THE RULES YOU APPROVED ON THURSDAY, WE HAVE 30 MINUTES TO DEBATE, JUST LIKE THE ONE WE JUST FINISHED. THE MOTION CAN ONLY BE AMENDED BY OFFERING AMENDMENTS USED IN THE MINI‑ASSEMBLY, AND YOU HEARD SOME CONTEXT ON WHY THEY WEREN'T ADMITTED. IN OTHER WORDS, NO NEW AMENDMENTS CAN BE MADE BY THIS BODY. THIS WILL ALSO REQUIRE A TWO‑THIRDS VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE TO BE ADOPTED. THERE MUST BE 20 MINUTES OF DEBATE BEFORE WE MAY CALL THE QUESTION, AND THE MOTION TO CALL THE QUESTION MUST THEN BE VOTED WITH THE MAJORITY IN FAVOR, REQUIRING IMMEDIATE VOTE ON THE MOTION. AGAIN, I REMIND YOU TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO THE ISSUES INVOLVED AND TRY TO BE RESPECTFUL FOR EACH OTHER. EACH SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO TWO MINUTES AND MAY ONLY SPEAK ONCE. AND SUBSEQUENT SPEAKERS SHOULD TRY TO MAKE NEW INSIGHTS TO IT. AND AGAIN, THERE ARE FOUR POSSIBLE OUTCOMES ON THIS BUSINESS RESOLUTION. YOU CAN APPROVE IT WITH TWO‑THIRDS FAVORABLE VOTE. YOU CAN DEFEAT IT WITH MORE THAN A THIRD, LESS THAN TWO‑THIRDS AVAILABLE VOTE. YOU CAN MOVE TO POSTPONE INDEFINITELY, WHICH ESSENTIALLY KILLS THE MOTION AT THIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY. OR YOU CAN MOVE TO ASSIGN THE RESOLUTION TO A COMMITTEE TO REPORT ON NEXT YEAR. AND I BELIEVE WE'RE SET TO DEBATE, BUT I'LL GO TO THE PROCEDURES MICROPHONE AND RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE. >> TED BURNHAM, UU CHURCH OF BOULDER, COLORADO. I JUST HAVE A JOINT OF INFORMATION ONLINE 183 THERE APPEARS TO BE A TYPO IN A DATE THAT WOULD HAVE THIS RESOLUTION IN EFFECT UNTIL 2021. IS THAT JUST IN THE PRINT COPY? >> ALL TYPOS GET PROOFED BEFORE THEY GO OUT. LET'S NOT TAKE UP ANY TIME TALKING ABOUT COMMAS AND SEMICOLONS. WE'VE GOT THAT UNDER CONTROL. THE DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURES MICROPHONE? >> THANK YOU, MR. MODERATOR. ON A POINT OF INFORMATION ‑‑ I'M CARL PONENAN, DELEGATE FROM THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF GREATER LANSING IN LANSING, MICHIGAN. MOVED TO LANSING, MICHIGAN. MY QUESTION, MR. MODERATOR, IS HAS FIRST PARISH OF PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS, THE CONGREGATIONS FOUNDED BY THE MAYFLOWER PASSENGERS, HAVE THEY SENT A DELEGATIONS TO THIS YEAR'S GENERAL ASSEMBLY SO CAN WE HEAR THEIR OPINION ON THIS RESOLUTION? >> I DO NOT KNOW, BUT THAT WOULD BE OUT OF ORDER. PEOPLE NEED TO BE IN THE PRO OR CON MICROPHONE. IF SOMEONE WANTS TO APPROACH ME WITH MORE INFORMATION THAN HAS BEEN INTRODUCED, I'LL CONSIDER IT OFFLINE. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE CON MICROPHONE. >> REVEREND W. SCOTT AXFORD, FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH AND THE SITE OF OUR 2014 GENERAL ASSEMBLY, DOWNTOWN PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND. IT IS CURIOUS AND PERHAPS REVELATORY WHAT WE DON'T HEAR ABOUT THIS PILGRIM 400TH REVOLUTION, WE DON'T HEAR ABOUT THE MAYFLOWER COMPACT AND FEW CONSENT TO GOVERNMENT. A FEW THANKSGIVING AGO, THE UU ITSELF PUT A STAINED GLASS PICTURE OF THIS ON ITS COVER. WE DON'T HEAR ABOUT CONGREGATIONAL POLITY. ANY TIME ANY ONE OF US VOTE TO ELECT THE LOCAL CONGREGATION'S LEADERSHIP, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO RISKED THEIR LIVES TO COME HERE AND SET THIS UP. THE STAINED GLASS WINDOW ALSO SHOWS OLIVER CROMWELL AND JOHN MILTON CELEBRATING CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY. WE DON'T HEAR ABOUT THE PILGRIMS KEEPING THE PEACE WITH THE LOCAL WAMPANOAG FOR WELL OVER 50 YEARS, REMARKABLE GIVEN 17TH CENTURY EUROPE. FIVE YEARS AGO, THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT EVEN ISSUED A COMMEMORATIVE COIN ABOUT THIS 1621 TREATY. I HAVE ONE RIGHT HERE. THAT'S A LOT WE DON'T HEAR ABOUT WHICH YOU'D THINK OUR FREE AND RESPONSIBLE SEARCH FOR TRUTH AND MEANING WOULD HAVE INCLUDED. SURELY THE INHERENT AND DIGNITY OF EVERY PERSON INCLUDES EVEN THE PILGRIMS TO WHOM OUR PARTICULAR RELIGIOUS WAY OF BEING OWES SO MUCH. YOU KNOW, NONE OF THIS IS UNFAMILIAR TURF. I'M FROM PLYMOUTH. I'M A MEMBER OF THE FIRST CHURCH. I WAS ORDAINED THERE. MY FAMILY HAVE AN UNBROKEN LINE OF MEMBERSHIP SINCE DAY ONE IN 1606. I'M A FELLOW OF THE PILGRIM SOCIETY. I CALLED HOME TO THE CHURCH OFFICE TO ASK ABOUT THIS RESOLUTION AND NO ONE THERE COULD TELL ME THEY'VE HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT IT. DO WE REALLY NEED TO SINGLE OUT THE TRADITION OF OUR OLDEST CONGREGATION FOR THIS KIND OF AMBIVALENCE, EVEN GUILT, AT A TIME WHEN ALL KINDS OF LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL PLANNING IS GOING ON? REALLY, LET'S VOTE NO AND MOVE ON. THERE'S STILL PLENTY OF OTHER THINGS OUT THERE FOR US TO WORRY ABOUT. THANK YOU, MR. MODERATOR. >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> SALLY GELLERT, CENTRAL UNITARIAN, PARAMUS, NEW JERSEY. I PERSONALLY JUST BY COINCIDENCE HAPPENED TO FINISH READING A BOOK CALLED ISLAND AT THE CENTER OF THE WORLD ABOUT THE EARLIEST EUROPEAN DAYS OF NEW NETHERLANDS, AND I LEARNED A WHOLE LOT THAT I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT PERIOD IN HISTORY. THIS RESOLUTION FOCUSES ON MYTHS. SOME OF THE MYTHS ARE THAT WE GOT MORE FROM THE DUTCH. WE ACTUALLY GOT FROM THE DUTCH THINGS WE THINK WE GOT FROM THE ENGLISH. I HEARD LAST NIGHT A STORY THAT I'M NOT SURE IS TRUE ABOUT THE FIRST THANKSGIVING BEING A GIVE BACK TO NATIVE AMERICAN SETTLERS THINGS THAT THE ENGLISH PEOPLE HAD TAKEN THE YEAR BEFORE, LEAVING THE INDIANS WITHOUT ANYTHING. I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK INTO THIS. I THINK WE NEED TO RESEARCH AND DISCUSS AND BE READY TO TALK WITH AS MUCH KNOWLEDGE AS WE POSSIBLY CAN ABOUT THE TRUE HISTORY. THE BOOK I WAS READING CAME FROM NEWLY TRANSLATED DOCUMENTS FROM THE 1600S THAT WERE STARTING TO BE TRANSLATED IN THE LATE 20TH CENTURY. THE BOOK WAS A 2005 BOOK. THERE'S PROBABLY MORE SCHOLARSHIP SINCE THEN. AND I THINK ‑‑ I JUST BELIEVE THAT IT'S AN IMPORTANT TRADITION TO OUR COUNTRY FOR POSITIVE AND FOR NEGATIVE AND THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO REASON NOT TO AND MANY REASONS TO DO A LOT OF RESEARCH AND BE PREPARED WITH, YOU KNOW, GOOD STATEMENTS AND GOOD POSITIONS WHEN THE 400TH ANNIVERSARY IS ACTUALLY HERE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE CON MICROPHONE. >> THANK YOU. I AM SARA WADE SMITH FROM THE ALLEGHENY UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA. IN 1620, A GROUP OF ENGLISHMEN LOOKING FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOUND THEMSELVES AND WERE TRYING GET TO VIRGINIA, FOUND THEMSELVES WAY OFF COURSE AND STRANDED IN MASSACHUSETTS. OVER THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF, THEY PROCEED TODAY DEMONSTRATE THEY REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE DOING, BALLS OVER HALF OF THEM DIED OF STARVATION AND MAL‑NUTRITION. HAD THEY NOT BEEN HELPED BY THE LOCAL INDIANS, ONE OF WHOM HAD ALREADY BEEN KIDNAPPED BY ENGLISH FISHERMEN AND BEEN TO LONDON AND FORTUNATELY SPOKE THEIR LANGUAGE, THEY WOULD HAVE DIED ENTIRELY. THE NEXT YEAR WHEN THEY FINALLY HAD ENOUGH FOOD IN THEIR GRANARIES TO ASSURE THEIR SURVIVAL, THEY HELD THE FIRST THANKSGIVING. IT IS A HOLIDAY TO CELEBRATE THEIR SURVIVAL, AND LIKE IT OR NOT, FROM THEM CAME MASSACHUSETTS. FROM THAT CAME NEW ENGLAND AND FROM THAT CAME THE UNITED STATES. THIS IS A MAJOR PART OF OUR HERITAGE. AND BEFORE WE REMEMBER TAMPER WITH IT, WE SHOULD CONSIDER THAT, THE GOOD AND THE BAD. >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> ERIC BIRCH, ROCKFIELD, MARYLAND. MR. MODERATOR, WHEN I FIRST READ THE BUSINESS RESOLUTION ON PAGE 98 OF MY PROGRAM BOOK, I COULD NOT SUPPORT IT. IT WAS NOT ‑‑ IT DIDN'T REFLECT A LOT OF WHAT I THINK THE ASSOCIATION SHOULD ADVOCATE. BUT HE SEE THAT FROM THE MINI‑ASSEMBLY PROCESS, THE REVISED RESOLUTION IS SOMETHING I CAN ENTIRELY SUPPORT. AND I WILL ADMIT THAT THE 203 LINES OF THE PROPOSED BUSINESS RESOLUTION DOES NOT REFLECT ALL THE SUBTLETIES OF THE WHOLE HISTORY OF THE PLYMOUTH COLONY, BUT I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP A SHORT POINT THAT IF YOU ARE BASING YOUR VOTES ON PAGE 98 OF THE PROGRAM BOOK, THAT IS NOT WHAT WE'RE GOING VOTE ON. WE ARE GOING TO VOTE ON THE AMENDED RESOLUTION. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. AND IT POINTS OUT THE USEFULNESS OF MINI‑ASSEMBLY AND WHEN YOU SEE THE BUSINESS IN THE PROGRAM BOOK AND YOU HAVE THIS KIND OF INTEREST, THOSE ARE GOOD PLACES TO GO. TO SAY SOMETHING I SHOULD HAVE SAID EARLIER, THIS IS THE REVISED, AS AMENDED THAT WAS HANDED OUT WHEN YOU CAME INTO THE HALL AND THE GREEN SHEET IS THE UN‑‑ ARE THE UNINCORPORATED AMENDMENTS. I RECOGNIZED DELEGATE AT THE CON MICROPHONE. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS SCOTT MORGAN. I'M A DELEGATE FROM FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH, ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN. I HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO STUDY OUR SAD HISTORY OF SETTLER COLONIALISM IN THIS COUNTRY. I RAN INTO SOMETHING THAT NOTED THAT ADOLPH HITLER ADMIRED THE WAY THAT AMERICANS HAD DEALT WITH THE NATIVE AMERICANS IN GENERAL AND WISHED TO EMULATE THAT IN HIS DEALINGS WITH THE PEOPLES OF EASTERN EUROPE. SO IT IS A VERY SAD AND SORDID HISTORY, EVEN THOUGH THERE CERTAINLY ARE SOME POSITIVE TO HIS IT. I'M GENERALLY IN FAVOR OF THIS MOTION OR THIS RESOLUTION. WHAT DISTURBS ME IS THE LANGUAGE WITH WHICH AMERICAN INDIANS, NATIVE PEOPLES, INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ARE REFERRED. IT USES THE TERM NATIVE AMERICAN SEVERAL TIMES AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING FROM CONVERSATIONS ‑‑ >> SIR, I'M GOING TO CALL YOU OUT OF ORDER. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AMENDMENTS THAT WERE MADE IN THERE AND ALL OF THAT WAS DONE IN THE MINI‑ASSEMBLY AND LANGUAGE WAS USED VERY INTENTIONALLY TO INCLUDE ALL EXPRESSIONS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AS THEY WISHED TO BE CALLED. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S DIFFERENT. >> I'D LIKE TO JUST FINISH MY STATEMENT AND I'LL STAND DOWN. >> YOU MAY. STICK TO THE ISSUES OF THE RESOLUTION AND WHY YOU'RE VOTING AGAINST IT. >> I'M NOT SURE THAT I AM VOTING AGAINST IT, QUITE FRANKLY, BUT I AM DISTURBED THAT THE LANGUAGE IS INCONSISTENT AND I QUESTION THAT IT IS, INDEED, THE LANGUAGE WITH WHICH THE FOLKS WISH TO BE REFERRED TO. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> MY NAME IS CAROLINA CREVART‑GRAHAM. I'M FROM THE CHURCH OF THE CHARGER FELLOWSHIP. I AM ALSO A MEMBER OF THE STEARING COMMITTEE FOR ALLIES FOR RACIAL EQUITY. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE NOT IN THIS RESOLUTION. I AM SO, SO SADDENED BY THAT. AS WE TALK ABOUT OUR PROUD HISTORY AND THE PILGRIMS' STRUGGLE, WE HAVE NOT YET SPOKEN ABOUT THE GENOCIDE OF NATIVE PEOPLES HERE. AND I FEEL A LITTLE SELFISH IN THIS CONVERSATION. I ALSO FEEL A LITTLE ALONE IN THIS CONVERSATION, AS I WAS IN THE MINI‑ASSEMBLY AND WE CRAFTED THIS LANGUAGE. THERE WERE NO FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE IN THE ROOM TO HELP US. WE ARE NOT IN DIALOGUE WITH FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN FIX WHAT WE BROKE. I REALLY, REALLY FEEL THAT AN OPPOSITION TO DISCUSSING OUR HISTORY, TO LEARNING OUR HISTORY IS UNCONSCIONABLE. SO PLEASE SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION. >> THANK YOU. I'VE GOT AN OFF‑SITE DELEGATE IN THE CUE TO SPEAK AGAINST THIS RESOLUTION. DO WE HAVE OUR VOLUNTEER TO SPEAK FOR THEM? THANK YOU. >> HELLO. I AM SPEAKING FOR GRAHAM DE‑OF MANATEE UU FELLOWSHIP IN BRAIDENTON, FLORIDA. ONE MYTH ABOUT THE FIRST THANKSGIVING HAPPENED AMONG THE SETTLERS OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, 100 YEARS OR MORE BEFORE THE PILGRIMS ACTUALLY ARRIVED. WHILE THE POINT OF RECONCILIATION WITH OUR GOOD AND BAD HISTORY MATTERS, IT IS IMPORTANT NOT TO CLAIM A FIRST FOR SOMETHING THAT ALREADY HAPPENED BEFORE. >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> I'M BOB MURPHY. I'M FROM TARPON SPRINGS, FLORIDA, SO I CAN ALSO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FLORIDA. I'M SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF THIS PROPOSAL. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE HOW IMPORTANT THIS BUSINESS RESOLUTION IS. IS MAY BE MORE IMPORTANT, PERHAPS, THAN EVEN MANY OF THE SUPPORTERS REALIZE. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THE WORLD ABOUT WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE REPRESENT, AND WHAT WE HAVE BECOME. NOT JUST TO FOCUS ON OUR HISTORY, ALTHOUGH THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. ALREADY, THE "WASHINGTON POST" HAS PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE ABOUT THIS BUSINESS RESOLUTION, AND THERE WILL BE OTHER REPORTERS AND HISTORIANS AND ACTIVISTS COMING TO OUR CHURCH DOORS TO ASK, WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE? AND HOW DID YOU CHANGE? SINCE THE DAYS OF THE PILGRIM? SO I ASK YOU TO SUPPORT THIS MEASURE AND GIVE IT SOME VERY SERIOUS ATTENTION. THIS WILL DO US A LOT OF GOOD. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE CON MICROPHONE. >> HI. I'M ELAINE MacMILLAN AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF THE LARGER FELLOWSHIP. I HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF EMPATHY FOR THE CRIMINAL ACTS THAT WE PERFORMED AGAINST THE PEOPLE THAT LIVED HERE WHEN WE LANDED. HOWEVER, I ALSO BELIEVE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE THANKS, THAT OTHER CULTURES, OTHER RELIGIONS HAVE EVENTS SUCH AS SUKKOTH THAT GIVE THANKS FOR THE HARVEST, AND I WOULD HATE TO THROW OUT THE BABY WITH THE BATH WATER. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT, BUT I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE DEFER THIS FOR FURTHER STUDY. >> THANK YOU. THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE A MOTION MADE LATER. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> I'M REVEREND NINA GRAY, MINISTER OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF BOZEMAN, MONTANA. IN I BELIEVE IT WAS THE SPRING OF 2014, I ATTENDED THE UU UNITED NATIONS OFFICE SPRING SEMINAR ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, AND I HEARD MANY STORIES FROM GRANDMOTHERS WHO HAD, AS CHILDREN, BEEN TAKEN TO SCHOOLS AND LOSING THEIR CULTURE AND THEIR LANGUAGE AND WHO ARE GATHERING TOGETHER TO TRY TO HELP RESTORE THAT IN THEIR NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES. I ALSO HEARD SOME VERY POWERFUL POETRY FROM A NORTHERN CHEYENNE WOMAN WHO WAS NAMED CINNAMON SPEAR THAT RECOUNTED THE AWFUL GENOCIDE OF NORTHERN CHEYENNE PEOPLE IN THEIR ATTEMPTS TO BE IN A PLACE WHERE WE COULD LIVE IN SAFETY. WE WERE REMOVED FROM THAT PLACE. AND THERE ARE MANY TRIBES IN MONTANA AND RESERVATIONS IN MONTANA. MANY NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE AT THE MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY. WE HAD, IN THE CITY, A CITY COMMISSION FORM OF GOVERNMENT, AND THE MAYOR THIS YEAR ISSUED A PROCLAMATION ABOUT THIS ESTABLISHING THANKSGIVING DAY AS INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S DAY. I GOT MY INFORMATION ABOUT IT FROM OUR UUA WEBSITE AND WAS ABLE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF OUR UU VALUES FOR THAT KIND OF STEP, AND I THINK THAT BEING ABLE TO DISCUSS IT AND CONSIDER IT AND BE IN CONVERSATION WILL HELP US LEARN MORE OF OUR HISTORY AND BE ABLE TO CORRECT ERRORS THAT MAY EVEN BE APPEARING IN THE RESOLUTION ITSELF. SO I HOPE PEOPLE WILL SUPPORT IT. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE CON MICROPHONE. >> HI. MY NAME IS SARA RITZMAN FROM BUCHMAN BRIDGE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA. I'M AT THE CON MIC TODAY NOT BECAUSE I'M OPPOSED TO THE ISSUE AT HAND AND DISCUSSING THANKSGIVING. I'M AT THE CON MIC, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THIS MIGHT BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY APPROPRIATE TO ASSIGN OUR BOARD TO DISCUSS FOR SIX YEARS, BECAUSE IF WE WANT TO REALLY LOOK AT OUR ASSOCIATION AND OUR MISSION AND WHAT WE ACTUALLY WANT TO DO IN THE WORLD, I HOPE TO SEE US MAKE THOSE PRIORITIES IN OUR ORGANIZATIONS AND RESOLUTION AS WELL. AND I ASK IF THIS IS WHAT WE REALLY WANT OUR BOARD TO PUT THEIR ENERGY INTO. I ALSO HAD ANOTHER DELEGATE MENTION TO ME, WHICH I FOUND INTERESTING, THAT IF WE HAD PASSED THE NATIONAL CONVERSATION ON RACE, WE MAY HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN DOING THIS ANYWAY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M KATHLEEN HENRY AND I'M HERE AS A DELEGATE FROM THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST MEETING HOUSE OF PROVINCETOWN, A RELATIVELY NEW CONGREGATION IN MASSACHUSETTS FOUNDED IN 1827. [LAUGHTER] OUR RACIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE, WHICH NOW CALLS ITSELF RACIAL JUSTICE PROVINCETOWN HAS BEEN BE IN DIALOGUE WITH OUR LOCAL WAMPANOAG TRIBAL NATION FOR OVER A YEAR STUDYING AND PLANNING FOR THE 400TH ANNIVERSARY OF THANKSGIVING. IT'S THAT KIND OF THING THAT THIS RESOLUTION IS ASKING ALL OF US TO DO. IT'S ABOUT CURRENT ACTION TO SET UP DIALOGUE WITH YOUR LOCAL TRIBAL NATIONS, FOR INDEED, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR CONGREGATIONS ACROSS THE WHOLE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HAVE LOCAL TRIBAL NATIONS. SIT DOWN. TALK TO THEM ABOUT THANKSGIVING. THANK YOU. I YIELD MY TIME. >> THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE DELEGATE AT THE CON MICROPHONE. >> JEFF HOLLINGSWORTH, RIVER ROAD UNITARIAN CHURCH, BETHESDA, MARYLAND. I RISE IN OPPOSITION TO THIS MOTION NOT BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THE SUBJECT MATTER IS AN IMPORTANT ONE, BUT BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE PROCESS AND THE METHOD OF DOING IT AS A BUSINESS RESOLUTION IS PROBABLY NOT THE BEST WAY TO HAVE DONE IT. HAD THIS BEEN A STUDY ACTION ITEM, I WOULD HAVE WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORTED IT, BECAUSE DEEP STUDY BY OUR CONGREGATIONS OF SUCH A COMPLEX ISSUE OF OUR HISTORY IS HIGHLY APPROPRIATE, WHERE AS A BUSINESS ACTION, IT'S SPECIFICALLY DIRECTING OUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF TO DEVELOP RE CURRICULUM FEELS LIKE WE, AS CONGREGANTS, ARE MICROMANAGING OUR VERY COMPETENT TECHNICAL PROFESSIONAL STAFF IN BOSTON AND WE SHOULD LEAVE IT TO THEM TO PRIORITIZE APPROPRIATE CURRICULAR DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ALISON FRYER. I'M FROM THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF ATHENS AND SHESEQUAN IN PENNSYLVANIA. I AM HERE SPEAKING, BECAUSE I REMEMBER AM A DIRECT DESCENDANT FROM THE MAYFLOWER. I ALSO HAVE NATIVE AMERICAN BLOOD, AND I HAVE STRUGGLED MY LIFE WITH THE TWO SIDES OF THAT. I SEE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO EMBRACE AND BE MORE INCLUSIVE AND TO DISCUSS THE GOOD AND THE BAD OF WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON. MAYBE THIS ISN'T THE MOST PERFECT WAY TO INTRODUCE THIS, BUT HEAVEN FORBID, WE ARE HUMAN. WE ARE NOT PERFECT. I BELIEVE THIS IS THE FIRST STEP AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE FOR THIS. >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE CON MICROPHONE. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS LINDA FINGERSON. I AM IN CONGREGATION AT THE UNITARIAN CHURCH OF SHARON IN SHARON, MASSACHUSETTS. I'M VERY TORN ABOUT THIS RESOLUTION. I AM IN CONGREGATION AT SHARON, BUT I LIVE IN THE WORKING CLASS TOWN OF NORWOOD, MASSACHUSETTS. IN THE BOSTON AREA, TO WHICH I'M A NEWCOMER, BEEN THERE ABOUT TWO‑AND‑A‑HALF YEARS, THERE'S A SOCIAL DIVIDE THAT RUNS APPROXIMATELY DOWN THE CENTER OF THE CHARLES RIVER. IT TAKES ME AN HOUR AND A HALF BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO BOSTON COMMON. IT TAKES ME VIRTUALLY NO TIME IN MY CAR TO GET TO WHAT IS POLITELY TERMED THE IRISH RIVIERA PORTION OF BOSTON, THE SOUTH SHORE. WHAT I'M NOT SEEING IN THIS RESOLUTION IS A GREAT DEAL OF EMPATHY FOR THE LIVELIHOODS OF WORKING CLASS PEOPLE OF THE SOUTH SHORE WHOSE LIVELIHOODS ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE TAKEN INTO ACTION THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THEM. NOW, I'M NOT SAYING THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WRITING OF A RESOLUTION THAT YOU SHOULD GET IT ALL IN THERE. WHAT I AM SAYING IS THAT IF THIS RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED, WE NEED TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE INCLUSIVENESS OF THOSE VOICES. AND I YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> HELLO. MY NAME JANELLE HILL. I'M FROM FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA. NOT ONLY AM I BLACK. I AM ALSO INDIGENOUS. AND I NEED TO REMIND EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM OF A VERY FAMOUS SAYING. I CANNOT LAND ON PLYMOUTH ROCK. PLYMOUTH ROCK LANDED ON ME. WE ARE HERE DISCUSSING OPENING CONVERSATIONS WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLE THAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED A LONG TIME AGO. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CONS, CONS THAT SAY, WHAT ABOUT ME? ME? I LANDED HERE AND I WANT MY RIGHTS AFFIRMED. I WANT MY RIGHTS TO HAVE PLANED IN INDIGENOUS LAND AFFIRMED. WHAT ABOUT MY RIGHTS HAS AN AFRO INDIGENOUS WOMAN WHO LIVES HERE IN THE UNITED STATES? WE SHOULD NOT BE SAYING, THANK YOU. WE SHOULD NOT BE CELEBRATING THE THANK YOU FOR ME SAVING YOU. INSTEAD, MAYBE WE SHOULD BE SAYING, I AM SORRY. AND HOW CAN WE BRING INDIGENOUS PEOPLE TO THE TABLE? MY OWN CONGREGATION HAS STARTED TALKING WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN THE PERIPHERY WHEN WE CHANGED THE NAME OF A LAKE FROM LAKE CALHOUN, AND I'M SORRY, I'M NOT DAKOTA AND I CANNOT SAY THOSE WORDS, BUT WE CHANGED THE NAME FROM CALHOUN, WHO WAS A SLAVE OWNER AND SOMEONE WHO KILLED PEOPLE WHO AN INDIGENOUS NAME IN MINNEAPOLIS. AND MY CONGREGATION HAS BEEN HOLDING THOSE CONVERSATIONS OF THEIR OWN FREEWILL. AND I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY ANY CONGREGATION IN THIS ROOM WOULD NOT CHOOSE TO DO THE SAME THING, TO INVITE THEIR INDIGENOUS NEIGHBORS INTO THEIR CHURCHES TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. I CEDE THE REST OF MY TIME. >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MIKE. >> LARRY [INDISCERNIBLE] UU CONGREGATION. I CALL THE QUESTION. >> THE QUESTION HAS BEEN CALLED. IS THERE A SECOND? THERE IS A SECOND. SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO NOW IS VOTE WHETHER WE WANT TO VOTE ON THE MAIN MOTION. SO THIS IS A VOTE TO CLOSE OFF DEBATE AND VOTE ON THE MAIN MOTION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CALLING THE QUESTION, WHICH ENDS DEBATES? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THOSE OPPOSED? CLEARLY, THE DELEGATE BODY IS COMFORTABLE WITH THE COMMENTS THEY'VE HEARD THUS FAR AND ARE READY TO VOTE. YES? SO ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF THIS BUSINESS RESOLUTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR CARDS AND HOLD THEM FOR A WHILE THANK YOU. THOSE OPPOSED? I BELIEVE THE MOTION CLEARLY PASSES. LET ME JUST DOUBLE‑CHECK. I THINK IT'S CLEAR TO ALL. THE MOTION TO ADOPT THE BUSINESS RESOLUTION ON THANKSGIVING RE‑CONSIDERED HAS BEEN ADOPTED. THANK YOU ALL. [APPLAUSE] >> AND THANK YOU FOR THE PROCESS OF HOW YOU WENT THROUGH THIS. IT WAS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED BY THE CHAIR. AND NOW I'M LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY I DO NOT SEE ON THE COVENANTING COMMUNITIES. SO I'LL START READING AND SEE IF THEY SHOW UP AND IF NOT WE'LL GO ON TO SOMETHING ELSE. COVENANTING COMMUNITIES ARE A NEW WAY FOR GROUPS TO BE IN OFFICIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION. THE STATUS BEGAN IN 2015 WHEN LITTLE UUA BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION STARTED WORKING WITH A NUMBER OF SMALL AND INNOVATIVE GROUPS WHO WERE NOT OFFICIALLY CONGREGATIONS, BUT WERE CLEARLY U UUA HOW COULD WE OFFER A FLEXIBLE, AUTHENTIC WAY FOR THEM TO STAY CONNECTED? FOCUSING ON THE COVENANTAL NATURE OF THE FAITH RELATIONSHIPS IN THESE GROUPS FREEZE US UP TO IMAGINE NEW WAYS OF CREATING FAITH COMMUNITY. SO TODAY WE HAVE TEN COVENANTING COMMUNITIES AND WE'RE ADDING MORE EVERY YEAR. AND THERE ARE DOZENS OF OTHER DIVERSE GROUPS THAT THE UUA IS IN CONTACT WITH AS WE BUILD UP THE SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR THESE EMERGING AND ENTERPRISING MINISTRIES. IN ADDITION TO FORMAL RECOGNITION, COVENANTING COMMUNITIES GET ACCESS TO LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FROM UUA STAFF, THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR THE UUA'S STAFF BENEFIT PROGRAMS LIKE HEALTH INSURANCE, AND MORE. IF YOU THINK YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A COVENANTING COMMUNITY, TALK TO YOUR REGIONAL UUA STAFF TO GET STARTED. SO PLEASE ENJOY THIS VIDEO ABOUT THE GROUNDBREAKING WORK THAT'S BEING DONE. >> WE ARE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS AND WE HAVE A FAITH THAT CHANGES LIVES. WE ARE PEOPLE OF MANY PATHS WHO COME TOGETHER TO SHOW UP AND FILL THE WORLD WITH MORE JUSTICE AND COMPASSION. WE HAVE DIFFERENT BELIEFS, BUT SHARED VALUES, HELPING US LEARN TO SEE THE WORLD FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. WHAT UNITES US ARE THE PLEDGES WE MAKE TO EACH OTHER, OUR COVENANT, TO UPHOLD SEVEN REAL WORLD PRINCIPLES FROM EACH PERSON'S WORTH AND DIGNITY TO THE INTERWOVEN NATURE OF EXISTENCE. WE GATHER TO WORSHIP, REFLECT, AND REMIND OURSELVES WHAT MATTERS MOST IN LIFE AND THE WAY WE GATHER IS CHANGING. TODAY UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS COME TOGETHER NOT ONLY AS TRADITIONAL CONGREGATIONS. WE ALSO FORM SMALL MEETING GROUPS, CAMPUS MINISTRIES, INTENTIONAL LIVING COMMUNITIES, NATIONAL NETWORKS, AND MORE. AND THESE GROUPS NOW HAVE NEW WAYS TO CONNECT BY BECOMING A COVENANTING COMMUNITY. COVENANTING COMMUNITIES CLAIM A UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST IDENTITY AND COMMIT TO ADVANCING UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST VALUES AND PRINCIPLES IN RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WIDER MOVEMENT. BUT THEY DON'T HAVE AS MANY REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATION AS UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION MEMBER CONGREGATIONS. BEING A COVENANTING COMMUNITY IS A FLEXIBLE WAY TO STAY ROOTED IN UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM, TO EXPLORE DIFFERENT FORMS OF COVENANTAL FAITH COMMUNITY. IN 2015, IT IS UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION WELCOMED THE FIRST COVENANTING COMMUNITIES. BUFFALO UU FELLOWSHIP IN BUFFALO, MINNESOTA. METAW VALLEY FELLOWSHIP IN TWISP UNITARIAN. UNITARIAN IN PULLS BOW, WAY WATCH. PRAIRIE UU FELLOWSHIP IN HUTCHINSON, CANS. SACRED PATH. A MISSIONAL CHURCH IN INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA. THE WELCOME TABLE, A NON‑CREEDAL MISSIONAL COMMUNITY IN TURLEY, OKLAHOMA. THE COVENANT OF UU PAGAN, A NATIONAL NETWORK OF PAGAN IDENTIFIED UU'S. SACRED FIRE UU, A NETWORK THAT TAKES SMALL GROUP MINISTRIES OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY IN YARBOROUGH, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, AND SEATTLE WASHINGTON. UU COMMUNITIES COOPERATIVES, GROWING COMMUNITIES OF SPIRITUAL PRACTICE, SUSTAINABILITY, AND SOCIAL CHANGE, INCLUDING THE LUCY STONE AND MARGARET MOSELEY COOPERATIVES IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. IN 2016, EIGHT OF THE NINE COVENANTING COMMUNITIES RENEWED THEIR STATUS AND THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION PROUDLY WELCOMED TWO MORE GROUPS: THE CHANNING MURRAY FOUNDATION IN URBANA, ILLINOIS. THE REDDING UU FELLOWSHIP IN REDDING, CALIFORNIA. SIGH WHAT COVENANTING CAN DO? IT ENERGIZES COMMUNITIES. WE CAN GROW OUR FAITH BY DOING WHAT THESE FOLKS ARE DOING. >> MAY THESE COMMUNITIES INSPIRE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS AND ALL PEOPLE OF FAITH AND JUSTICE WHO IMAGINE A NEW WAY FORWARD AND A DIFFERENT TOMORROW. NONE OF US TREAD THE PATH ALONE. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. THIS IS REALLY AN EXCITING PATH, I THINK, TO DETERMINE WHO WE CAN BE IN RELATIONSHIP WITH, AND IT MIRRORS WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE RE‑IMAGING OR RENEWING COVENANT, WHICH YOU'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT LATER ON THIS MORNING. SO NOW WE GET TO HEAR FROM PETER MORALES ABOUT ONE OF HIS FAVORITE THINGS. >> GOOD MORNING. ONE OF MY FAVORITE PRIVILEGES AS PRESIDENT IS GIVING THE ANNUAL PRESIDENT'S AWARD FOR VOLUNTEER SERVICE AND I'M DELIGHTED TO GIVE THIS YEAR'S AWARD TO BARBARA AND CHARLES DU MOND. [APPLAUSE] BUT LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEM. THEIR SERVICE SPANS WORK AT THEIR HOME CONGREGATION IN SAN MATEO, COLORADO, WHERE THEY'VE BEEN MEMBERS FOR 26 YEARS, ALL THE WAY TO OUR INTERNATIONAL WORK. LET ME JUST LIST A FEW HIGH POINTS. IN HER CONGREGATION, BARBARA HAS SERVED ON THREE SEARCH COMMITTEES AND HAS TAUGHT OWL. SHE ALSO SERVES ON THE BOARD OF THE UU JUSTICE MINISTRY OF CALIFORNIA. SHE IS KNOWN AS SOMEONE WHO ALWAYS SAYS YES WHEN ASKED TO VOLUNTEER. CHARLES HAS LED MULTIPLE PLEDGE DRIVES IN SAN MATEO. HE'S TAUGHT OWL FROM EVERY LEVEL FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. I THOUGHT I'D SERVED ON MANY BOARD OF TRUSTEES, BUT COMPARED TO CHARLES I'M A BEGINNER. HE'S BEEN AN OFFICER ON HIS CONGREGATION'S BOARD FOR A DECADE. HE SERVES ON THE BOARD OF THE CHURCH OF THE LARGER FELLOWSHIP, PACIFIC CENTRAL DISTRICT, AND THE ADVISORY BOARD OF OUR UU UNITED NATIONS OFFICE. THEY SHARE A PASSION FOR INTERNATIONAL WORK. I PERSONAL HAVE I FOND MEMORIES OF TRAVELING WITH THEM ON A UU UNITED NATIONS OFFICE TRIP TO GHANA IN SUPPORT OF A PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTS AIDS ORPHANS. THEY HAVE ALSO SUPPORTED THE PARTNER CHURCH PROGRAM, SUPPORTING THEIR CONGREGATION'S PARTNER IN THE PHILIPPINES. BARBARA AND CHARLES HAVE ALSO SHOWN COMMITMENT TO JUSTICE WORK AT MANY LEVELS. I REMEMBER THEIR COMING TO ARIZONA AND MARCHING IN THE HEAT TO PROTEST ANTI‑IMMIGRANT LEGISLATION. AND BESIDES THIS, THEY'RE JUST DELIGHTFUL PEOPLE. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT, AND WITH THIS AWARD COMES A $1,000 CONTRIBUTION TO THE CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE. SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN HONORING BAR PRACTICE AND CHARLES DU MOND. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU, PETER, FOR YOUR KIND WORDS AND FOR THIS RECOGNITION. CHARLES AND I ARE VERY HONORED AND VERY HUMBLED AND WE ARE CERTAIN THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE DESERVING OF THIS RECOGNITION. >> SO LET'S BE HONEST ABOUT PRIVILEGE IN OUR SOCIETY. A COUPLE OF WHITE PEOPLE WITH TIME AND MONEY HAVE LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES TO VOLUNTEER. BASICALLY, WHEN ASKED, ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS SAY YES. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO LIFT UP AWARENESS OF THOSE WHO DON'T GET ASKED AND CAN'T RESPOND. >> [APPLAUSE] >> THERE ARE OVER 700 MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF THE LARGER FELLOWSHIP WHO ARE IMPRISONED AND AT LEAST 30 ARE IMPRISONED IN ANGOLA PRISON IN LOUISIANA, THE LARGEST MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON IN THE UNITED STATES. >> SO THE CENTER FOR ETHICAL LIVING AND SOCIAL JUSTICE RENEWAL AND THE PRISON MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH OF THE LARGER FELLOWSHIP ARE DEVELOPING A PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR AT GA TO CREATE GREATER CONNECTION BETWEEN UU'S AND THOSE WHO ARE IN PRISON. WE HAVE ASKED THAT THE DONATION ASSOCIATED WITH THIS AWARD BE SPLIT TEEN THESE TWO ORGANIZATIONS AS SEED MONEY TO FACILITATE THE CREATION OF THIS PLAN. [APPLAUSE] >> FRIENDS, THERE IS MUCH JUSTICE WORK TO BE DONE. WE'RE REMINDED OF THE HYMN, JUST AS LONG AS I HAVE BREATH. IF THEY ASK WHAT I DID WELL, TELL THEM I SAID YES TO LIFE, YES TO TRUTH, YES TO LOVE. PETER, THANK YOU AGAIN, FOR THIS HONOR. [APPLAUSE] >> CERTAINLY LET ME ADD MIGRATION TO CHARLES AND BARBARA. IN A MOMENT I'LL INVITE THE CO‑CHAIRS OF THE JOURNEY TOWARDS WHOLENESS TRANSFORMATION COMMITTEE FORWARD TO THEIR REPORT. THIS IS THE GROUP CHARGED WITH MONITOR AND GO ASSESSING OUR PROGRESS ON THE JOURNEY TOWARD BECOMING THE ANTI‑RACIST, ANTI‑OPPRESSIVE MULTICULTURAL ASSOCIATION WE SAY WE WANT TO BE. THE GROUP GENERALLY FOCUSES ON A SPECIFIC AREA OF UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM. PAST REPORTS HAVE INCLUDED A LOOK AT HOW WE CREDENTIAL MINISTERS AND HOW WE SELECT AND SUPPORT OUR VOLUNTEER LEADERS AS WELL. LAST YEAR, THE GROUP PRODUCED A SHORT VIDEO THAT REFLECTED THE GAP BETWEEN HOW MAJORITY OF US MIGHT THINK WE ARE DOING ON THE JOURNEY AND THE REALITY EXPERIENCED BY OUR SIBLINGS MOST FAMILIAR WITH SYSTEMIC MARGINALIZATION. AS WE INVITE OUR CO‑CHAIRS, BEN GABEL AND WENDY VON COURTER, TO OFFER THIS YEAR'S REPORTED, I REMIND US ALL THAT THE WORK OF THIS COMMITTEE BELONGS IN EACH OF OUR SETTINGS, OUR CONGREGATIONS TO BE SURE, OUR REGIONS, OUR ASSOCIATION, IN EVERYTHING WE DO. >> THANK YOU, JIM. WE'D LIKE TO REPORT ON THREE THINGS. FIRST, THE VIDEO JIM REFERENCED, AMAZING TRANSFORMATION, IS NOW AVAILABLE WITH A STUDY GUIDE. WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT THE JTWTC PAGE ON FACEBOOK OR ON THE UUA WEBSITE TO ACCESS THE VIDEO AND GUIDE. IT IS AN EASY WAY TO ENGAGE THE QUESTION, HOW ARE WE DOING ON THIS JOURNEY? IN YOUR SETTING AND IMPORTANTLY, BE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS ABLE TO OFFER AND RECEIVE THE TRUTHS. SECOND, WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOUR JTWTC IS WORKING TO IT DEEPEN OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH IMPORTANT STAKEHOLDERS. THIS IT PAST YEAR HAS INCLUDED CONVERSATIONS WITH DRUUMM, LEADERSHIP AND OPEN ACCESS AND WE ARE ABLE TO MEET WITH EQUUAL ACCESS, DRUUMM, AND TRUST AT THIS GA. LET'S APPROACH THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GA RESOLUTION THAT CREATED THE JTWTC, WE BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE IN CONVERSATION WITH THE LEADERS OF GROUPS MOST IMPACTED BY THE JOURNEY. >> FINALLY, WE WANT TO SHARE OUR RESPONSE TO THE 2013 RESPONSIVE RESOLUTION NAMED DEEPEN OUR COMMITMENT TO AN ANTI‑OPPRESSIVE, MULTICULTURAL UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION. WE WERE CHARGED WITH ASSESSING THE FINANCIAL AND STAFF RESOURCES DEVOTED TO THE WORK OF ANTI‑OPPRESSION AND MULTI‑CULTURALISM. THE RESOLUTION REQUESTED THAT OUR ANALYSIS INCLUDE SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT EMPOWER MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS AND THAT THE ANALYSIS BE RELATIVE TO OTHER ALLOCATIONS. THE REQUEST WAS VERY CLEAR. THE PATHWAY TOWARD FULFILLING IT LESS SO. IN JANUARY 2014, IN A UUA BOARD REPORT, THE ADMINISTRATION SHARED A VISION OF SHIFTING FROM A PROGRAM MODEL TO AN ETHOS MODEL TO THE WORK OF ANTI‑RACISM, ANTI‑OPPRESSION, AND MULTI‑CULTURALISM. AN EVE THOSE MODEL RECOGNIZED THE WORK OF RECOGNIZING OPPRESSION BEST RESIDES IN ALL ASPECTS OF AN ORGANIZATION REMARKS THEY ARE MAN IN UNIT OR DIVISION OF STAFF. THE JTWTC AGREES THAT WHEN ALL ASPECTS OF ASSOCIATIONAL WORK IS ROUNDED IN THE PRINCIPLES OF ANTI‑OPPRESSION AND MULTI‑CULTURALISM, WE DO MOVE FORWARD ON THE JOURNEY, YET THIS RESPONSE PRESENTS TWO LARGE CHALLENGES. FIRST, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO DO THE ANALYSIS. WE WERE ASKED TO ASSESS THE LEVEL OF RESOURCES DEVOTED TO ANTI‑RACISM, ANTI‑OPPRESSION, AND MULTI‑CULTURALISM. BUT IF THESE GOALS WERE PART OF AN ETHOS OF THE ENTIRE ASSOCIATION, THEN COUNTING RESOURCES BECOMES MURKY AND SUBJECTIVE. SECOND, A QUESTION EMERGED. HAD THE SHIFT ITSELF CAUSED CHANGES IN THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS MOST IMPACTED BY THE RESULTING PROCESS OR DELAYS IN PROCESS OR LOSSES ON THE JOURNEY? YESTERDAY WE WERE ASKED TO FOLLOW THE MONEY. WITH AS MUCH SPECIFICITY AS A GOAL, WE ASKED THE STAFF TO PROVIDE ESTIMATES, BEST ESTIMATES ON HOW MUCH STAFF AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES WERE DEVOTED TO THIS IMPORTANT WORK IN THE YEAR 2014 TO 2015. THE ANSWER WE CAME BACK WITH WAS 42%, AND SO $10,496,000, 42% OF OUR BUDGET, AS ARGUABLY DEVOTED TO ANTI‑RACISM AND ANTI‑OPPRESSION WORK. IN ARRIVING AT THAT NUMBER, WE SHOULD SHARE THAT SOME UNITS ESTIMATED THAT 100% OF THEIR RESOURCES WERE GOING GENERAL TOY THIS PRINCIPLE. FOR EXAMPLE, BEACON PRESS ESTIMATED THAT 100% OF THEIR EFFORTS CAME UNDER THIS CATEGORY. THAT WAS A BIT OF A SURPRISE TO US UNTIL WE NOTED THAT EVERY BEACON PUBLICATION IS DEVOTED TO BUILDING THE BELOVED COMMUNITIES, TO BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN RACE AND CLASS, OR BETWEEN CULTURES, AND TO EMPHASIZING THE UNITY AND INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF OUR WORLD. SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE, AND YET ANOTHER PIECE OF THE CHALLENGE IN A RESPONSE TO A RESOLUTION THAT WAS ASKING FOR CLARITY. THE CALCULATION, REGARDLESS OF INTERPRETATION, IS NEITHER EXACT OR REFLECTIVE OF THE RESULTS. OUR ANALYSIS AS A COMMITTEE TOOK PLACE IN THE MIDST OF OUR OWN INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT OF WHERE WE ARE ON THE JOURNEY. THROUGH INTERVIEWS AND DATA COLLECTION, WE KNOW OF CONGREGATIONS THAT HAVE RESISTED THE TOPIC OF ANTI‑RACISM FROM THE PULPIT OR IN ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CLASSES. WE KNOW OF CONGREGATIONS THAT HAVE SHIED AWAY FROM EVENTS IN AND AROUND THEIR COMMUNITIES THAT MIGHT HAVE GIVEN THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT. WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE LEADERS, LAY AND ORDAINED, WHO HAVE NOT BEEN PARTICULARLY INVOLVED IN ANY OF THE JUSTICE‑RELATED CAUSES LABELED ANTI‑RACISM, ANTI‑OPPRESSION, AND MULTI‑CULTURALISM. AND WE KNOW OF OTHERS WHO HAVE BLOCKED PROGRESS ON THE JOURNEY. WE CONTINUE TO HEAR THE VOICES OF UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS OF OUR PEOPLE WHO TELL STORIES OF DISAPPOINTMENT, INVISIBILITY, GRIEF, AND PAIN. THE STORIES ARRIVE EVEN AS WE GATHER HERE THIS WEEK. YOUR JTWTC SERVED AS COLLECTIVE WITNESS THIS WEEK TO STORIES TELLING OF PATTERNS OF OPPRESSION OF OUR TRANS SIBLINGS, CONSISTENT OTHERING OF OUR DIFFERENTLY ABLE‑BODIED SIBLINGS, AND SPECIFIC INSTANCES OF RACISM AND ABLEISM AT THIS D A HERE, NOW AMONG US, TO US, BY US. AND WE JOURNEYED WITH ALL OF YOU HERE IN THIS ROOM AS WE NAVIGATED TERRITORY WHICH AT TIMES SEEMED TO PIT OPPRESSED PEOPLES AGAINST ONE ANOTHER IN THIS HALL. SOME OF THE STORIES THAT WE HAVE HEARD THIS WEEK CAME WITH A QUESTION, WHY DO I EVEN STAY? OR THE STATEMENT, I DON'T BELIEVE I CAN STAY. OR THE QUESTION, WHY DON'T THEY SEE ME? WHY DON'T YOU SEE ME? MANY OF THE STORIES ARRIVED WITH TEARS. THE DATA FROM THE ADMINISTRATION, COUPLED WITH THESE INDIVIDUAL TESTIMONIES IN DIALOGUE WITH LEADERS FROM OUR STAKEHOLDERS GROUPS TO WHOM THE JOURNEY IS ACCOUNTABLE LEAD US TO CONCLUDE THAT THE ASSOCIATION IS DOING THE RIGHT THING BY STRIVING TO MOVE TO AN ETHOS OF COUNTER OPPRESSION IN ALL OF ITS WORK, OUR WORK, BUT THAT THE SHIFT HAS NOT YET PRODUCED THE DESIRED RESULT AND HAS, INSTEAD, CONTRIBUTED TO THE VERY OPPRESSION THAT WE SEEK TO END. THE ADMINISTRATION HAS MADE CLEAR THAT THEIR WORK IS NOT DONE AND NEITHER IS THE WORK OF THIS COMMITTEE. WHILE THE JTWTC HAS DELIVERED ITS REPORT TO THE UUA BOARD AND MADE IT AVAILABLE TO STAKEHOLDERS, OUR WORK IN ADDRESSING THE LIVED EXPERIENCES LEADING TO THE RESOLUTION OF 2013 ITSELF DOES NOT END HERE. THE COMMITTEE'S NEXT AREA OF FOCUS WILL BE ON THIS SHIFT FROM PROGRAM TO EVE THOSE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE IMPACT ON OUR SIBLINGS WHO HAVE AND WHO CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE SYSTEMIC MARGINALIZATION. THIS IS SOME OF THE HARDEST WORK OF BELOVED COMMUNITY AND IT'S CLEARED FROM THE LIVED REALITIES SHARED WITH THE JTWTC AND THE FACT OF THE RESPONSIVE RESOLUTION OF 2013 IT SELF. IT'S MADE FAR HARDER FOR SOME. FAR HARDER, AND IT'S FAR MORE COSTLY, NOT IN THE DOLLARS, BUT IN DIGNITY. WHILE WE CONTINUE TO STUDY THIS, THE JTWTC ALSO CALLS ON US ALL AS A PEOPLE OF FAITH TO BE OPEN TO HEARING THESE HARD TRUTH, THESE HARD STORIES, THESE HARD FACTS ABOUT THE REALITY OF WHO WE ARE, EVEN AS WE BELIEVE OURSELVES TO BE MOVING FORWARD AND TO BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE TRUE. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU BEN AND WENDY. INDEED, THERE IS MORE THAT ALL OF US CAN DO AND MUST DO TO BE CLOSER TO BELOVED COMMUNITY. OUR NEXT REPORT IS FROM THE CONVENER OF THE RENEWING THE COVENANT TASKFORCE, SUSAN RITCHIE. AND WE'RE FIRST GOING TO INTRODUCE THIS BY VIDEO. >> I'M SUSAN RITCHIE AND IT'S BEEN MY PLEASURE TO CONVENE THE TASKFORCE ON RE‑COVENANTING. I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR PROCESS AND HOW WE MIGHT INCLUDE EACH OTHER IN SOME IMPORTANT WORK THAT CAN RE‑DEFINE HOW WE COME TOGETHER HAS AN ASSOCIATION. I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO NOTICE FIRST IS THE NAME OF OUR TASKFORCE. IT'S THE TASKFORCE ON RE‑COVENANTING. WE UU'S ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF COVENANTS WITH ONE ANOTHER. IT'S A DEEP PART OF WHO WE ARE AS A RELIGIOUS PEOPLE AND A PART OF OUR RELIGIOUS HERITAGE. MANY OF US, THOSE OF US FROM CONGREGATIONS, HAVE COVENANTS OF CHURCH MEMBERSHIP. AND OF COURSE OUR CONGREGATIONS, FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE FROM CONGREGATION, HAVE A COVENANT WITH ONE ANOTHER THAT FORMS THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION. WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT COVENANT, BECAUSE WE FIND IT IN OUR HYMNAL AND MOST OF US CAN PROBABLY SAY PARTS OF IT FROM HEART. WE, THE MEMBER CONGREGATIONS OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION, DO COVENANT TO AFFIRM AND PROMOTE, AND THEN WE LIST OUR PRINCIPLES AND PURPOSES. AND WHILE THIS IS A VERY LOVELY STATEMENT, IT'S A FORMAL ONE AND ACTUALLY TECHNICALLY IT IS A SECTION OF OUR BYLAWS. IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE RENEW OFTEN. IT'S NOT VERY MUTUAL, AND IT'S NOT LIVING IN THE DYNAMIC. WHICH IS WHY WE'D LIKE TO TALK NOW ABOUT RE‑COVENANTING, SUPPLEMENTING OUR BASIC COVENANT WITH NEW ONES SO THAT WE CAN KEEP OUR COMMITMENTS, OUR RESOLVE, AND OUR PROMISES ONE TO ANOTHER FRESH, DYNAMIC, AND MUTUAL. THINK PEOPLE AND PROMISES AND RAINBOWS. RAINBOWS ARE ONE OF THE ANCIENT SIGNS OF COVENANT, NOT PAPERWORK AND ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER AND ENDLESS CONVERSATIONS ABOUT BYLAWS. TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS MAY BE, LET'S BEGIN WITH THE GEM STONE OF CONGREGATIONAL POLITY, WHICH REMINDS US THAT CONGREGATIONS, NOT BISHOPS OR ANY OTHER HIERARCHICAL POWER, ARE OUR HIGHEST AUTHORITY. ONLY CONGREGATIONS ACTING OUT OF THEIR OWN DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, CAN DIRECT AND INFORM WHAT IT IS THAT WE DO TOGETHER IN ASSOCIATION. SO HOW DO CONGREGATIONS INFORM WHAT IT IS THAT WE ALL DO IN THE NAME OF UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM? HERE IS HOW IT CURRENTLY WORKS. LET'S LOOK AT AN ORGANIZATIONAL CHART OF THE UUA GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE. PRETTY SCARY, HUH? I KNOW THIS CHART IS RATED R AT LEAST FOR THE SHEER QUANTITY AND DIFFICULTY OF ADULT GOVERNANCE CONTENT, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT IT, IF YOU CAN EVEN DISCERN IT, AND DON'T WORRY ABOUT YOURSELF IF YOU CAN'T, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SEE THAT HERE AT THE TOP, WE HAVE CONGREGATIONS AT THE VERY TOP OF THE PAGE INFORMING ALL OF THIS VERY PURPOSEFUL ACTIVITY TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE. SO HOW DOES THIS INFORMING TAKE PLACE? WELL, CLEARLY, GENERAL ASSEMBLY, RIGHT HERE, IS THE VITAL LINK. CONGREGATIONS SEND DELEGATES TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND THEN GENERAL ASSEMBLY INFORMS ALL OF THESE FOLKS AND ENTITIES WHO DO THE WORK OF OUR ASSOCIATION AND OF OUR CONGREGATIONS ON OUR BEHALF. SO GA INFORMS OUR ULTIMATE PURPOSE WHEN WE ELECT LEADERS, WHEN WE VOTE ON SOCIAL ACTION ISSUES, AND OF COURSE WHEN WE CHANGE THE BYLAWS, THE RULES THAT WE SET FOR OURSELVES. AND ALL OF THIS ENABLES AND GIVES DIRECTION AND PURPOSE TO THE UUA'S ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF WHICH SERVICES AS A KIND OF CENTRAL HUB FOR SERVICES GIVEN TO OUR CONGREGATIONS, AMONGST OTHER THINGS. HOWEVER, AS WONDERFUL AS ALL OF THIS IS, IT DOESN'T REALLY CAPTURE ENTIRELY SOME OF THE THINGS THAT EXCITE US THE MOST WHEN WE REALLY FEEL THAT WE ARE LIVING OUT OUR PURPOSE TOGETHER, WHEN WE GATHER AS THE YELLOW SHIRTED LOVE PEOPLE. AND THAT'S WHY MODERATOR JIM KEY ASKED THIS TASKFORCE TO CONSIDER WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO WORK AWAY FROM THE IDEA THAT WE ARE MERELY MEMBERS OF A SERVICE ORGANIZATION. >> IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY LAST YEAR, I SAID WE NEED TO EXPLORE HOW WE MIGHT CHANGE THE CONVERSATION FROM MEMBERSHIP TO MUTUAL COVENANT. WHAT WE'VE SEEN AS WE WORKED WITH EMERGING CONVERSATIONS AND COVENANTING COMMUNITIES OVER THE PAST YEAR IS THAT THE PRACTICE OF COVENANTING HAS ENERGIZED SOME GROUPS THAT APPEARED TO BE ISOLATED AND STATIC. SO LET'S IMAGINE, THEN, RATHER THAN SIGNING THE BOOK, PEOPLE ENTERED INTO AND WERE WELCOMED INTO COVENANT THAT WOULD BE RENEWED PERIODICALLY. IMAGINE IF CONGREGATIONS AND COMMUNITIES ENTERED INTO AND WERE WELCOMED INTO MUTUAL COVENANT WITH THE LARGER ASSOCIATION THAT WOULD BE RENEWED PERIODICALLY? THIS PROCESS OF COVENANTING IS AN ACTIVATING IMPULSE THAT CONNECTS OUR PERSONAL COMMITMENTS IN COMMUNITY, DRAWING INDIVIDUALS TOGETHER TO CO‑CREATE A WORLD OF MORE LOVE, MORE JUSTICE, AND MORE PEACE. I ASKED THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AT OUR OCTOBER MEETING TO CONSIDER HOW OUR ASSOCIATION MIGHT IMAGINE MOVING FORWARD FROM THE NOTION OF MEMBERSHIP IN AN INSTITUTION TO ONE OF MUTUAL COVENANT. THE TRUSTEES APPROVED NAMING A TRAFFIC FORCE, CHAIRED BY THE REVEREND DR. SUSAN RITCHIE TO TAKE UP THIS ISSUE. >> WE HOPE TO BRING SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO THIS CHARGE TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN 2017, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE BEGINNING A LISTENING TOUR IN ORDER TO DELIBERATE AND IMAGINE TOGETHER AND SPECIFICALLY, WE'D LIKE TO ASK, WHAT IF, IN FACT, THE UUA WAS NOT JUST A HUB SERVING MEMBER CONGREGATIONS? BUT WHAT IF IT WAS, ITSELF, A COMPLEX NETWORK OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, EACH IN COVENANT, EACH MAKING COMMITMENTS TO EACH OTHER SO THAT EACH COMMUNITY CAN REALIZE ITS OWN EXPRESSION OF UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST PURPOSE? WE CAN EASILY IMAGINE THAT NOT ALL OF THESE COMMUNITIES WOULD EVEN BE TRADITIONAL CONGREGATIONS, ALTHOUGH MANY WOULD. BUT WHAT IF SOME OF THESE COMMUNITIES, TOO, WOULD COME AND GO FROM COVENANT AS WE HAD A SHARED MISSION? AND WHAT IF, INSTEAD OF JUST UP AND DOWN VOTING ON ISSUES AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY, WHAT IF WE HAD A MORE DELIBERATIVE CONVERSATION WITH EACH OTHER? THE SORT OF CONVERSATION THAT CAN CHANGE LIVES AND COMMUNITIES AS WE DEVELOP AND REFINE OUR UNDERSTANDINGS OF RELIGIOUS PURPOSE AND HOW TO ACHIEVE IT. WHAT IF WE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS FREQUENTLY AND EVERYWHERE IN OUR CONGREGATIONS, IN OUR COMMUNITIES, IN OUR THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS, IN OUR CLUSTERS AND RELATED ORGANIZATIONS IN REGIONAL GROUPINGS? THE LIST GOES ON. SO HOW WOULD ALL THIS WORK? CURRENTLY, WE ASK OUR MEMBER CONGREGATIONS TO PHONE HOME TO THE UUA MOTHER SHIP FROM THEIR ISOLATED SATELLITES IN THE DESERT AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR TO TELL US THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS THAT THEY CLAIM AND TO PROMISE THAT THEY'VE MET THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF TIMES A YEAR. THAT'S ALL A LITTLE LONELY AND A LITTLE UNINSPIRING. WHAT IF, INSTEAD, WE ASKED CONGREGATIONS AND OTHER COMMUNITIES TO SHARE WITH US HOW IT IS THAT THEY'VE LIVED OUT THEIR UU PURPOSE, WHAT HELP THEY NEED FROM THE REST OF US TO REALIZE THAT HIGH PURPOSE, AND HOW IS IT THAT THEY'VE ENGAGED WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES, EITHER TO ASK ASSISTANCE OR TO OFFER GUIDANCE? AND WHAT IF OUR ASSOCIATIONAL GLUE WERE PURPOSE AND COVENANTAL RELATIONSHIP, NOT JUST SOMETHING WE PHONE IN? SO THE SPECIFIC ARE HIS YET TO COME. WE'LL HEAR FROM MEMBERS OF OUR TASKFORCE SPEAKING TO THAT QUESTION. >> IMAGINE A COVENANT THAT INCLUDES GRATITUDE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE [INDISCERNIBLE] AND A DESIRE TO MAKE THEM PROUD. >> WE'LL SHARE MORE INFORMATION. WE'LL SHARE MORE RESOURCE. WE'LL SHARE MORE IDEAS. WE'LL WORK TOGETHER ON MORE THINGS. WE'LL CROSS BOUNDARIES AND COORDINATE ON SOCIAL JUSTICE EFFORTS INSTEAD OF THERE BEING 50 PEOPLE AT A RALLY STANDING ON THE SIDE OF LOVE SHIRTS, THERE WILL BE A THOUSAND PEOPLE COORDINATED IN FIGURING OUT HOW TO DO THINGS A DIFFERENT WAY. BUT THAT STARTS WITH THIS PROCESS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. WITH THIS PROCESS TO COVENANT BETTER, NOT JUST TO BE MEMBERS OF AN ORGANIZATION. WHAT DOES IT MEAN NOBODY SACRED AGREEMENT WITH EACH OTHER VERSUS BEING MEMBERS OF AN ORGANIZATION? BECAUSE WHAT THAT HAS OFTEN MEANT IS THAT WE HAVE A VOTE AND WE CAN TELL PEOPLE WHAT WE WANT AND WHICH IS RIGHT OR WHICH IS WRONG VERSUS THE COVENANT OF WORKING TOGETHER IN DIFFICULT TIMES AND CHALLENGING TIMES, STAYING TOGETHER IN RELATIONSHIP AND LOVE, WHICH IS WHAT I'M HOPING WILL HAPPEN. IT'S A CHANGE OF FRAMEWORK. >> IMAGINE A COVENANT THAT INCLUDES GRATITUDE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE AND A DESIRE TO MAKE THEM PROUD. >> I THINK THE COOLEST GIFT THAT THIS TRANSITION FROM MEMBERSHIP TO COVENANT MAY GIVE US IS WE'LL REALIZE TOGETHER IN PRACTICE THAT OUR MEANS, OUR WAY OF BEING BOUND TOGETHER IS ALSO OUR END. IT'S WHAT WE'RE ABOUT. RELATIONSHIP GROUNDED IN LOVE THAT GOES BEYOND BELIEF AND WE'RE JUST A FRACTION AWAY FROM SETTING UP OUR STRUCTURES TO SUPPORT THAT CORE OF OUR FAITH. AND TO ME THAT'S EXCITING. >> SO FRIENDS, WE WERE TO HAVE SEEN THIS VIDEO YESTERDAY AND THEN WE WERE GOING TO HAVE AN HOUR IN WHICH WE WERE GOING TO BREAK OUT INTO SMALL GROUPS, AND WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF SPECIALLY TRAINED FACILITATORS, HAVE THIS KIND OF DEEP DELIBERATIVE DISCUSSION ABOUT OUR PURPOSE AND OUR MISSION THAT WE LONG FOR. WE RAN OVER YESTERDAY. ALL IS NOT THE LOST. WE WILL BE IN CONTACT WITH YOU THROUGH E‑MAIL AND WE WILL SET UP A WEBSITE FOR CONVERSATIONS AND WE'LL SHARE WITH YOU THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS THAT WE HOPED WOULD PROMPT THIS CONVERSATION. AND ACTUALLY, IN TERMS OF OUR PURPOSES AS A TASKFORCE, THIS WORKS FINE. WE WERE GOING TO TAKE THIS NEXT YEAR TO BRING THIS CONVERSATION MORE LOCAL TO YOU ANYWAY. BUT I DO WANT TO JUST NOTE HERE A VERY HEAVY IRONY. WE RAN OUT OF TIME FOR THIS CONVERSATION, BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, WE GOT BOGGED DOWN INTO THE KIND OF PROCEDURAL MORASS THAT IS STRUCTURALLY INCAPABLE OF ENHANCE BEING RELATIONSHIPS OR ADDRESSING OUR HIGHEST PURPOSES. [APPLAUSE AND FRIENDS, IT'S GROUNDHOG DAY. WE HAVE DONE THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. LAST YEAR WE DID THIS WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO ADDRESS BLACK LIVES MATTER. AND I KNOW STEAD, WE BROKE COVENANTS BECAUSE OF OUR ADDICTION TO A DYSFUNCTIONAL PROCEDURE. [APPLAUSE] I HESITATED TO USE THAT METAPHOR OF ADDICTION, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO CALL IT WHEN WE RETURN OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO THE VERY THING THAT IS KILLING US. [APPLAUSE] BUSINESS AS USUAL IS INDEFINITELY POSTPONING OUR DESIRE AND ABILITY TO LIVE INTO A BETTER FUTURE. DID YOU KNOW THAT THE AMERICAN UNITARIAN ASSOCIATION WAS FORMED IN 1825 BY A SMALL GROUP OF PRIVILEGED WHITE MEN WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN KNOWN ONLY AS THE ANONYMOUS CLUB? [LAUGHTER] DID YOU KNOW THAT THEIR POINT IN COMING TOGETHER IN ASSOCIATION WAS JUST THAT THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE KIND OF GOOD TO HAVE AN ORGANIZATION? WHEN WE DO THAT, WE ESTABLISHED A MUCH WEAKER ASSOCIATION THAN OUR FELLOW DENOMINATIONS THAT USE CONGREGATIONAL POLITY. MANY OF THEM CAME TOGETHER NOT BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO BE ORGANIZATIONALLY RELATED, BUT BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAD PURPOSE AND THEY WANTED IS THAT PURPOSE AMPLIFIED IN THAT COMING TOGETHER. THEY ALREADY HAD MISSIONS, MISSIONS LIKE THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY. OUR HISTORY IS NOT DISTINGUISHED IN THIS WAY, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? WE CAN DO BETTER. WE CAN PUT PURPOSE AND MISSION BACK IN THE HEART OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE ONE TO ANOTHER. YESTERDAY WE HEARD ABOUT THE MISSION AND VISION OF OUR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES. FRIENDS, FINALLY, THE MISSION AND VISION OF THIS ASSOCIATION BELONG ONLY TO YOU AS MEMBERS OF ITS COVENANTED COMMUNITIES. I'M EAGER TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION TOGETHER. WE'LL BE IN TOUCH. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU, SUSAN. WE HAVE SOME TRUSTEES AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO STOOD FOR ELECTION AT THIS YEAR'S GENERAL ASSEMBLY. SINCE THEY WERE NOT OPPOSED BY ANYONE WANTING TO RUN BY PETITION, THEY ARE ELECTED BY DECLARATION. SO PLEASE WELCOME TO THE STAGE DOROTHY HOLMES, TRUSTEE‑AT‑LARGE FROM OUR SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, CONGREGATION. COURT I ARE HAS BEEN SERVING LASTS JUNE WHEN SHE WAS APPOINTED TO FILL A VACATED POSITION AND IS NOW BEING ELECTED FOR FULL TERM. DICK JACKE, TRUSTEE‑AT‑LARGE FROM BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON, CONGREGATION. DENISE RIMES, TRUSTEE AND VICE‑MODERATOR FROM OUR RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, CONGREGATION WHO HAS ALSO BEEN SERVING SINCE APPOINTED TO THE BOARD TO FILM A VACATED POSITION. ELANDRIA WILLIAMS, TRUSTEE‑AT‑LARGE FROM OUR KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, CONGREGATION. LUCIA SANTINI FIELD, FINANCIAL ADVISOR. RANDY BURNHAM, NOMINATING COMMITTEE FROM OUR WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT, CONGREGATION. KEN WAGNER, NOMINATING COMMITTEE FROM MARLBOROUGH, MASS. AMANDA WEATHERSPOON, NOMINATING COMMITTEE AND SEMINARIAN AT STARR KING. PROFILES OF EACH OF THESE CANDIDATES CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 102. I'D ALSO LIKE TO INVITE SARAH DAN JONES TO JOIN US. SARAH DAN HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS A TRUSTEE‑AT‑LARGE AND WILL STAND FOR ELECT AT NEXT YEAR'S GA. SARAH DAN HAILS FROM PLYMOUTH. SO HERE TO INSTALL THEM IS SECRETARY OF THE BOARD, THE REVEREND ROB ELLER‑ISAACS. [APPLAUSE] >> GUIDED BY LOVE FOR THIS TRADITION AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE THIS, GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAS ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND COMMITTEES OF THE ASSOCIATION. WE WELCOME THEIR GIFTS, SKILLS, TIME, SACRIFICE, AND VOICE TO BE SHARED IN LOVE, TRUST, AND DEDICATION IN THE YEARS TO COME. PLEASE JOIN ME AS WE COVENANT TOGETHER TO INSTALL THESE LEADERS TO THE OFFICES TO WHICH WE HAVE ELECTED THEM. [READING COVENANT] >> AND ARE YOU READ WITH US IN YOUNG I SON? WE COVENANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU AND SUPPORT YOU AS YOU SERVE OUR MOVEMENT. MAY OUR TRUST CARRY YOU THROUGH BOTH DIFFICULTY AND TRIUMPH. IN GRATITUDE, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE. >> WITH GRATITUDE, I ACKNOWLEDGE AND ACCEPT THE TRUST THAT YOU HAVE PLACED IN ME. [APPLAUSE] >> >> A GOOD CREW. NOW IT'S TIME TO CALL THE SECRETARY BACK GENE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS. WE ALWAYS HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS. >> OF COURSE WE HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS. THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY ARE INVITED TO COME TOGETHER FOR SACRED CLOSING OF THE LGBTQ SANCTUARY SPACE IN ROOM C124 AT 5:00 P.M. TODAY WITH THE REVERENDS MEG RILEY, MARTA VALENTINE, AND AMY CARL WEB. PLEASE JOIN THEM. FRIENDS, NEITHER OUR SUCCESSFUL OFFERING IN SUPPORT OF BLACK LIVES UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS NOR THE RESULT OF THE VET ON YESTERDAY'S BUSINESS RESOLUTION RELEASES US FROM THE OBLIGATION TO LEARN ALL WE CAN ABOUT HOW BEST TO BE USEFUL IN ADDRESSING THE TANGLED THICKET OF CONFLICT, MEMORY, AND OPPRESSION WE RECOGNIZE BOTH IN THE HOLY LAND AND HERE AT HOME. THE UU'S FOR JUSTICE IN THE MIDDLE EAST WISH TO EXPRESS THEIR GRATITUDE TO MODERATOR KEY AND HIS TEAM FOR HIS EFFORTS TO ENCOURAGE MUTUAL RESPECT IN OUR CONVERSATIONS. [APPLAUSE] THEY WISH, AS WELL, FOR US TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE PREPARED A STUDY GUIDE FOR CONGREGATIONAL USE TO ENCOURAGE DISCUSSION AND EFFECTIVE ACTION AMONG US. LASTLY, IT IS MY SAD DUTY TO INFORM YOU OF THE SUDDEN DEATH OF OUR COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND, THE REVEREND SUZANNE MARSH, MINISTER OF THE CHURCH OF THE DESERT IN RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA. WE MOURN HER DEATH AND CELEBRATE HER LIFE. MAY WHAT SHE DREAMED BE OURS TO DO. MAY IT BE SO. >> THANK YOU, ROB. WELL, THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE US, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SCHEDULE SET FORTH IN YOUR PROGRAM BOOK, I DECLARE THAT THIS GENERAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL STAND IN RECESS UNTIL 1:15 THIS AFTERNOON. [GENERAL SESSION IV CONCLUDES] EVENT: B2016 0626 PLENARY IV 0800AM EST CAPTIONS PROVIDED BY: HEAR INK http://www.hearink.com PHONE: 314‑427‑1113 **********DISCLAIMER********** THE FOLLOWING IS AN UNEDITED ROUGH DRAFT TRANSLATION FROM THE CART CAPTIONER'S OUTPUT FILE. THIS TRANSCRIPT IS NOT VERBATIM AND HAS NOT BEEN PROOFREAD. TO DO SO IS AN EXTRA FEE. THIS FILE MAY CONTAIN ERRORS. PLEASE CHECK WITH THE SPEAKER(S) FOR ANY CLARIFICATION. THIS TRANSCRIPT MAY NOT BE COPIED OR DISSEMINATED TO ANYONE UNLESS YOU OBTAIN WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE OFFICE OR SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT IS PROVIDING CART CAPTIONING TO YOU; FINALLY, THIS TRANSCRIPT MAY NOT BE USED IN A COURT OF LAW. **********DISCLAIMER**********