At the special meeting of the parish on December 12, 2021, the congregation voted unanimously in favor of two warrant articles related to the proposed 8th Principle of Unitarian Universalism.
Support for Action at General Assembly (GA)
On Article II, the parish voted to endorse the adoption at General Assembly of the Proposed 8th Principle of Unitarian Universalism, to be located in Article II of the UUA Bylaws containing the Principles, Sources, and Purposes of the UUA, either in its current form or in another form which embodies substantially the same spirit and substance. As currently worded, the Proposed 8th Principle reads:
We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: 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.
The Parish Committee will communicate this action by First Parish to the Article II Study Commission. Pursuant to the UUA bylaws, the Study Commission periodically reviews the UUA’s Covenant with its member congregations and is currently specifically charged to include the essence of the Proposed 8th Principle in its review. We will also communicate our vote in support of endorsement to the 8th Principle Project, a grassroots movement working since 2013 to articulate a commitment to dismantle racism and other forms of oppression within the Covenants made between and within the member congregations of the UUA. You can find more information about the Study Commission, the 8th Principle Project, and their work on this important issue here: https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/article-ii-study-commission/blog/8thprinciple-0
The 2022 UUA General Assembly will meet June 22—26, either online or in person at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland Oregon. General Assembly is the annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists, where delegates conduct business of the Association, explore the theological underpinnings of our faith, and delve deeply into our mission and principles. Anyone may attend. In-person registration is now open; virtual registration (for online attendance) will open in March. Read more about GA here: https://www.uua.org/ga.
Proposed 8th Principle Adopted for First Parish in Cohasset
In action on Article III of the warrant at its December 12 meeting, the congregation adopted an amended version of the Proposed 8th Principle of Unitarian Universalism to be added to the list of existing Principles of First Parish in Cohasset. As amended and adopted by the parish, the language reads:
We, the members of First Parish in Cohasset Unitarian Universalist, covenant to affirm and promote: moving 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.
The Parish Committee will ask Advocates for Racial Equity, the First Parish group that has been studying and working on anti-racism, to develop an action plan for moving forward with this effort.