Unitarian Universalists in the Media

A frequently updated guide to stories about Unitarian Universalists from other sources around the web.

Friday, December 30, 2005

The Seven Principle UU news stories of 2005

by Sonja L. Cohen

It has become an American tradition to kiss the year good-bye with an onslaught of lists. Everywhere we look--magazines, radio, TV--we are bombarded with retrospectives: The 10 best novels of 2005, the 100 steamiest love scenes, the 50 most horrendous celebrity breakups. Not to be left out, we at uuworld.org wondered: What's a UU news blog to do? Join the crowd, of course, with stories from the year that exemplify our UU Seven Principles! And while all those other media folks are sweating over their lists of the year's 1,000 greatest advertising gimmicks and the 200 greatest smiles, we can relax and enjoy the holiday, because we UUs don't need a list of 50 or even 10; we just need seven.

The Seven Principle News Stories of 2005

1. The inherent worth and dignity of every person.

Minister with cerebral palsy has special mission
UUs spend a lot of energy on welcoming gays and lesbians and other marginalized groups, but inevitably some are overlooked. The Rev. Laurie Thomas, who has cerebral palsy, sees her ministerial calling as this: to help people simultaneously see and not see her disability and the handicaps of others. She knows that to achieve this goal she'll need to teach people the difference between looking past something and overlooking it. (Lansing State Journal - Lansing, MI 3.13.05)

2. Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations.

The marriage equality backlash
Great headway has been made in the fight for same-sex marriage, but there have also been major setbacks. Two victims of the marriage equality backlash are Barbara Kenny and Tibby Middleton, who had to leave behind the home and community they loved after a Virginia law declared that same-sex couples were not entitled to the benefits or protections that straight, married couples get. (The Washington Post - Washington, DC 12.18.05)

See Also: "Film documents law's effect on same-sex couple" (uuworld.org - 8.15.05)

3. Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations.

Church's tradition brings joy and meaning
Because of the multifaith and individualized nature of Unitarian Universalism there are very few traditions we can truly call our own. That's part of what makes the UU Fellowship of New River Valley's Advent Garden ceremony so special. Started about 13 years ago, the children's festival held at the church in Blacksburg, Virginia, each winter commemorates the solstice shift, and has become a deep-rooted and highly meaningful tradition for the 170-member congregation. The ceremony starts when children are ushered into the dark sanctuary, which has been decorated with an enormous spiral of evergreen boughs ending with a candle in the center. The children carry battery-operated candles and place them in hurricane lamps lining the spiral, which is decorated with natural images such as feathers, apples, and skulls. As the church's choir sings, the sanctuary is lit and the service ends when the children extinguish the lights one by one. "We know there are some advent celebrations at other churches, but we have not been able to find a similar one to what we do," said service coordinator Cathy Van Noy. (Roanoke Times - Roanoke, VA 12.3.05)

4. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning.

UUs free to debate God's place in church
"God" is a controversial word among Unitarian Universalists, which was as clear as ever at the 2005 General Assembly in Fort Worth, Texas. But the openness to debate and questioning is part of what makes Unitarian Universalism such a unique faith. GA participant the Rev. Craig Roshaven described his congregation thus: "Some are Christians like myself," he said. "Some are humanists who don't think God language is useful. But we are all striving to help one another as we seek to live lives of wholeness and hope." (Fort Worth Star Telegram - Fort Worth, TX 7.9.05)

5. The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.

Just say know
The Our Whole Lives: Sexuality and Our Faith program is helping to spawn a new generation of informed, responsible teens who are both educated about and comfortable with their sexuality. UU high school junior Erin Miller writes about the the program's efforts to defeat ignorance and allow teens to be better educated than any generation before them. "OWL is creating a group of teens who will be sexually responsible," she says, "and who will make choices based on health and knowledge." (The Register-Guard - Eugene, OR 12.12.05)

6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all.

World War II heros honored as 'Righteous'
A UU couple was posthumously recognized for their efforts to help hundreds flee the Nazi regime during the Holocaust--work that remains particularly relevant today given the continuing genocide in Darfur. The Sharps were chosen Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem, the Holocaust remembrance authority in Jerusalem. (The Boston Globe - Boston, MA 12.12.05)

See Also: "Unitarian couple honored for World War II heroism" uuworld.org - 12.12.05)

7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence, of which we are a part.

Green Sanctuary program inspires environmental consciousness
Olympia Brown UU Church in Racine, Wisconsin, is living the Seventh Principle through their Green Sanctuary program. The congregation has gotten serious about environmentalism with a variety of hands-on initiatives ranging from battery, fluorescent bulb, and computer recycling programs to community education and removing invasive species from area forest ecosystems. (Journal Times - Racine, WI 9.24.05)

Update 1.4.06: Thanks to Erika Nonken in the UUA's Public Information Office for her story research and suggestions.

posted by Sonja L. Cohen at 2:52 PM

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