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President's  Message
CUUPS-Contienental Goes GA-GA
So here we are, for the first time ever, attending a General Assembly where most of the CUUPS National Board was not in attendance; where for the first time ever we had no merchandise to sell; and where, for the first time ever, our Booth in the Exhibit Hall was less about selling things and meet-and-greet activities, and more about actually giving people "A Taste Of Paganism". So, what were we trying to accomplish here, how did it go, and what did we learn and discover from this year's General Assembly that is relevant to the future of CUUPS-Continental and the Pagan strand of the UUA Sources?
Many of you might already be aware that the UUA is having meetings to re-examine the Principles and Purposes of the Organization. This review is mandated by the bylaws, and was begun by a Special Commission in 2006. The Commission presented a report on this topic at this year's GA. Many who are aware of this review have been wondering if the UUA might be going to change its statement of Principles and Purposes to do such things as delete the Sixth Source or in other ways make some kind of judgment about the Pagan branch of Unitarian Universalist thought. It is apparent from having listened to the report that no such action is contemplated, and that this re-examination is a healthy way of looking at what we think and believe, and why we do so, and deciding if there are nuances we need to address. However, looking at this focus on the Principles and Purposes, combined with the disaffiliation of all the theological interest groups preceding last year's GA, a message had been taken prior to General Assembly 2008, by not only CUUPS but other theologically-based groups, that we need to reaffirm the context of our beliefs, and be willing to further elucidate where we fit into the fabric of Unitarian Universalism, and how our theologies interact with the message of enlarging the Spirit and healing the world. So, at General Assembly, in our booth and in our offsite activities, we were attempting to do that.
Sharing a booth with UUJA & more: Click here to read the rest of the article on the CUUPS website |
Bond of Druids: A Druid Journal
is a new electronic and paper publication for Druids and all who follow an earth-centered path. Druid communities contain a wealth of ingenuity, creativity, diversity and a treasury of talent. Many people in this vast community dream of publishing their ideas, writing, artwork, ceremonies and rituals, photography and research, but find the process of publishing a work overwhelming. This easy-to-access electronic journal makes the perfect bridge between where creative people are and what may be their ultimate publishing projects.
At this time, we are also accepting submissions for the second issue of the journal. Please see our web site http://www.mygrove.us/bond_of_druids/ for details.
The editors of this journal (Bob Patrick and Paige Varner) are CUUPS members affiliated with the UU Congregation of Ganett in Lawrenceville, Georgia.
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Treasurer's Report
June 9th:
Cash on hand: $2,858
Only Outstanding Bill is $199 for Annual Meeting notice mailing.
YTD Revenue (May 12th):
Memberships $2,280
Chapter Dues $ 390
Donations $ 318
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CUUPS Bulletin is a publication of the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans, Inc.
The CUUPS Bulletin is available for free to anyone interested in UU-Paganism. To subscribe visit the CUUPS website and fill in the form at the top of the webpage.
Corporate Officers:
Pres. - Maureen Duffy-Boose,
Vice Pres - David Pollard,
Secretary - Rev. Bonnie Dlott,
Treasurer - Dick Merritt
At large Boardmembers: Rev. Adam Robersmith, Steve, Storm, Niko Tarini and Michael Walker.
Readership:
Jul. 2008 - 2,332
May 2008 - 2,309
Apr. 2008 - 2,263
Mar. 2008 - 2,112
Feb. 2008 - 2,028
Jan. 2008 - 1,720
Dec. 2007 - 1,408 | |
| Greetings!
Rather than regale you with Wikipedia-borne tales of what month we are in and the origin of its Earth-based holidays - for this time I'd simply like to apologize for not getting a June issue out. Between preparations for General Assembly, and the fact that late-May to early-July is when many (if not most) of our respective congregation hold their Annual Business Meetings and elections - the June issue never got finished. So, we waited for people to get home from GA, and made it a combined June/July issue. We should go back to our regular monthly schedule next month.
For the latest information and Aisling's post-General Assembly report, I urge you to visit the front page of the CUUPS website: www.cuups.org
Welcome to the seventh issue of the CUUPS Bulletin where Aisling talks about getting ready for General Assembly, we explore a possible UU Statement of Belief, help Druid veterans overcome the same obstacles Wiccans faced in getting a federally permitted gravestones that recognize their faith, and find out about a new organization for UU-Pagan college students. Also, we continue our Bylaw Review by discussing the powers of CUUPS Trustees and how we select our national officers.
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A UU Statement of Belief?
The professor of ministry at Meadville Lomard Seminary, Rev. David Bumbaugh believes the UUA needs a Statement of Belief - but does it work for UU-Pagans?
While our Principles and Purposes do give some very broad, nebulous outlines of what Unitarian Universalism is about - there has never been an explicitly UU "Statement of Belief" considered on a national level by our Association. In the 1800's both the Unitarians and the Universalists did have such statements, but the Unitarians had ended that practice long before the merger in 1961.
This is what Rev. Bumbaugh put forward as what such a statement might look like. Given Rev. Bumbaugh's personal history (he started his career 50+ years ago as a pre-merger Universalist minister) I expected to be far too "conservative" for my tastes - I was dead wrong.
While it's not a perfect match for me, it works.
I took it home to my congregation - which is about 80% Earth-centered, and they loved it.
So take a read, and think about it. I suspect that we will be hearing a lot more about this idea in the next few years.
We believe that the universe in which we live and move and have our being is the expression of an inexorable process that began in eons past, ages beyond our comprehension and has evolved from singularity to multiplicity, from simplicity to complexity, from disorder to order.
We believe that the earth and all who live upon the earth are products of the same process that swirled the galaxies into being, that ignited the stars and orbited the planets through the night sky, that we are expressions of that universal process which has created and formed us out of recycled star dust.
We believe that all living things are members of a single community, all expressions of a planetary process that produced life and sustains it in intricate ways beyond our knowing. We hold the life process itself to be sacred.
We believe that the health of the human venture is inextricably dependent upon the integrity of the rest of the community of living things and upon the integrity of those processes by which life is bodied forth and sustained. Therefore we affirm that we are called to serve the planetary process upon which life depends.
We believe that in this interconnected existence the well-being of one cannot be separated from the well-being of the whole, that ultimately we all spring from the same source and all journey to the same ultimate destiny.
We believe that the universe outside of us and the universe within us is one universe. Because that is so, our efforts, our dreams, our hopes, our ambitions are the dreams, hopes and ambitions of the universe itself. In us, and perhaps elsewhere, the Universe is reaching toward self-awareness, toward self consciousness.
We believe that our efforts to understand the world and our place within it are an expression of the universe's deep drive toward meaning. In us, and perhaps elsewhere, the Universe dreams dreams and reaches toward unknown possibilities. We hold as sacred the unquenchable drive to know and to understand.
We believe that the moral impulse that weaves its way through our lives, luring us to practices of justice and mercy and compassion, is threaded through the universe itself and it is this universal longing that finds outlet in our best moments.
We believe that our location within the community of living things places upon us inescapable responsibilities. Life is more than our understanding of it, but the level of our comprehension demands that we act out of conscious concern for the broadest vision of community of we can command and that we seek not our welfare alone, but the welfare of the whole. We are commanded to serve life and serve it to the seven times seventieth generation.
We believe that those least like us, those located on the margins have important contributions to make the rest of the community of life and that in some curious way, we are all located on the margins.
We believe that all that functions to divide us from each other and from the community of living things is to be resisted in the name of that larger vision of a world everywhere alive, everywhere seeking to incarnate a deep, implicate process that called us into being, that sustains us in being, that transforms us as we cannot transform ourselves, that receives us back to itself when life has used us up. Not knowing the end of that process, nonetheless we trust it, we rest in it, and we serve it.
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While this won't serve as that elusive "perfect elevator speech" that people keep trying to invent. It could serve as the basis for a 30 minute conversation over coffee. Given that UU's are embarassingly famous for NOT being able to say what they believe in, this may turn out to be a big step in a very good direction.
B*B,
David Pollard
Click to read Rev. Bumbaugh's full sermon text |
 Druids Seek DOD Approval for Awen
Remember the huge struggle and decade long campaign it took to get the Department of Defense to permit pentacles to be used on the graves of Wiccan soldiers?
Well, now the same officials are stonewalling the Druids. Ellen Hopman is coordinating an effort with CIrcle Network's Lady Liberty League to rectify the situation. But she needs your help.
If you are a Druid, and a veteran, she needs a statement in writing from you stating that you want the Awen on your memorial marker. You also need to communicate that wish to have the symbol on their marker to their next of kin and Ellen Hopman needs a copy of that communication as well.
Having those documents "on file" will expedite any requests that come in, in future. To contact Ellen, you can reach her snail mail at: EE Hopman POB 219, Amherst, MA 01004
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Bylaw Review: Trustee Powers & Officers
Should the bylaws grant CUUPS Trustees Superpowers?
Just kidding - though being able to fly would save a bundle in airfare.
This month we're going to look at the authority of Trustees and how CUUPS selects it's national officers.
The section of the CUUPS regulations which deal with the Powers of the Trustees is Article 10. The heart of it is it's first section which reads:
It shall be the power and duty of the Trustees:
(a) To perform any and all duties imposed on them collectively or individually by law, by the Articles of Incorporation, by these Regulations, or by proper act of the members;
(b) To appoint and to remove, to employ and to discharge, and except as otherwise provided in these Regulations, to prescribe the duties and to fix the compensation, if any, of all officers, agents and employees of CUUPS;
(c) To supervise all officers, agents and employees of CUUPS to assure that their duties are performed properly;
(d) To meet at such times and places as required by these Regulations;
(e) To register their addresses with the Secretary, acknowledging that notices of meetings mailed, telegraphed or telecommunicated to them at such addresses shall be valid notices thereof.
The Board may borrow money and incur indebtedness on behalf of the corporation, and cause to be executed and delivered for the corporation's purposes, in the corporate name, promissory notes, bonds, debentures, deeds of trust, mortgages, pledges, hypothecations, and other evidences of debt and securities.
The rest of the article, deals with such things as liability, stating that Trustees shouldn't collect a salary from CUUPS, that they shouldn't vote when it's a conflict of interest for them and that, as trustees, they have the right to inspect the books of the organization.
The board runs just about everything that has to do with CUUPS on the national front. Given the very widely dispersed nature of our membership and the fact that only a few percent of us ever meet in one place - it's really difficult to see any feasible alternative.
In CUUPS, the membership does not directly choose our national officers. The board select who is to be President, VP, Secretary and Treasuer from their own ranks. While this might be seen to diminish accountability to the members it also allows greater flexibility for Trustees who face sudden job/life changes.
Generally, this has worked pretty well for us, but again, if there were overwhelming member interest in the direct election of board officers - we'd need to consider it.
If you would like to comment on these issues, send an email to: cuups-bylaws@yahoogroups.com
Bright Blessings,
David Pollard
CUUPS VP | |
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