Interweave Continental and the CUC
The history of the relationship between the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Canadian Unitarian Counsel / Conseil Unitarien du Canada (CUC) has been friendly but somewhat tumultuous, with the official relationship agreement changing more and more frequently over the last 40 years.
The UUA Board of Trustees reached a turning point in this process in 2001, when their ongoing work of looking at everything they do through an anti-racist, anti-oppressive lens brought them to the realization that the UUA's relationship to the CUC was essentially imperilaistic because Canada had only one member on the UUA Board of Trustees of 22. Canada had only token representation in making decisions that deeply affected them. In July 2002, the CUC and UUA officially separated on good terms. (For an excellent discussion of the cultural evolution of Canada and the US, and the CUC and UUA, see "The CUC: From Colony To Nation 1961-2002" by Charles Eddis.) In the new relationship, the CUC provides congregational services to its own congregations. The CUC and UUA share services for Ministry, Youth, and Young Adults. Continental organizations with constituencies in Canada continue to serve Canadians, including Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU) for youth, Continental Unitarian Universalist Young Adult Network (C*UUYAN) for young adults, the Unitarian Universalist Women's Federation (UUWF), and Interweave Continental: Unitarian Universalists for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns.
When I last served on the Board of Interweave Continental, we had two Canadian board members and our annual Convocation (Convo) was hosted by the congregation in Edmonton Alberta Canada. Over the last few years, participation by Canadians in Interweave Continental has dropped off as they concentrate on growing their own denominational organization, denominational staff, and vital congregations in Canada. I last saw Canadian friends at Convocation in 2004. I don't know when there was last a Canadian on the Interweave Continental Board, but I don't think it was in the last 4 years. I enjoyed working and celebrating with Canadians over the years, and I feel deeply the lack of their presence at the table.
In February, I was elected to the Interweave Continental Board after several years off it. I asked about our relationship with the CUC and Canadian Unitarians, Universalists, and Unitarian Universalists; no one knew anything concrete. During 9ICB (see my post), I had the serendipitous opportunity to meet with Philip Strapp of the CUC, and verified that this would be a good time to explore re-establishing a working relationship between Interweave Continental and the CUC.
I requested and received the portfolio to work out a new formal relationship between Interweave Continental, and today I prepared and sent the initial email in that conversation.
I look forward to working with people in the CUC to reformalize our relationship, and I look forward to seeing what we together decide makes sense.
The UUA Board of Trustees reached a turning point in this process in 2001, when their ongoing work of looking at everything they do through an anti-racist, anti-oppressive lens brought them to the realization that the UUA's relationship to the CUC was essentially imperilaistic because Canada had only one member on the UUA Board of Trustees of 22. Canada had only token representation in making decisions that deeply affected them. In July 2002, the CUC and UUA officially separated on good terms. (For an excellent discussion of the cultural evolution of Canada and the US, and the CUC and UUA, see "The CUC: From Colony To Nation 1961-2002" by Charles Eddis.) In the new relationship, the CUC provides congregational services to its own congregations. The CUC and UUA share services for Ministry, Youth, and Young Adults. Continental organizations with constituencies in Canada continue to serve Canadians, including Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU) for youth, Continental Unitarian Universalist Young Adult Network (C*UUYAN) for young adults, the Unitarian Universalist Women's Federation (UUWF), and Interweave Continental: Unitarian Universalists for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns.
When I last served on the Board of Interweave Continental, we had two Canadian board members and our annual Convocation (Convo) was hosted by the congregation in Edmonton Alberta Canada. Over the last few years, participation by Canadians in Interweave Continental has dropped off as they concentrate on growing their own denominational organization, denominational staff, and vital congregations in Canada. I last saw Canadian friends at Convocation in 2004. I don't know when there was last a Canadian on the Interweave Continental Board, but I don't think it was in the last 4 years. I enjoyed working and celebrating with Canadians over the years, and I feel deeply the lack of their presence at the table.
In February, I was elected to the Interweave Continental Board after several years off it. I asked about our relationship with the CUC and Canadian Unitarians, Universalists, and Unitarian Universalists; no one knew anything concrete. During 9ICB (see my post), I had the serendipitous opportunity to meet with Philip Strapp of the CUC, and verified that this would be a good time to explore re-establishing a working relationship between Interweave Continental and the CUC.
I requested and received the portfolio to work out a new formal relationship between Interweave Continental, and today I prepared and sent the initial email in that conversation.
I look forward to working with people in the CUC to reformalize our relationship, and I look forward to seeing what we together decide makes sense.