Report From the President

In a year when the Unitarian Universalist Association's (UUA's) General Assembly theme is "fulfilling the promise," UUA President John A. Buehrens called on the largest gathering in UUA history to "develop and renew in our midst the spiritual disciplines which make for integrity, forebearance, patience, compassion, truth-telling, foregiveness, and that form of love which yearns to embody justice."

Buehrens continued, "if we want to espouse economic justice, we had better begin with fair compensation for those who work for our own congregations." He then announced a new $800,000 grant from the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock, NY, given to the Liberal Religious Education Directors Association to help fifty congregations create full-time positions in Religious Education.

He announced that there would be a "Journey Toward Wholeness" Sunday this winter, with two-thirds of the funds raised staying with local congregations, to make anti-racism a more explicit part of renewing each congregation's covenant and mission.

Buehrens concluded his remarks, saying, "my prayer is that our spiritual renewal will begin, but not end, here, at this Assembly. May it begin with me, and you,... and all of us together.... Let us strive to open ourselves to the gifts and graces that come from one another, even those that most challenge us to new ways of being in (but not of) the world together."

Read the complete text of Rev. Buehrens' report (PDF).

Reported by Debbie Weiner.