At the Annual Meeting we will vote on the 8th Principle. 

8th Principle Resolution:

Article II of the Unitarian Universalist Association Bylaws begins with:
“We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote” and then provides the existing seven principles.

The Albany UU Board of Trustees and the Ministries and Operations team, with further endorsements from the Social Justice team, Inclusivity team, Religious Education Council, Personnel committee, Membership team, and other groups, hereby move that our congregation adopt an eighth principle:

“journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”

Background:

The Board charged the Inclusivity Team: “to engage the congregation in conversations about the 8th principle and to make recommendations to the board whether to bring it, or a similar resolution, for a congregational vote.”  

After an extensive information campaign and three congregational conversations, the Inclusivity Team recommended that we move forward with a vote to adopt the Eights Principle. The Board agreed and voted unanimously in support of its adoption.

While the majority of comments received fall into the category of “why haven’t we adopted this already?”, there have also been dissenting voices. The Board recognizes that this is a significant vote and has proposed that this resolution will require a 2/3 majority to pass. This will be included in the Annual Meeting Rules of Procedure, which the congregation must approve at the Annual Meeting.

The Bylaws require a majority vote on internal resolutions (such as a budget or the expansion of the building) and a 2/3 vote on external resolutions (such as becoming a Sanctuary congregation or opposing hydrofracking). In addition to deeming it a potentially sensitive vote, the Board felt that the Eighth Principle has aspects that are both internal and external. The congregation will have final decision on this matter when it votes on the Rules of Procedure.