This is a busy time of year for so many. Seasonally, we are in a transitional period, with possibilities for connection and celebration over the holidays, as well as experiences of grief and letting go. We are living in what I have come to call a liminal time. “Liminal” means a time in between, when what has been is no longer and what is next is not yet here.
The pandemic moved many congregations into virtual and hybrid gatherings and the ways in which people connect to religious community are changing. I can relate to that sense of liminality as I finish my last year as your UUA President and the UUA prepares to welcome a new President, to be elected by delegates at the next General Assembly (GA) in June 2023, online and in Pittsburgh, PA.
Another very significant change happening in Unitarian Universalism comes through the dedicated work of the UUA’s Article II Study Commission (A2SC). Article II is the section in our UUA bylaws that contains the Purposes, 7 UU Principles and our Sources. Charged to review Article II, the Commission has held thoughtful discussions online, at General Assemblies and with groups of leaders across our Association. This fall, the A2SC incorporated the extensive input from individuals, groups and congregations and developed an initial draft of a new Article II. You are invited to review the new draft text and share your feedback with the Commission online.
Please share this conversation in your congregation! It is so important that all of our congregations and leaders are aware of the process to renew Article II. The A2SC will submit a final draft of Article II to the UUA Board of Trustees in January 2023. Then, both the Board and congregational delegates can offer amendments to the proposal in the lead-up to GA in June. More information will be available early next year, so please begin planning your congregation’s engagement in the process. The first vote on the A2SC’s proposal will occur at GA. With so much change and transition, it can be easy to feel uncertain or anxious, and we can lean on one another for support. Recognizing all the ways we are in transition, I created a sermon exploring how we embrace possibility in times of change. There is always some grief in change, because it requires letting go. Yet, there is also possibility and growth that is only possible in times of change, so there is value in learning to open our hearts to this experience. The sermon is part of a video worship collection available through UUA WorshipWeb at UUA.org/change. Each video can be used on its own or together to supplement congregational worship or other programming.
Your Unitarian Universalist Association is here because of the commitment congregations have made to each other to support a broader Association that can amplify and strengthen our shared values, support congregations and leaders in times of need, and be more than any of us can be on our own. We are committed, steadfast partners with you in this liminal time and in all that is ahead. I send you all my love and blessings. Love, Susan P.S. Next week, you will receive an email from the UUA with more information about the 2023 UUA Presidential election.
Rev. Dr. Susan Frederick-Gray spends her days strengthening the thriving mission of this faith. In her spare time, she enjoys being with her family and playing with their dog, Hercules.
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