CUUC “Article II Learning Community”

At the request of the Board of Trustees, an “Article II Learning Community” has been formed.  It is designed to continually inform the congregation as the Unitarian Universalist Association conducts its mandatory reassessment over the next 16 months of Article II of our UUA Bylaws, which includes our Seven Principles. The Learning Community will also facilitate congregational feedback regarding the proposed changes, encouraging all members to share their thoughts and feelings in a variety of safe and welcoming venues. 

Importantly, this work will also inform the four CUUC delegates to the annual UUA General Assembly in 2023 AND 2024. Our delegates will cast their four votes on the proposed Article II changes each year.

We will conduct three group sessions in March and April 2023. An evaluation will be conducted at the conclusion of the third group session. Based on the evaluation, the Learning Community will then design the next round of feedback loops designed to “inform and facilitate” as needed until we arrive at the final Article II vote during General Assembly 2024.

An “Article II Study Packet” (see APPENDIX A, below) will be made available as the first step in the “learning” process. Four very brief assignments provide the basic tools necessary to provide a Shared Understanding of the Article II process:

1. Existing Article II (Seven Principles) and the 8th Principle
2. UUA Board of Trustees “Article II Commission Charge”
3. Proposed changes to Article II (Shared Values)
4. Paula Cole-Jones video “Relationship Between the 8th Principle and Article II” (14:39)

March and April Group Sessions

• (Hybrid, Fellowship Hall) Listening Session, Sun Mar 19, 2023, 11:30am – 12:00pm
• (Hybrid, Fellowship Hall) Sharing Session #1, Sun Apr 9, 2023, 11:30am – 12:30pm
• (Virtual) Sharing Session #2, Thu Apr 20, 2023, 7:30 – 8:30pm

Listening Session (Sun Mar 19):

• We will provide an overview of the UUA Article II process, and describe highlights of the UUA history of the Article II reassessments.
• The tools contained within the Article II Study Packet will be described.
• We wish to keep this Listening Session focused on what the Article II process all about and understanding why it is critical to “do our homework first” before diving into the two Sharing Sessions. 

Sharing Session #1 (Sun Apr 9) and Sharing Session #2 (Thu Apr 20):

• “Probing Questions” will be developed by the Session Moderators to facilitate discussion.
• Participants will share their thoughts and feelings about the proposed Article II changes.

Additional details (including Zoom info) on the three sessions will be shared as we approach those dates.

Audra Russell and Joe Majsak, Article II Learning Community Co-Moderators

March 2, 2023

APPENDIX A: “Article II Study Packet” links

1.    Existing UUA Seven Principles and the 8th Principle  https://www.uua.org/files/2023-02/article-II-study-report-2021-23.pdf. GO TO PAGE 17 for existing Seven Principles.

The 8th Principle: “We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”

2.    UUA Board of Trustees “Article II Commission Charge” https://www.uua.org/files/2023-02/article-II-study-report-2021-23.pdf. GO TO PAGE 6

3.    Proposed new Article II Shared Values  https://www.uua.org/files/2023-02/article-II-study-report-2021-23.pdf.  GO TO PAGE 19

4.    Paula Cole-Jones video “Relationship Between the 8th Principle and Article II” https://youtu.be/tnKJU_9GEY0.