At this month’s First Hour, we will get an overview of the UUA Committee on Institutional Change report called Widening the Circle of Concern and ask for feedback in terms of our congregation. This report and curriculum invite congregations and communities to:
- Understand the reasons the report was commissioned and the events that led up to its commissioning.
- Explore why the community or congregation has chosen to engage in studying its recommendations.
- Take actions toward implementing the recommendations.
Deciding to Study the COIC Report Widening the Circle of Concern: Report of the UUA Commission on Institutional Change must not be viewed as simply an academic exploration into the current state of the prevalence of White Supremacy Culture within Unitarian Universalism. A mere sociological interest in the Commission on Institutional Change (COIC)’s findings would be an insult to the commissioners’ hundreds of dedicated hours of work and would treat as entertainment the re-traumatization of those who gave painful testimony. Instead, as a people of faith, Unitarian Universalists must approach this report with the humility and resolve of a truth and reconciliation council. We must understand that, as a “living tradition,” our faith’s survival depends on its relevance, and relevance depends on accepting and addressing the truth of the findings of the Commission. To fully accept this truth with integrity requires action at every level of our movement.