Sometimes the best way to understand where you are today is to better ground yourself in the teachings of your past.

Recently, I came across some old pamphlets written in the early days of CUUPS. The first one I saw, when I joined in 1990 was called "Introducing CUUPS: The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans." I'd like to quote the last section of it - because so much of it still is completely valid today:

What the Future Holds
Contemporary Paganism is one of the fastest growing religious movements in North America. Both as a primary religious community for individuals of virtually all religious backgrounds, and as a focus of special spiritual attention, Contemporary Paganism is touching many Unitarian Universalists at a very deep level - not just those on the fringe of our movement, but also a large number of deeply committed UUs with long histories and substantial investment in the UU movement, as well as a not insignificant number of UU young people. (A surprising number of one-time LRY members can now be found in the non-UU Pagan community!) Contemporary Paganism is reaching the unchurched and the come- outers across the religious spectrum. It is a grass roots movement, coming largely from the laity (although a significant number of ministers are identifying with it, both privately and publicly). It is a movement in which men are also being given an opportunity to participate - and to take leadership roles - in work involving feminist and goddess-oriented spiritual values. And it is the first time since the Inquisition that Pagans are being welcomed into a mainstream religious body. That Pagan-oriented UUs and Jewish and Christian UUs can worship together under the same roof is a tremendous step forward for religious pluralism, with far-reaching implications not just for Unitarian Universalism, but for the whole of Western religious, and, indeed, the future of life on Mother Earth.

Best of Blessings,

David Pollard