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Dear FUUSM family,</div>
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As you may know, a UUA study commission is recommending changes to Article II, the UUA's Bylaws, Principles, and Purposes, which were last revised in 1985. A document containing the commission's membership, charge, and recommendations can be found here: <a href="https://www.uua.org/files/2023-02/article-II-study-report-2021-23.pdf" id="LPlnk222303">https://www.uua.org/files/2023-02/article-II-study-report-2021-23.pdf</a>.</div>
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The commission's charge specifies "love in action" as "the path forward" and further specifies that love as " our commitment to anti-racism, anti-oppression, and multiculturalism."</div>
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Other UUs find the proposed changes problematic for several reasons, including the concern that the changes will make the UUA more hierarchical and reduce congregational autonomy. Their concerns and arguments can be found here: <b style="font-weight:normal"><a href="https://savethe7principles.org" style="text-decoration:none" class="ContentPasted1"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">https://savethe7principles.org</span></a>.
You may be particularly interested in a side-by-side comparison of the current and proposed Article II (attached).</b></div>
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The study commission's document calls for congregational conversations about the proposed changes to inform the votes of their GA delegates. As one of those delegates, I am asking everyone who can to review the proposed changes and share your thoughts at one
of the two discussion sessions being held this Sunday at 9:30 and 12:30. If you are unable to attend, please feel free to email me at bennphil@hotmail.com, and I will share your thoughts with the other two delegates.</div>
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Let me say that I believe both the proponents and opponents of the revisions to be operating in good faith and giving serious thought to how we should best express our UU values. Loving and respectful disagreement/discussion is a longstanding UU tradition.
I am asking that we continue that tradition this Sunday to provide insight and guidance for this year's GA delegates.</div>
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Rebecca Phillips</div>
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