From the Minister, Fri Jul 27

Every two years, in even-numbered years, the delegates at General Assembly select one issue for our congregations to study and act on for the next four years. It's called a Congregational Study/Action Issue -- CSAI. We're always in the first two years of one CSAI while in the second two years of another.

In Jun 2016, General Assembly in Columbus, OH selected "The Corruption of Our Democracy" as the CSAI for 2016-2020. Read about it: HERE.

Last month, the 2018 General Assembly in Kansas City, MO selected "Undoing Intersectional White Supremacy" as the CSAI for 2018-2022. The study and actions taken on this issue in our congregations may lead to a Statement of Conscience to be voted on at the 2021 or 2022 General Assembly.

The premise of the issue we are asked to take up is:

"White supremacy culture operates economically, institutionally, politically, and culturally, shaping everyone’s chances to live healthy, fulfilling lives. It is also the nation’s most toxic export, shaping policies and practices that do profound harm to the Earth and all living things."

Congregations will study and take action on the issue as each congregation sees fit. The CSAI description, as adopted, includes some suggested starter questions for exploration:

• How are people socialized into various overlapping supremacy systems, creating a white dominated hetero patriarchy that serves the interests of US corporatism?
• How do different racial and economic strategies get applied to different racial groups, often disguised in coded language that pretends to be colorblind while having racialized impacts?
• How can we, as UUs, build transformative relationships of trust and accountability across race lines?

Good questions, not easily answered. I look forward to exploring them with you. Read the full description of this CSAI as adopted: HERE.

The 2018 General Assembly also adopted three AIWs (Actions of Immediate Witness):
"End Family Separation and Detention of Asylum Seekers and Abolish ICE"
"Dismantle Predatory Medical Care Practices in Prisons and End Prisons for Profit"
"We Are All Related: Solidarity with Indigenous Water Protectors"

Yours in the faith we share,
Meredith

The Liberal Pulpit.
Index of past sermons: HERE.
Index of other reflections: HERE.
Videos of sermons are on the Liberal Pulpit Youtube Channel: HERE.

Practice of the Week: Stay on Your Path and Explore New Paths. From Jun 15 through Jul 31, we won't be highlighting any particular Practices. We'll return in August to highlighting one each week -- sometimes introducing a new one and sometimes drawing your attention to a previously mentioned practice. In the meantime, stay on your path! And explore new paths! There are 165 "Practices of the Week" listed and indexed HERE. Look them over and choose your own Practices to highlight until August.

Your Moment of Zen: The Stick. Grandma had been living at Vinecot for as long as anyone could remember. She was white-haired and bent, and walked with a stick. She was a friend of Turkey, who had free run of her house. One day she came to see Raven who promptly flew up into the Assembly Oak. “Come down here, Raven Roshi,” she said. “I want to talk to you.” Raven flew down before her and observed, “We understand each other.” “Oh,” said Grandma, “I’ve been living in the forest for READ MORE
Zen at CUUC: Sat Jul 28