Last spring, the CVUU Board approved the creation of a task force to discuss the possibility of adding an 8th Principle to the existing seven UU Principles. The 8th Principle is something for which people of color in the UUA have been advocating for a number of years.

A special congregational meeting was held at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, November 20. Following discussion, the congregation members voted overwhelmingly to approve language which they recommend be included in the Article II revisions, in whatever form that inclusion takes.

Task force chair Al Hays added encouragement for members of the congregation to stay informed and active in the Article II revision process, including taking advantage of the many opportunities for input and planning for sending delegates to the 2023 General Assembly in Pittsburgh.

The language that was voted upon is as follows:

We, the Cedar Valley Unitarian Universalists, as a member congregation 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, and we recommend that the UUA as a whole do the same.

For more information about the fight for racial justice within Unitarian Universalism and about the 8th Principle in general, you can see the article on page 8 of our November newsletter and/or revisit these messages from our Sunday services:

• The Empowerment Controversy
• Journeying Toward Spiritual Wholeness: The Proposed 8th Principle and the Backlash Against It
• Journeying Together: A Discussion As Our Congregation Considers Adopting the 8th Principle
• The UUA Hiring Controversy, Efforts of Reparative Justice, and the Path Forward
• What’s a Gadfly? The 2019 GA Shake-Up and Healing What’s Broken