Monday, August 8, 2011
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
General Assembly 2012 and Phoenix: Values, Ends, Policy, Costs, and the Future
At a Special Meeting of the UUA Board on May 6, the Board voted to include a resolution on the agenda of the General Assembly in Minneapolis:
This decision was based upon our values, in particular our First and Second Principles: to affirm “The inherent worth and dignity of every person” and “Justice, equity and compassion in human relations.” But it also required that we examine the policy implications of our decision and how it affects the future of our Association. In our governance model, we are asked to determine “what benefits, for whom, at what cost.”
There are costs associated with this decision. Cancelling our plans to meet in Pheonix will cause us to incur penalties of up to $615,000; it is also likely to increase the cost of future contracts for General Assemblies. There is also a cost for lower income people who work in the travel industry in Arizona, many of them the same people who are hurt by SB 1070. We can meet the additional costs to the UUA by special fund raising, but this will probably impact other fund raising we might do.
There are also costs for not making the decision. The cost to people in Arizona who might be subject to arrest or violence because they “look illegal” is obvious, and is a far from theoretical issue for many members of our own congregations. The impact on our Association from Unitarian Universalists who would boycott a General Assembly in Phoenix is another. But the most serious cost would be to our authenticity in declaring our support for the inherent worth and dignity of every person. If we are not willing to support our principles with action, we sacrifice the heart of our covenant with each other.
It is not easy to predict the success of our effort. It seems likely that SB 1070 will be overturned in court, or that Arizona will eventually back away from this law as they did from their refusal to recognize the Martin Luther King holiday. But this will take time. The UUA Board’s decision recognizes that we cannot wait for justice.
Similar situations are certain to occur in the future. Indeed, in considering alternate sites, it is clear that many other locations have issues that might give us pause. We can also ask whether our presence can provide a voice for justice in places where it is needed most. Would we never meet in any place that is not a bastion of liberal values? There is a clear need for policies that outline the ways in which we will live our faith in the choices that we make as an Association. This is ongoing work for the Board.
Our concern for the future also forces us to consider the Beloved Community we hope to create, and how our actions can transform the world with our love. The UUA Board has a responsibility to act on behalf of our congregations, but also for future generations of Unitarian Universalists, for the heritage, traditions, and ideals of Unitarian Universalism, for the vision of Beloved Community, and for the Spirit of life, love, and the holy.
May it be so.
Whereas the state of Arizona has recently enacted a law—SB 1070—that runs counter to our first principle, affirming the worth and dignity of every person,This resolution represents a statement of the UUA Board’s conviction that Arizona SB 1070 requires action by our Association and by our congregations. Further, it asks our congregations, as represented at our General Assembly, to own this action—not merely by boycotting Phoenix in 2012, but by taking additional steps to support justice work in Arizona and in our local communities. The Board plans to hold one of its quarterly meetings in Phoenix this year to pursue justice work in Arizona.
Whereas the Association stands in solidarity with allies using a widespread economic boycott of Arizona as leverage for Love against this hateful legislation;
Be it resolved: we will not meet in a state of fear.
Accordingly, the Assembly hereby:
- Directs the UUA General Assembly Planning Committee to recommend to the Board of Trustees an alternate location for General Assembly 2012 at a location outside the state of Arizona;
- Pledges to generate from Member Congregations the amount sufficient to cancel arrangements in Phoenix for GA 2012;
- Pledges further to generate an equal or greater amount to fund ongoing efforts to Stand on the Side of Love in Arizona.
- Pledges to renew and redouble our efforts to become a multicultural, anti racist Association; to live as a people standing faithfully in opposition to systematic racism in our congregations, local communities, and in our own lives.
This decision was based upon our values, in particular our First and Second Principles: to affirm “The inherent worth and dignity of every person” and “Justice, equity and compassion in human relations.” But it also required that we examine the policy implications of our decision and how it affects the future of our Association. In our governance model, we are asked to determine “what benefits, for whom, at what cost.”
There are costs associated with this decision. Cancelling our plans to meet in Pheonix will cause us to incur penalties of up to $615,000; it is also likely to increase the cost of future contracts for General Assemblies. There is also a cost for lower income people who work in the travel industry in Arizona, many of them the same people who are hurt by SB 1070. We can meet the additional costs to the UUA by special fund raising, but this will probably impact other fund raising we might do.
There are also costs for not making the decision. The cost to people in Arizona who might be subject to arrest or violence because they “look illegal” is obvious, and is a far from theoretical issue for many members of our own congregations. The impact on our Association from Unitarian Universalists who would boycott a General Assembly in Phoenix is another. But the most serious cost would be to our authenticity in declaring our support for the inherent worth and dignity of every person. If we are not willing to support our principles with action, we sacrifice the heart of our covenant with each other.
It is not easy to predict the success of our effort. It seems likely that SB 1070 will be overturned in court, or that Arizona will eventually back away from this law as they did from their refusal to recognize the Martin Luther King holiday. But this will take time. The UUA Board’s decision recognizes that we cannot wait for justice.
Similar situations are certain to occur in the future. Indeed, in considering alternate sites, it is clear that many other locations have issues that might give us pause. We can also ask whether our presence can provide a voice for justice in places where it is needed most. Would we never meet in any place that is not a bastion of liberal values? There is a clear need for policies that outline the ways in which we will live our faith in the choices that we make as an Association. This is ongoing work for the Board.
Our concern for the future also forces us to consider the Beloved Community we hope to create, and how our actions can transform the world with our love. The UUA Board has a responsibility to act on behalf of our congregations, but also for future generations of Unitarian Universalists, for the heritage, traditions, and ideals of Unitarian Universalism, for the vision of Beloved Community, and for the Spirit of life, love, and the holy.
May it be so.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Where Do We Stand, Where Are We Going
This is an adapted version of the report I gave to the Annual Meeting for the Unitarian Universalist District of Metropolitan New York on May 1.
I’m your new District Trustee on the UUA Board. The Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt has resigned because there were some things in her life that required more time, and I have been appointed by your District Board to complete her term, which runs through June 2011. I’ve been on the job for about three weeks now, which included a Board meeting in Boston about two weeks ago.
When I was asked to consider this job, I went to the UUA website and looked at the page for the Board. I saw the group picture there, immediately spotted Rosemary, looked at the other Board members, and said “Uh oh. This looks like kind of a vanilla group, and I’m not going to be helping that situation.” And in fact, that was a concern for the District Board, for the UUA Board, and for me, as I’m sure it is for you. But the fact is, that there are not enough people of color in our District to fill all of the leadership positions where we would like to have them, and those we do have, well, we wear them out. We need a deeper bench for leadership positions in our congregations, in our District, and in the UUA; and that’s not just true for historically marginalized people, it’s generally true for leadership at all levels of our Association. I’ll just do the best I can, and hope that I can bring to this work a passion for inclusion and communication – not replacing Rosemary, but bringing my own strengths to bear as best I can.
So I’ve jumped right in, and have been working over the last few weeks to build a picture of where we stand, what we are working on, and where we are going. Having tried valiantly to take a break for the last year, with limited success, I come to this with fairly fresh eyes.
As I join the UUA Board, we are less than a year into our implementation of Policy Governance®, although the Board has been working toward that for 6-8 years. I have four years of experience with Policy Governance on the Metro District Board, and I hope that having worked through the implementation at the District level will help as the UUA Board goes through the same process. Right now there are some growing pains as the Board and staff work to achieve our ends – our vision for the future – while using the machinery of Policy Governance monitoring to ensure compliance with policy. There are also ongoing conversations about what work belongs to the Board and what work should properly be delegated to UUA staff. This is a learning process, but we are making progress.
Of course, the economic environment is extremely challenging. This year the shortfall in income is greater than last year: for congregations, for the District, and for the UUA. We find ourselves forced to do more with less, to look seriously at how we can streamline our governance and our operations to be more focused and productive, and to use fewer resources even as we create more effective and visionary transformation for our Association and our world.
It strikes me now, as it did when I began doing District work, that the challenges we face at this level are very much the same challenges that face congregations: leadership development, inclusion, growth, excellence in ministry, and healthy congregations. The perspective is a little different, but the challenges are much the same. And thankfully, wherever I go, I find Unitarian Universalists fully engaged in the process. So serving the UUA is, I find, much like being part of a congregation. The people are wonderful and inspiring.
Some truly amazing things are in the works now. How many of you are familiar with the work of the Fifth Principle Task Force? As you know, our Fifth Principle affirms “The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.” The Fifth Principle Task Force, chaired by our own Denny Davidoff, examined UUA governance starting in January 2008, and made recommendations to the Board this past December. The Board in turn committed to pursing transformation of our governance for the UUA Board, for Districts, and for our General Assembly. Of course, this does not affect congregational polity, how our congregations use the democratic process to govern themselves. But it does affect the way we organize and represent congregations in our Association. We need to ensure that our congregations are truly represented by the democratic processes in our Association; that the voices at the national level are not self selected and self funded; that youth, young adults, and historically marginalized people are represented; and that we make wise use of our resources.
This affects the UUA Board, which currently has 24 members and is far too big and cumbersome. It affects our Districts, which constitute a level of governance between our national Association and our congregations. And it affects the decisions made about our Association at General Assembly. There are some pretty specific proposals on the table; but this is an ongoing conversation. Large bylaws changes are required, and that process is going to take shape and reach fruition over the course of the next two to three years.
There is already a movement underway to provide greater regional staffing and specialized services, rather than relying on all-purpose District resources. This will enable Districts to make deep expertise and knowledge available to all congregations across a region, and optimizes the use of staff time and skills. The Board will be having a whole day conversation about services and governance with District Presidents before this year’s General Assembly, and that is part of that process. There will also be discussions of governance issues in general GA sessions. And the Board is reaching out to connect with congregations throughout our Association and deepen our appreciation of congregational values and concerns, as part of our responsibility to link with our sources of authority and accountability.
We are reviewing the ministerial fellowship process and the credentialing process for religious educators and lay leadership, and working to promote excellence in ministry, which goes hand in hand with healthy congregations. And we are committed to inclusion that empowers and enhances the participation of all, regardless of identities, ages, abilities, and histories.
Of course, not everything is planned. The immigration law passed in Arizona recently has raised serious questions about our plans to hold our 2012 General Assembly in Phoenix. The Board is holding a special meeting this week to consider this issue in depth, to make sure that we have all the information needed to make an informed decision, and to decide whether this is an issue that should be decided by the Board or by a resolution at this year’s GA. Our decision will be guided by the values we all share, and by your input. (I'll be reporting on this meeting soon.)
As I say, this is a conversation. I look forward to continuing that conversation with you over the next year. You can find my blog at the District website, email me at jhawkins @ uua.org, and talk to me by phone or in person.
I’d also like to encourage all of you to attend General Assembly in Minneapolis in a few weeks. I’d love to connect with you there too.
Thank you!
John Hawkins
®Policy Governance is the registered service mark of John Carver; the authoritative website for the Policy Governance model can be found at www.carvergovernance.com.
I’m your new District Trustee on the UUA Board. The Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt has resigned because there were some things in her life that required more time, and I have been appointed by your District Board to complete her term, which runs through June 2011. I’ve been on the job for about three weeks now, which included a Board meeting in Boston about two weeks ago.
When I was asked to consider this job, I went to the UUA website and looked at the page for the Board. I saw the group picture there, immediately spotted Rosemary, looked at the other Board members, and said “Uh oh. This looks like kind of a vanilla group, and I’m not going to be helping that situation.” And in fact, that was a concern for the District Board, for the UUA Board, and for me, as I’m sure it is for you. But the fact is, that there are not enough people of color in our District to fill all of the leadership positions where we would like to have them, and those we do have, well, we wear them out. We need a deeper bench for leadership positions in our congregations, in our District, and in the UUA; and that’s not just true for historically marginalized people, it’s generally true for leadership at all levels of our Association. I’ll just do the best I can, and hope that I can bring to this work a passion for inclusion and communication – not replacing Rosemary, but bringing my own strengths to bear as best I can.
So I’ve jumped right in, and have been working over the last few weeks to build a picture of where we stand, what we are working on, and where we are going. Having tried valiantly to take a break for the last year, with limited success, I come to this with fairly fresh eyes.
As I join the UUA Board, we are less than a year into our implementation of Policy Governance®, although the Board has been working toward that for 6-8 years. I have four years of experience with Policy Governance on the Metro District Board, and I hope that having worked through the implementation at the District level will help as the UUA Board goes through the same process. Right now there are some growing pains as the Board and staff work to achieve our ends – our vision for the future – while using the machinery of Policy Governance monitoring to ensure compliance with policy. There are also ongoing conversations about what work belongs to the Board and what work should properly be delegated to UUA staff. This is a learning process, but we are making progress.
Of course, the economic environment is extremely challenging. This year the shortfall in income is greater than last year: for congregations, for the District, and for the UUA. We find ourselves forced to do more with less, to look seriously at how we can streamline our governance and our operations to be more focused and productive, and to use fewer resources even as we create more effective and visionary transformation for our Association and our world.
It strikes me now, as it did when I began doing District work, that the challenges we face at this level are very much the same challenges that face congregations: leadership development, inclusion, growth, excellence in ministry, and healthy congregations. The perspective is a little different, but the challenges are much the same. And thankfully, wherever I go, I find Unitarian Universalists fully engaged in the process. So serving the UUA is, I find, much like being part of a congregation. The people are wonderful and inspiring.
Some truly amazing things are in the works now. How many of you are familiar with the work of the Fifth Principle Task Force? As you know, our Fifth Principle affirms “The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.” The Fifth Principle Task Force, chaired by our own Denny Davidoff, examined UUA governance starting in January 2008, and made recommendations to the Board this past December. The Board in turn committed to pursing transformation of our governance for the UUA Board, for Districts, and for our General Assembly. Of course, this does not affect congregational polity, how our congregations use the democratic process to govern themselves. But it does affect the way we organize and represent congregations in our Association. We need to ensure that our congregations are truly represented by the democratic processes in our Association; that the voices at the national level are not self selected and self funded; that youth, young adults, and historically marginalized people are represented; and that we make wise use of our resources.
This affects the UUA Board, which currently has 24 members and is far too big and cumbersome. It affects our Districts, which constitute a level of governance between our national Association and our congregations. And it affects the decisions made about our Association at General Assembly. There are some pretty specific proposals on the table; but this is an ongoing conversation. Large bylaws changes are required, and that process is going to take shape and reach fruition over the course of the next two to three years.
There is already a movement underway to provide greater regional staffing and specialized services, rather than relying on all-purpose District resources. This will enable Districts to make deep expertise and knowledge available to all congregations across a region, and optimizes the use of staff time and skills. The Board will be having a whole day conversation about services and governance with District Presidents before this year’s General Assembly, and that is part of that process. There will also be discussions of governance issues in general GA sessions. And the Board is reaching out to connect with congregations throughout our Association and deepen our appreciation of congregational values and concerns, as part of our responsibility to link with our sources of authority and accountability.
We are reviewing the ministerial fellowship process and the credentialing process for religious educators and lay leadership, and working to promote excellence in ministry, which goes hand in hand with healthy congregations. And we are committed to inclusion that empowers and enhances the participation of all, regardless of identities, ages, abilities, and histories.
Of course, not everything is planned. The immigration law passed in Arizona recently has raised serious questions about our plans to hold our 2012 General Assembly in Phoenix. The Board is holding a special meeting this week to consider this issue in depth, to make sure that we have all the information needed to make an informed decision, and to decide whether this is an issue that should be decided by the Board or by a resolution at this year’s GA. Our decision will be guided by the values we all share, and by your input. (I'll be reporting on this meeting soon.)
As I say, this is a conversation. I look forward to continuing that conversation with you over the next year. You can find my blog at the District website, email me at jhawkins @ uua.org, and talk to me by phone or in person.
I’d also like to encourage all of you to attend General Assembly in Minneapolis in a few weeks. I’d love to connect with you there too.
Thank you!
John Hawkins
®Policy Governance is the registered service mark of John Carver; the authoritative website for the Policy Governance model can be found at www.carvergovernance.com.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Sabbath in Motion
Sabbath in Motion
There is no time to be still,
so I take my Sabbath in motion,
walking fast or deliberately
through familiar woods
where it seems impossible to lose myself,
the hum of traffic still audible
across the enfolded hillsides.
And yet the well-trod path
suddenly fades away
into a gully where I have never set foot,
and I am forced to angle back
until I find the trail,
bare earth and crushed leaves,
that will lead me home,
walking now through woods familiar and strange.
Stepping in this moment
through eternity, on either side
snow melting away, rain falling,
vines and trees bursting greenly through spring
into summer, into fall,
into snow again, spring again,
cardinal, woodpecker, heron, goldfinch,
geese winging south, winging north,
each step stretching out
forever.
john hawkins
March 29, 2009
There is no time to be still,
so I take my Sabbath in motion,
walking fast or deliberately
through familiar woods
where it seems impossible to lose myself,
the hum of traffic still audible
across the enfolded hillsides.
And yet the well-trod path
suddenly fades away
into a gully where I have never set foot,
and I am forced to angle back
until I find the trail,
bare earth and crushed leaves,
that will lead me home,
walking now through woods familiar and strange.
Stepping in this moment
through eternity, on either side
snow melting away, rain falling,
vines and trees bursting greenly through spring
into summer, into fall,
into snow again, spring again,
cardinal, woodpecker, heron, goldfinch,
geese winging south, winging north,
each step stretching out
forever.
john hawkins
March 29, 2009
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Greetings from Your New UUA Trustee!
Wow!
I was not thinking about this a couple of weeks ago; but when I received the call from Ted Fetter and the District Board, asking me to serve the remainder of Rosemary's term on the UUA Board, I could not refuse. Clearly I cannot replace Rosemary; but I will do my best to carry on the work she has done over the last three years.
A fast start was required. Within a week of that call, I was in Boston participating in my first Board meeting. It was an exhilarating and exhausting experience, requiring lots of reading and conversation to get up to speed, lots of meetings and discussions, lots of introductions, and little sleep. I acquired committee and working group responsibilities, a largish to-do list, and quite a few new friends.
Clearly this is going to be interesting year. The UUA has some very big initiatives in the works, in an economic climate that continues to be challenging for our congregations and our Association. I'm working on a report for the District Annual Meeting, and look forward to connecting with you there. I'm happy to share what I've learned, and I also want to learn from you.
You can always reach me at jhawkins @ uua.org.
Yours in Love and Faith,
John Hawkins
UUA Trustee for the Unitarian Universalist District of Metropolitan New York
I was not thinking about this a couple of weeks ago; but when I received the call from Ted Fetter and the District Board, asking me to serve the remainder of Rosemary's term on the UUA Board, I could not refuse. Clearly I cannot replace Rosemary; but I will do my best to carry on the work she has done over the last three years.
A fast start was required. Within a week of that call, I was in Boston participating in my first Board meeting. It was an exhilarating and exhausting experience, requiring lots of reading and conversation to get up to speed, lots of meetings and discussions, lots of introductions, and little sleep. I acquired committee and working group responsibilities, a largish to-do list, and quite a few new friends.
Clearly this is going to be interesting year. The UUA has some very big initiatives in the works, in an economic climate that continues to be challenging for our congregations and our Association. I'm working on a report for the District Annual Meeting, and look forward to connecting with you there. I'm happy to share what I've learned, and I also want to learn from you.
You can always reach me at jhawkins @ uua.org.
Yours in Love and Faith,
John Hawkins
UUA Trustee for the Unitarian Universalist District of Metropolitan New York
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