UUCF Board Recommends Congregational Actions.
Posted Oct. 13, 2021.
Last year, to better prepare the congregation for the work needed to build a more inclusive community, the UUCF Board of Directors studied “Widening the Circle of Concern,” a June 2020 report from the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). The report was written after a 3-year study of how actions and practices within the UUA and UU congregations have left People of Color who were members/staff/ministers feeling outside rather than a part of our denomination and individual congregations.
UUCF has a long history of action in this area. The congregation has already taken many of the actions recommended in the report and/or has made some recommendations a regular part of UUCF’s social justice work. As we know from the past few years, this work is never finished. After congregational approval of the 8th Principle in June 2021, the board passed the following, specific Widening the Circle recommendations to support living the 8th Principle and to support UUCF’s mission to transform ourselves, our community and the world through acts of love and justice. These actions are seen as ongoing and part of a growth process. This is an exciting time to be a Unitarian Universalist and the board commits to building a path toward Beloved Community.
- Appointing a Right Relations Team to help guide conflict engagement processes for a healthy congregation. The Coordinating Team has almost completed the process of establishing the team.
- Offering courses on conflict engagement as an essential element of change and transformation. This training will be given by the two ministers and members of the Racial Justice Steering Committee (RJSC).
- Bringing UUCF youth into the wide range of leadership opportunities, including as worship associates and attending UUA General Assembly. Youth Ministry Coordinator Courtney Firth will lead this effort, working with the Leadership and Nominating Committee (LNC).
- Requiring anti-oppression training for board and LNC members. The board, LNC and RJSC will coordinate training development.
- Appointing a liaison to the UUA tasked with disseminating information to UUCF for leadership development and anti-oppression work. Board President Susan Bennett will fill this role for the remainder of this congregational year while the newly formed LNC works out its new structure. Next year the LNC will appoint a new liaison.
- Training on diversity and inclusion for volunteer greeters, the Membership Committee and others who interact regularly with visitors. The RJSC will work with the Membership Committee and Administrative Coordinator Mary Foster to develop this training.
- Continuing development by the RJSC of justice partnerships with organizations led by those most affected by the issues, with concentration on following the lead of those partners.
- Offering microaggression courses to the congregation, coordinated by the RJSC.
Examining the congregation’s commitment to equity, inclusion and diversity work and incorporating this commitment into UUCF’s Bylaws and Governance Manual. The board has tasked a subgroup with looking at UUCF’s Bylaws.