Dearest Congregants,
We are a new group convened to help our congregation become more conscious of ways that power dynamics, of which patriarchy is a part, affect our culture within UUCV, and to provide opportunities for us to learn new ways of being together. Following the work done by the Committee on Ministry and the themes which emerged, our group was formed as an “Equity Ministry” consisting of 3 men and 3 women with guidance as needed from Rev. Dana.
Our time together has already been rich and has led us to recognize that the collective hearts of our congregation are open to growth and can tolerate a bit of discomfort in addressing these issues. The plan is to bring these issues to the congregation with a variety of offerings. Our group strives for compassion and respect for one another amid differing views. Our hope is that we, as a congregation, can relate to one another in a similar way by expanding on the spirit of the UUCV Right Relations Covenant.
UPCOMING ACTIVITIES
· Facilitated discussion groups on topics of patriarchy and other hierarchical cultural systems
· Book group on issues in the works of Toni Morrison, (to be led by Susan Franzblau and Ryyn Schumacher)
· Workshop to explore how to unlearn patriarchy facilitated by Julie Moore, Gary Zinik and Celia Ortenberg
POTENTIAL FUTURE EVENTS
- Guest presentations from outside UUCV to broaden our perspectives, such as Rev. Rod Richards, Sr. Minister of the San Luis Obispo UU congregation, or consultants from the UUA and beyond
- Create a “library” of resources to share with the community such as TED talks, YouTube videos, etc.
It is possible that some will experience discomfort during these discussions. If or when this happens, we of the Equity Ministry all have agreed to make ourselves available to our members who want to have private discussions. Our email addresses can be found in the church directory.
In faith,
David Henkel and Neal Ortenberg on behalf of the rest of the Equity Ministry: Kathleen Wheeler, Kitty Merrill, Gary Zinik, and Diana Kubilos