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The Seven Eight Principles
  1. The inherent worth and dignity of every person;

  2. Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;

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

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

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

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

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

  8. And our Eighth Principle... We affirm and promote the following 8th Principle:

    Journeying toward spiritual wholeness by building a diverse, multicultural Beloved Community that by our actions accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.

NEWS FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Message from the Board about a New Policy for a
Healthy, Safe, and Inclusive Environment

(October 5, 2025) A new policy helping us promote a healthier environment has been adopted by the Board. Many members and friends who use our facilities suffer from allergies and chemical sensitivities. Our community also wants to be a good steward of the Earth. Thus, the Board has decided to make the switch from traditional personal and cleaning supplies to “free and clear” products. “Free and clear” products typically don’t contain perfumes, essential oils, dyes, phthalates, 1,4- Dioxane, and other harmful chemicals.

It may take a while to coordinate a total switch in our personal care supplies throughout the building, but so far non-allergenic “free and clear” products have been provided in the lavatories, kitchens and laundry facilities.

The wording of the policy is also available on this website under document archives, at this link.

If you bring any products to assist with our supplies, please adhere to this policy.

— Annabel G, Secretary of the Board of Trustees

What's Up with the Board: Highlights of Our Annual Retreat

(September 5-6, 2025) UUs of Mt. Airy is in a momentous period, within and without, as we rise to meet this moment in our congregational life, with our community partners, and in the nation. The annual retreat provides an opportunity for board members to take stock, get to know each other better, and to have extended discussions about UUs of Mt. Airy issues beyond our monthly business. This year, the board (Anam O-E, assistant moderator; Len R, treasurer; Annabel G, secretary, and Bruce P-J and Anthony C, trustees, and I) and Reverend McKinley met for dinner Friday night at our house to welcome Anthony as our newest member, after which McKinley set the stage for our work on Saturday in Hale Lounge.

Reviewing the past year, we noted the impact of the new administration and its multiple threats, changes in our music program and religious exploration staff, Reverend McKinley's sabbatical, and an upswing in visitors and new members. Welcome! We're thrilled to have you! Two work groups - the Strategy Team and Beloved Conversations cohort - worked diligently to lay the foundations, grounded in congregational input, to make recommendations for our future. In addition, the Community Fridge and Pantry and our new garden have flourished; the Justice Council held a retreat to shape its mission; and a new chapter of UUs for Justice in the Middle East was founded.

This year, the board is anticipating further involvement by the congregation in shaping these recommendations, leading toward implementation over a two-year period. We are aiming for a December 16 presentation about the strategic planning process and its outcome, led by David Devan, which will include another round of input from members and friends. In addition, we have a group of folks who are taking an online training course from the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) this fall to design a Right Relations team for UUs of Mt. Airy that could help us navigate the inevitable tensions and conflicts that are part of an engaged and caring community in covenant. The 2-3 members of this team will be determined at a later time. This effort is an outgrowth of the Beloved Conversations program that completed the two-year AMONG curriculum on addressing congregational manifestations of institutional racism and the Euro-centric behavioral and cultural norms that perpetuate White supremacy.

At the retreat, we talked about the need for regular feedback and assessment of our professional ministry and our shared ministries. Traditionally, UU congregations have a Committee on Ministry, which serves this purpose in the light of the mission. As a first step, the board used a self-assessment tool to look at our own strengths and challenges as a board, and we established the need for additional assessment in mission-related areas, such as music, religious exploration, worship,

and stewardship, as a priority this year. As an interim step, pending strategic recommendations in this area, the 8th Principle Team was asked to serve as a proxy for the congregation to assess the professional ministry, which is in process. A report will be available to the congregation. Recognizing our unmet responsibility as a congregation for this essential function also raises the question: how are we going to get this done, along with everything else? As with other small congregations, there are barely enough of us to meet our basic needs, beyond the extraordinary efforts and commitments that are so meaningful for many of our members. Toward this conundrum, the next section of the board's retreat was a consideration of sociocracy as an alternative model of governance that would allow people to join others in projects and tasks of shared interest. This is similar to how our Building and Grounds Committee has operated for many years. Board members watched a video about this model from the UUA and discussed its potential application to UUs of Mt. Airy. This model is flexible, responsive, democratic, and accountable in its structure and decision-making, and it could enable us to implement some of the coming recommendations.

For the remainder of the retreat, the board addressed monthly business items. Minutes of the board retreat (in process) will be posted in the hallway outside the church office and on the website. Everyone is invited to reach out to any of the board members to ask questions and to share your comments, concerns, and ideas. Our aim is to share highlights of monthly board meetings (first Sundays of the month) in person after the service on the second Sunday, as well as in this newsletter. We are in transformational times. I find that my service as moderator within this remarkable community is becoming my spiritual practice and a form of political action. When I remember to ask myself how I might respond out of Love – usually not my first take – my perspective shifts, along with my part in the power dynamics of an interaction or situation. I remain so grateful to all of you for sharing our aspirations toward Beloved Community and a better world; for belonging to a place where we can keep trying to see and hear and touch and be moved by each other.

Lastly, an apology is an order for our failure to send out a notice of a congregational meeting for the vote to ordain Reverend Shaie D. We were aware of the timeframe and had a plan, and we missed the execution. Nonetheless, thank you for attending and participating in the unanimous straw vote in favor, which will be so noted and endorsed by the board. (In UUism, congregations ordain new ministers – not boards.) Please join us on Saturday, 9/27, at 12:30 in Fellowship Hall for a luncheon to celebrate this milestone for Reverend Shaie and UUs of Mt. Airy.

With Love,
Cathy M, Moderator

Members of the Board | Board Covenant
Board Agenda Request Form

NOTE: Save the Board Request Form to your computer. It may then be filled out online,
saved and emailed to the Moderator.

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