General Assembly Is Next Week!
—by WSUU Delegate Kerrie Schurr, gadelegate2022@wsuu.org
First, a big thank-you to those who attended the Zoom meetings this past week to learn more about GA business matters and share your thoughts!
Second, please fill out this congregational survey about the business matters and candidates to be voted upon at GA—your opinion counts.
Business matters to be voted upon at GA include the following (items in bold are especially important):
- Rules of Procedure: These govern how business is conducted at GA and are the very first thing voted on. These have been simplified to make delegate participation easier while maintaining fairness in providing opportunities to speak.
- Business Resolution #1: Calls for replacement of the entire UUA bylaws. This has not been done in 60 years. Would reduce inefficient and overly complicated governance, allow more nimbleness and flexibility, reduce number of standing committees due to changes in volunteerism, and eliminate inconsistencies and outdated sections. Work would be done by a task group composed of UUA board members, UUA staff, and UUs who are non-board or staff members. To be presented at GA in 2023 or 2024.
- Business Resolution #2: Calls for suspension of the GA Planning Committee until further notice. UUA staff are now heavily involved in planning GA because they must be ones to handle conference and housing arrangements, and they are ones to deal with online and hybrid pivots.
- Bylaw amendment: Calls for corrections to a provision concerning candidates in serious violation of bylaw rules.
The most current text for the above items may be found at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pF-dI9QhrKom5RbCetUiC_mvRskpwmNstoH25oEqRDg/edit.
The UUA website has a Discussion Forum with pertinent comments on the above items: https://discuss.uua.org/. Caution: The business resolution texts in the Forum have not yet been updated with the results of the Mini-Assembly on 6/11, although the results of the Mini-Assembly are listed in separate sections.
Elections of UUA Board candidates, including two contested seats:
- #7: Rev. Suzanne Fast and Rebecca Mattis
- #11: Rev. Justine Sullivan and Rev. Beverly Seese
More info with a variety of viewpoints:
- Candidate statements and recording of June 8 Forum: https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/elections
- 5th Principle website, including comments: https://fifthprincipleproject.org
- “The Gadfly Molehill,” guest post by Rev. Dr. Cynthia L. Landrum, https://revdennismccarty.com/the-gadfly-molehill/
- Facebook posts by Aisha Hauser of Church of the Larger Fellowship, https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=aisha%20hauser
Actions of Immediate Witness (not available until shortly before or at GA): These generally address more urgent national or global issues and call upon congregations to focus additional social justice efforts on them where possible: https://www.uua.org/action/process/planning-aiw-ga
Responsive Resolutions (if any): These may be presented at and voted on at GA in response to reports presented at GA (such as from the Article 2 Study Commission).
Questions? Or wish to connect with someone else attending GA virtually or in-person? Please contact me at the email address above.
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For more information on attending GA from June 22-26 either virtually or in person in Portland, OR:
- FREE access (no registration required) for ALL UUs via livestream: General (Business) Sessions, Service of the Living Tradition, Synergy Bridging Worship and Sunday Morning Worship. These will be streamed live on UUA.org and YouTube.
- Registration, housing, and accessibility services: https://www.uua.org/ga. Available programming varies with whether you access GA virtually or in person.
- Child care and children’s programming: https://www.uua.org/ga/program/childrens-programs
- Daily schedule and programming: https://whova.com/embedded/event/uuage_202206/?refer=undefined&day=0
- Special BIPOC-only programming (virtual and in person options):