<div dir="ltr">A note to all of us from our faithful treasurer, Don Poole, regarding serving as our delegate at the UUA's General Assembly. <div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">---------- Forwarded message ---------<br><br></div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr"><br></div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">From: <strong class="gmail_sendername" dir="auto">Don Poole</strong> <span dir="auto"><<a href="mailto:dpoolecpa@gmail.com">dpoolecpa@gmail.com</a>></span><br>Date: Fri, Jul 4, 2025 at 11:07\u202fAM<br>Subject: Email to FUUSM<br></div><div dir="ltr"><div><br></div><div>Greetings FUUSM friends. As I write this message to you I am filled with joy and enthusiasm after attending the UUA General Assembly (GA) in Baltimore, Maryland and serving as FUUSM delegate to the conference. <div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">I'm sorry that I cannot be here with you in person but when you hear these words, I will be in New York City celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride and my love for the arts with friends and family. </div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">I volunteered to be delegate from FUUSM to GA because no one else was able or interested and attending GA in person has always been on my bucket list. I have a good friend who lives within walking distance of the convention center who was happy to provide accommodations so the cost, which I incurred on my own, without FUUSM funds, was minimal. I was not familiar with the agenda before attending so I had no preconceived biases and therefore no agenda. I just wanted to experience it and make sure that FUUSM was represented.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Part of the business of GA is to elect GA officers and, this year, Moderator(s) for GA that will serve a six year term. The candidates for Board of Trustees, <a href="https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/coa" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Commission on Appraisal</a> ran unopposed. <a href="https://www.uuworld.org/articles/uua-moderator-candidate-statement-kimberly-quinn-johnson-bill-young-general-assembly-2025" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Rev. Kimberly Quinn Johnson and Bill Young</a> were elected moderators. </div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div>Delegates also discussed and voted on <a href="https://www.uua.org/action/process/2025-csais-congregational-study-action-issues" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Congregational Study/Action Items</a>. (CSAI) which are three-year processes where UU congregations engage in focused study, reflection and action around a social justice issue. The three issues discussed were:</div><div><br></div><div><ol style="box-sizing:border-box;padding-left:2rem;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:1em;color:rgb(33,37,41);font-family:"TeX Gyre Heros",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif"><li style="margin-left:15px;box-sizing:border-box;margin-bottom:1em"><a href="https://www.uua.org/action/process/2025-proposed-csais/abolition-faith-formation" rel="noreferrer" style="color:rgb(69,76,153);box-sizing:border-box;background-color:transparent" target="_blank">Abolition, Transformation, and Faith Formation</a></li><li dir="ltr" style="margin-left:15px;box-sizing:border-box;margin-bottom:1em"><a href="https://www.uua.org/action/process/fat-liberation-building-justice-and-inclusion-larger-bodies" rel="noreferrer" style="color:rgb(55,61,122);box-sizing:border-box;background-color:transparent;text-decoration-line:none;outline:-webkit-focus-ring-color auto 5px" target="_blank">Fat Liberation: Building Justice and Inclusion for Larger Bodies</a></li><li dir="ltr" style="margin-left:15px;box-sizing:border-box;margin-bottom:0px"><a href="https://www.uua.org/action/process/housing-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-2025-csai" rel="noreferrer" style="color:rgb(69,76,153);box-sizing:border-box;background-color:transparent" target="_blank">Housing: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion</a></li></ol></div><div>More information about these CSAI's may be found by following the links.</div><div><br></div><div>The CSAI that garnered the most support from the delegates was number 1. Abolition, Transformation and Faith Formation.</div><div><br></div><div>Delegates also approved several Actions of Immediate Witness (AIW). Those are:</div><div><br></div><div><h1 id="m_-6906400040626038120m_-8113030383364688202m_8932902425350333209gmail-h1" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px 0px 0.5em;font-weight:500;line-height:1.2;color:rgb(33,37,41);font-family:"TeX Gyre Heros",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif"><font size="2"><a href="https://www.uua.org/action/process/2025-proposed-aiw-all-people-have-inherent-worth-and-inalienable-rights" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">We Declare and Affirm: Immigrants Are People Who Have Inherent Worth and Inalienable Rights</a></font></h1></div><div><h1 id="m_-6906400040626038120m_-8113030383364688202m_8932902425350333209gmail-h1" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px 0px 0.5em;font-weight:500;line-height:1.2;color:rgb(33,37,41);font-family:"TeX Gyre Heros",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif"><font size="2"><a href="https://www.uua.org/action/process/2025-proposed-aiw-faithful-defiance-authoritarianism" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Faithful Defiance of Authoritarianism: Reaffirming Our Covenants for Democracy and Freedom</a></font></h1></div><div><h1 id="m_-6906400040626038120m_-8113030383364688202m_8932902425350333209gmail-h1" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px 0px 0.5em;font-weight:500;line-height:1.2;color:rgb(33,37,41);font-family:"TeX Gyre Heros",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif"><font size="2"><a href="https://www.uua.org/action/process/2025-proposed-aiw-funding-global-lgbtiq-freedom-amid-crisis" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Defending LGBTIQ Freedom Amid Funding Crisis: A Call for Global Solidarity</a></font></h1></div><div>You may view these links in an email that will go out to all members and friends in the coming days.</div><div><br></div><div>GA also offered special sessions devoted to topics of particular interest. I chose to attend sessions on congregation administration. I learned a lot about the struggles of congregations to support office assistants and congregation administrators. I learned a lot and I was able to forge a network of support from UUA staff and other administrators.</div><div><br></div><div>Finally, I was deeply moved by the inspirational messages from <span style="color:rgb(0,29,53);font-family:"Google Sans",Roboto,Arial,sans-serif"><a href="https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/officers/president" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt</a>, President of the UUA, <a href="https://www.uua.org/people/carey-mcdonald" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Carey McDonald</a>, Executive President of the UUA, </span><span style="color:rgb(0,29,53);font-family:"Google Sans",Roboto,Arial,sans-serif"><a href="https://www.meadville.edu/about/faculty-staff-and-trustees/faculty/biography/nicole-kirk/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Rev. Dr. Nicole Kirk</a>, Associate Professor at Meadville Lombard Theological School, and a host of others on topics ranging from Our Whole LIves (OWL) celebrating 25 years to the history of the Unitarian church in the US which is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year.</span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(0,29,53);font-family:"Google Sans",Roboto,Arial,sans-serif"><br></span></div><div><font color="#001d35" face="Google Sans, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif">You may view much of this content by following this <a href="https://www.uua.org/ga/off-site/2025" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">link</a>. I believe that you'll have an opportunity to view some of the Sunday service during this morning's service. I highly recommend that you take the time to view some of these videos. I'm sure they will inspire you and make you proud that you are a Unitarian Universalist. </font></div><div><br></div><div>Much love to all and happy Pride!</div><div><br></div><div>Don Poole</div><div>Treasurer and UUA GA Delegate</div></div></div>
</div><div><br clear="all"></div><div><br></div><span class="gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div>Dawn Hewitt</div><div>Office assistant</div><div>First Unitarian Universalist Society of Marietta</div><div>232 Third St.</div><div>Marietta, OH 45750</div><div>(740)373-1238</div><div>Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 10 a.m.--2 p.m. <br></div></div></div></div></div>