Gini Courter, Moderator

Board of Trustees

Unitarian Universalist Association

25 Beacon Street

Boston, MA 02108

 

January 16, 2008

 

Dear Gini and Members of the UUA Board of Trustees:

 

I write on behalf of the Board of the Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA) to express our concern about this June’s General Assembly and the controversies surrounding the requirement for formal government identification for admittance to convention center events.  We have been following the information flowing from the UUA as well as the many conversations around this issue.  We know that you, as well as we, have been distressed by these circumstances themselves, as well as by their potential impact on attendance and the important work, education, and conversation that happens when we gather.  The current situation is regrettable on many fronts and we are not writing to express blame or simply to complain.

 

However, we do wish you to know that as a religious professional organization we will need to make some difficult decisions in the weeks to come about if and how we will participate.  Those decisions may be impacted by a number of decisions and actions still to be decided:

 

  • Are other sites still being sought?  We realize it is unlikely that a site which meets our requirements for size, cost and environmental impact might be found at this late date, but is this being fully explored?

 

In case there are no other options possible:

 

  • Will off-convention site venues for worship, especially for Sunday morning and the Service of the Living Tradition, but also the others, be re-considered?  Where else might they be, even if it went back to a “double service” format?

 

  • Can the UUA offer legal assistance to undocumented UUs who might need it?

 

  • Are you still pursuing an accessible live video feed for those unwilling or unable to enter the Convention Center?  Will delegates be able to participate in plenary sessions from such a site?

 

  • Can we have more off-site options for our events, given the unusual circumstances? 

 

We expect to be writing our membership after the completion of your meeting to give them the fullest possible picture of the situation and to find out who will come to GA to participate under what circumstances.

 

We know that your plate is full, with the GA dilemma as well as with other important business of our Association, but we look forward to receiving your input.

 

Many thanks for the work you do on behalf of the faith.  We know it is not always easy.

 

Warm regards,

 

 

 

Susan Archer

(on behalf the entire LREDA Board: Lori Allen, Anne Bancroft, Cindy Leitner, Ginger Luke, Cathy Seggel, Kathy Silver, Patti Withers)