PROPOSED REVISION TO ARTICLE II - UUA General Assembly
Article II Purposes and Covenant
Section C-2.1. Purposes.
The Unitarian Universalist Association will devote its resources to and use its organizational
powers for religious, educational, and humanitarian purposes. Its primary purposes are:
- to assist congregations in their vital ministries,
- to support and train leaders both lay and professional,
- to foster lifelong faith formation and spiritual development.
- to heal historic injustices
- to support and encourage the creation of new Unitarian Universalist communities, and
- to advance our Unitarian Universalist values in the world.
The Unitarian Universalist Association will actively engage its members in the transformation of
the world through liberating Love.
Section C-2.2. Values and Covenant.
As Unitarian Universalists, we covenant, congregation-to-congregation and through our
Association, to support and assist one another in our ministries. We draw from our heritages of
freedom, reason, hope, and courage, building on the foundation of love.
Love is the power that holds us together and is at the center of our shared values. We are
accountable to one another for doing the work of living our shared values through the spiritual
discipline of Love.
Inseparable from one another, these shared values are:
Shared Unitarian Universalist Values
Image Description: This image is of a chalice with an overlay of the word Love over the
flame, with sixoutstretched arms that create a circle around each of the core values and
form a six-petal flower shape.Each arm is a different color, and clockwise they are: Interdependence (Orange), Equity (Red), Transformation (Purple), Pluralism (Blue), Generosity (Green), and Justice (Yellow).
[Suggested shift to Rule and recommended edits] The UUA may create visual representations of the values, which put love at the center and interconnect each value, and may periodically update that image. A version of this image shall be included, with image description, after “Shared Unitarian Universalist Values” in the published version of these bylaws.
Interdependence. We honor the interdependent web of all existence. With reverence for the
great web of life and with humility, we acknowledge our place in it.
We covenant to protect Earth and all beings from exploitation. We will create and nurture
sustainable relationships of care and respect, mutuality and justice. We will work to repair harm
and damaged relationships.
Pluralism. We celebrate that we are all sacred beings, diverse in culture, experience, and
theology.
We covenant to learn from one another in our free and responsible search for truth and
meaning. We embrace our differences and commonalities with Love, curiosity, and respect.
Justice. We work to be diverse multicultural Beloved Communities where all thrive.
We covenant to dismantle racism and all forms of systemic oppression. We support the use of
inclusive democratic processes to make decisions within our congregations, our Association,
and society at large.
Transformation. We adapt to the changing world.
We covenant to collectively transform and grow spiritually and ethically. Openness to change is
fundamental to our Unitarian and Universalist heritages, never complete and never perfect.
Generosity. We cultivate a spirit of gratitude and hope.
We covenant to freely and compassionately share our faith, presence, and resources. Our
generosity connects us to one another in relationships of interdependence and mutuality.
Equity. We declare that every person has the right to flourish with inherent dignity and
worthiness.
We covenant to use our time, wisdom, attention, and money to build and sustain fully accessible
and inclusive communities.
Section C-2.3. Inspirations.
Direct experiences of transcending mystery and wonder are primary sources of Unitarian
Universalist inspiration. These experiences open our hearts, renew our spirits, and transform
our lives. We draw upon, and are inspired by, sacred, secular, and scientific understandings
that help us make meaning and live into our values. These sources ground us and sustain us
in ordinary, difficult, and joyous times. We respect the histories, contexts, and cultures in which
these sources were created and are currently practiced. Grateful for the experiences that move
us, aware of the religious ancestries we inherit, and enlivened by the diversity which enriches
our faith, we are called to ever deepen and expand our wisdom.
Section C-2.4. Inclusion.
Systems of power, privilege, and oppression have traditionally created barriers for persons
and groups with particular identities, ages, abilities, and histories. We pledge to replace
such barriers with ever-widening circles of solidarity and mutual respect. We strive to be
an Association of congregations that truly welcome all persons who share our values. We
commit to being an Association of congregations that empowers and enhances everyone’s
participation, especially those with historically marginalized identities.
Section C-2.5. Freedom of belief.
Congregational freedom and the individual’s right of conscience are central to our Unitarian
Universalist heritage.
Congregations may establish statements of purpose, covenants, and bonds of union so long
as they do not require that members adhere to a particular creed.
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