The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of San Miguel de Allende held its annual meeting recently and affirmed the Declaration of Conscience, board members, a proposal for a minister, and social action commitments.
“With membership up from 86 to 120 and attendance up 19 percent, we are happy to announce an increase in our social action commitments,” said President John Simsarian. The congregation decided to award more than $27, 000 USD to nine local nonprofit organizations in 2017 to promote Mexican self-sufficiency through health, housing, water, nutrition, and educational initiatives.
Members also voted unanimously to affirm the UU Association’s Declaration of Conscience, which says:
At this extraordinary time in our nation’s history, we are called to affirm our profound commitment to the fundamental principles of justice, equity and compassion, to truth and core values of American society.
In the face of looming threats to immigrants, Muslims, people of color, and the LGBTQ community and the rise of hate speech, harassment and hate crimes, we affirm our belief in the inherent worth and dignity of every person.
In opposition to any steps to undermine the right of every citizen to vote or to turn back advances in access to health care and reproductive rights, we affirm our commitment to justice and compassion in human relations.
And against actions to weaken or eliminate initiatives to address the threat of climate change – actions that would threaten not only our country but the entire planet – we affirm our unyielding commitment to protect the interdependent web of all existence.
We will oppose any and all unjust government actions to deport, register, discriminate, or despoil.
As people of conscience, we declare our commitment to translate our values into action as we stand on the side of love with the most vulnerable among us.
We welcome and invite all to join in this commitment for justice.
The time is now.
Also affirmed unanimously by the membership were local UU leadership, as follows:
- John Simarian, President
- Judy Rosenthal, Vice President
- Bill Dalsimer, Secretary
- Jane Wilkenson, Treasurer
- Dick Snyder, Member at Large
- Jim Harper, Member at Large
Finally, the membership, which is lay led, voted unanimously to seek to engage a part-time consulting minister to help with services, recruitment of visiting ministers, care team, and pastoral care.
For more information, contact Simsarian at [email protected] and see uufsma.org.
By Robin Loving
