Highlights from a Historic Virtual General Assembly

Holly Bussey, Liaison, Denominational Affairs

With love centered as a core value of the faith, more than 3,400 Unitarian Universalists from around the country and world gathered for an all-virtual Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly (GA) 2024, June 20–23. GA brought together 2,757 credentialed delegates from 734 congregations in 50 states as well as Washington, D.C., Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Mexico, France, and the Philippines. The assembly’s theme, “Love Unites, Stories Ignite,” celebrated the profound impact of love as a binding force that transcends boundaries and divisions.

In that spirit, after years of discussions and debate, delegates adopted a new statement of shared UU values. With 80% of voting delegates choosing to adopt changes to Article II of the UUA bylaws, the newly stated values of the faith are Equity, Generosity, Interdependence, Justice, Pluralism, and Transformation, centered around Love.

Under UUA bylaws, a two-thirds vote to change Article II was required; the new statement was approved by 80.2% of voting delegates (2,025 votes) to 19.8% (499 votes), with 21 delegates abstaining (0.8%).

Additionally, General Assembly passed several Actions of Immediate Witness:

• “Solidarity with Palestinians” passed with 73.5% of the vote
• A Responsive Resolution, “UUA General Assembly Support for October 7 Hostages,” called for the immediate release of all Hamas-held hostages and acknowledged “the real suffering of Jews within our Association and beyond.”  77% in favor.
• “World on Fire Humanitarian Work and Climate Change.”  95.6% in favor.
• “Centering Love Amidst the Ongoing Impact of COVID-19” (Allowing people to wear masks as some states now outlaw them).  86.1% in favor.  

One of GA’s most powerful and moving moments came during a contentious discussion of a proposed business resolution, “Embracing Transgender, Nonbinary, Intersex and Gender Diverse People is a Fundamental Expression of UU Religious Values.”

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Keeping Love at the Center Even When It’s Hard

Lisa Schilansky, Ministerial Intern

An adage says, put three Unitarian Universalists into a room, get four opinions. One thing I’ve learned in my seven years attending General Assembly (GA), is that we are a gloriously pluralistic faith. We talk a lot about religious pluralism, but to have such a difference of opinions and experiences means something entirely different. We are also a living tradition, which means we will grow and change over time, and growing pains almost always come.

To help people stay in right relation with each other, while having difficult conversations about the right path forward for Unitarian Universalism, each GA has a Covenant Team—one of four teams part of the broader Care Teams. This year, I had the honor of serving on this team, and it was humbling, to say the least.

The changes to Article II of our bylaws, replacing our seven principles and six sources with six values having love at their center is a monumental change and one bringing forth much joy and some notable grief. Our faith is richest when we recognize that, as a covenantal faith, we can disagree and still stay in relation and communication with each other. I witnessed the leaders of the UUA and the different Care Teams making sure to hold us in compassion and relationship with the 28% who voted against the proposed changes to Article II.

The debate about Article II was not the only difficult moment, however. In response to a beautiful and vital business resolution affirming the inherent worth and dignity of trans and non-binary people, a resolution that will permit UU organizations and congregations around the country to judicially fight the onslaught of anti-trans laws, some took the opportunity to speak openly in very hate-filled and harmful ways.

​Opponents of this resolution shared misinformation that has been discredited by reputable sources. While some fact-checking was done in the moment, very real harm occurred, and this is something that we as an Association need to reconcile with.​

For those most impacted by the negative debate of this and other issues, GA 2024 was not easy and was downright painful. As we affirmed our new values with love at the center, GA leadership modeled how to do this in real-time. Bigoted statements were not left without response, but for those of whom there was well-intentioned disagreement, whether around Article 2 or the various Actions of Immediate Witness, we stayed in conversation and relationship even when it was hard.

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Meet Your 2024-2025 Finance Team

Sandee Steinberg, Chair, Finance Committee

The Finance Team is lucky to have many returning members this year, as well as an excellent addition. The returning members are Barbara Drew (Auction Team), Scott Blaydon and Jane Root (Stewardship), Mike Hanson and Bonnie Gilbert (Endowment), George Faulkner (Capital Project Treasurer), and Denny Rodgers (UUCWC Treasurer and Board Liaison). Donna Miller is joining us for Fundraising. I am moving from at-large member to chairperson.

As you can see, most of our team members are chairs from other teams. We work together to coordinate finance-related projects and groups within the church. Another vital part of the Finance Committee is at-large members. These members provide valuable comments and insight into the finances of the church. I am not just talking about numbers and how the budget adds up, but rather thoughts on how money is raised and spent and the feelings of congregants regarding these matters. I learned a lot about all aspects of the church when I was an at-large member. I became aware of the many areas the church works in to support the congregation.

Please consider joining us. We meet once per month on the 2nd Monday of the month via Zoom.

Contact me at finance@uucwc.org if you are interested. 

Strategies for Reducing Climate Pollution and Saving Money 

Leslie McGeorge, Co-chair, Earth and Climate Ministry

How bad is climate change? What do we need to do to avoid the worst? What are utilities, states, and the federal government doing about it? How can I reduce my carbon footprint and save money simultaneously? Can I get incentives for an energy audit, weatherization, buying energy efficient appliances like a heat pump, putting solar on my roof, or buying an electric vehicle?

To help answer these questions, on April 16th, our Earth and Climate Ministry (ECM) invited several technical climate experts to speak to us on Climate Change and What You Can Do: Reduce Energy Costs and Climate Pollution. Much of this session focused on actions regarding our energy use and electrification of our homes, houses of worship, and vehicles. The talks and discussions held in the sanctuary and via Zoom, provided information on the basics of climate change trends and what we can do individually and collectively to fight it. About 50 people participated in the session, including congregants, folks from other local churches, Citizen Climate Lobby (CCL) members, former state environmental officials, and community environmental representatives.

For those unable to attend or wishing to revisit the session, the video recording of the 90-minute session is available here.Introductions and slides are available here, and a two-page information sheet with links to helpful resources assembled by our speakers can be found here.

The topics and speakers at the climate session included:

• Climate Disruption Basics: Science, Impacts and How to Avoid the Worse -Dr. Mike Aucott, climate advisor to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
• Why We CAN Win the Climate Mitigation & Energy Battle – Mike Winka, former director of New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program
• Power Your Savings & Cut Climate Pollution with Electrification – Pat and Steve Miller, former Bell Labs engineers, co-leads, New Jersey 50 X 30 Building Electrification, UU Congregation of Monmouth County
• Session Moderators – Leslie McGeorge and Barbara Drew, ECM

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From the Editor: Only the Beginning

Scott Cullen, Editor, CrossCurrents

Greetings! I’m thrilled to be taking over for Chris Piatek as the editor of CrossCurrents. This is, obviously, my first edition as editor. I trust you will be patient as I learn this new program.

Starting with this issue, and over the next few months, you may see some changes in the newsletter’s formatting and appearance—unintentional and intentional—as we transition to a new version of i-contact, the program used to create the newsletter. One notable change, starting with this issue, is that clicking on the articles in the table of contents will now bring you to the website version of the article. ​

There may even be some fresh new content featuring a wider array of voices from the congregation. That concept is still percolating, so I’ll keep you informed as that evolves.

The publishing schedule will be between the 10th and 12th of each month, with the exceptions being this issue (July/August), and the first issue of the new church year, September/October. That issue will launch by October 12 after I return from vacation. Weekends and holidays may change the monthly schedule, but for the most part, those are the dates when you can expect to receive the newsletter.

Meanwhile, enjoy this edition of CrossCurrents and have a great rest of the summer.

See you in September/October.

Roland Rahn Memorial Scholarship Supports Graduating Culinary Academy Students

Chris Piatek, Food Ministry Team

Roland (Rollie) Rahn, a cherished UUCWC member for many years, was devoted to the Food Ministry and to serving the church in countless ways. Rollie had a passion for cooking and made meals for others whenever he could. When Rollie passed away in 2015, his wife Lori and daughters Renae and Natalie established a scholarship fund to support young adults seeking to pursue education in the culinary arts. The Food Ministry administers the scholarship fund.

This year, the Rahn family and the Food Ministry awarded $700 to purchase sets of chef knives for eight graduating students of the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen’s Culinary Academy. Emilio’s Culinary Academy, its formal name, provides access to education and teaches skills to members of the community who would otherwise have difficulty entering the workforce. 

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All Aboard for GA 2025!

Holly Bussey, Liaison, Denominational Affairs

Many ideas were generated at this year’s General Assembly (GA). Whether or not a congregation wishes to further study, discuss, and take action is up to them. UUCWC will be working to incorporate our Values statement into all we do along with our continued work with racial justice and rights for all oppressed groups. Truly, no one is free unless we are all free.”

The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) has joined a coalition of Unitarian Universalist (UU) organizations and partners to launch the UU Climate Justice Revival. The UU Climate Justice Coalition and Friends will host the UU Climate Justice Revival in hundreds of UU congregations in the new church year.

“This work, this calling, this shared leadership is central to my hopes and dreams for us as Unitarian Universalists,” said Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt, the UUA’s president, who announced the UU Climate Justice Revival in a video on Earth Day.

“Let me remind us that the work of climate justice is the work of disability rights,” she said. “It’s the work of racial justice. It is gender justice and immigrant rights. It is the work of animal rights, of reproductive justice. It is central to our democratic organizing and to our work together to live into our values in the world.”

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