“Grounded in the living tradition of our free faith, yet charged with acting independently, the Commission on Appraisal’s mission is to provoke deep reflection, energizing and revitalizing Unitarian Universalism.” The words of our mission statement guide us in our work, as does our charge as written in the bylaws of the UUA, which is to “review any function or activity of the Association which will benefit from independent review and report its conclusions to a regular General Assembly.” That charge has led the Commission to a wide-ranging choice of topics over the years. We always try to get the ‘big picture’ view of what is going on in Unitarian Universalism, no matter what the particular focus of a given study may be. What all studies have in common is the Commission’s commitment to be present to Unitarian Universalists all over the continent with attentive ears, observant eyes, and open minds and hearts.

Though the topics for Commission reports have reflected the diverse and extremely busy nature of our Association, the last few studies seemed to have a common theme: how we are together as Unitarian Universalists. Interdependence: Renewing Congregational Polity was about the way that our congregations related to one another as voluntary members of the UUA. In gathering data for that study, a related theme emerged. Belonging: The Meaning of Membership, published in 2001, focused on the ways that we relate as individuals in voluntary association in our congregations. Again, our listening and data gathering yielded a related theme that has become the focus of our current study: Where Is The Unity In Our Theological Diversity? Because we are elected by the General Assembly, and report directly to the General Assembly, both our published reports, which are issued approximately every four years, and our oral reports at each General Assembly, are an important part of the work we do together. We are accountable directly to the General Assembly, and to the congregations represented by the delegates to GA. Our reports should always represent our best work, our best planning and communication, and our best efforts to honor the principles of our free faith as well as the stated commitment of the UUA to be an anti-racist, anti-oppressive institution. To our dismay and regret, our report to the plenary last year did not live up to those ideals. The report, in the form of a skit, was hastily written, carelessly reviewed, and unrehearsed. As a result, we ended up sending a far different message from the one we intended; a message that caused hurt and anger to many people present.

As elected leaders of this Association, we recognize that we are called upon to model best practices, even and especially when this means modeling the practice of learning from our own mistakes. From the moment we stepped off the stage last year, we have been engaged in that learning process. We issued a written apology that was posted on the UUA web site and referenced in the UU World article about GA. We also distributed that statement to the groups most directly affected by our actions.

Almost immediately after General Assembly last year we began a process of deepening our understanding the impact of racism on the work of even the most well-intentioned people. As a result, we understand in a new and powerful way the importance of an intentional application of anti-bias lenses to all our work. We have tried to develop an ongoing relationships with DRUUMM and the Journey Towards Wholeness Transformation Team and others with the intention of formalizing our structures of accountability and awareness.

Throughout the past year, we have also continued to pay attention to our mandate to conduct independent review of our movement and report on that review. The response to the announcement of our new topic – Where Is The Unity In Our Theological Diversity? - has been enthusiastic and impassioned. Attendance at our GA workshop last year was so unexpectedly large that people had to be turned away. At hearings held around the country – Massachusetts, Oregon, and Chicago – people have turned out eager to converse with us and with each other about their ideas of what it is that holds us together. Many have come with well thought out written statements; others who were unable to attend our hearings have emailed or mailed us their thoughts.

We are beginning to suspect that there might actually be an answer to the question of whether there is a center to Unitarian Universalism. It will not be found in the form of a simple or concise statement of belief , rather we are hoping to tease out the commonalties that we hear from you – perhaps they will be in the form of a shared commitment to certain values, practices, and assumptions that bring us together – or maybe they will be in the form of a world view, or a way of experiencing life.

At this GA we have convened focus groups with a number of groups that represent the theological diversity of contemporary Unitarian Universalism, as well as youth and young adults. Our workshop will invite you to reflect on both your personal faith and the culture of your congregation or faith community. What is the core of your personal faith? What is of ultimate value to you? What do you feel most passionate about? What brings you back to your congregation week after week, in spite of all the distractions and imperfections that congregations are prone to? These questions have led to some amazing conversations – even in a room filled with 200 Unitarian Universalists!

Three members of the Commission on Appraisal -- Janis Elliot, the Reverend Roberta Finkelstein, and Charles Redd -- will complete their terms on the Commission at the end of General Assembly. They will be replaced by three new members elected at this General Assembly. All of the members of the Commission on Appraisal are grateful for the opportunity to serve our movement. We have been gratified by the participation of a wide range of people in our study so far, and we thank you in turn for your time and your commitment to our faith. All are invited to correspond with the Commission regarding the current study or other topics of concern. The Commission on Appraisal can be reached via regular mail to the UUA at 25 Beacon Street or via e-mail at coa@uua.org. You may also follow current work of the Commission by logging on to the Commission’s web site at www.uua.org/coa.