<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><font size="4">Dear CoC members:</font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><font size="4">Thank you for being part of the CoC discussion on Tuesday evening.  For those of you not present, with planning collaboration from Meredith Warner I helped present the work the LSE committee has been doing this year looking at traits of Multicultural Collaboration and how to Decenter Whiteness in our work together as a congregation.  </font><span style="font-size:large">A request was made for me to share the handouts outlining the traits/practices of White dominant/white supremacy culture and those of a more inclusive, collaborative model.  </span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><font size="4">Jo Romano suggested that in April we take some time in the CoC meeting to report back on any ways we've brought this up with our Committees, or ways we've noticed these practices surfacing. So that's your assignment!  ❤☺   </font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><font size="4">Recap below (if you weren't there) and handouts attached.</font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><font size="4">With gratitude,</font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><font size="4">Liza</font></div><div><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-a7a477e2-7fff-b5ac-aa3c-645411802576"><font size="4"><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-left:36pt;margin-top:9pt;margin-bottom:9pt"><span style="color:rgb(55,56,57);font-family:"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:large">We shared a clip of </span></span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt;background-color:transparent;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">General Assembly <span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:large">last year, where the theme was "The Power of We."  The Sunday morning </span>Worship <span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:large">focused on this theme with a moving service.  Click here if you want to watch it in it's entirely.  (A great way to get a better understanding of what Joan has been invited to lead this coming June in Providence, RI!  </span> </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;text-decoration:underline;font-size:11pt;background-color:transparent;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-skip:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://www.uua.org/ga/past/2019/worship/sunday" style="text-decoration:none">Rev. Marta Valenti<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:large"></span>n</a></span><span style="background-color:transparent"><font color="#373839" face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"></span></font><span class="gmail_default"><font color="#373839" face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">.   (Note: A viewing of excerpts and a discussion of this worship service is happening </span></font><b style="color:rgb(55,56,57);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:large;white-space:pre-wrap">this Sunday, 1/19, from 12:30-2:30 in the Fireplace Room</b><font color="#373839" face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">.  Snacks provided, but BYO lunch is encouraged.). </span></font></span></span></p></font><font size="4"><p dir="ltr" style="font-family:-webkit-standard;color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:1.38;margin-top:9pt;margin-bottom:9pt"><span style="font-family:"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;color:rgb(55,56,57);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:large">We watched this clip from Rev. Valentin's worship: </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family:-webkit-standard;color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:1.38;margin-top:9pt;margin-bottom:9pt"><span style="font-family:"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;color:rgb(55,56,57);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:large"></span>It is time now, for this great, delicate turning that we are engaged in. For decades, we Black, Indigenous and People of Color have spoken up many times about how exclusionary our faith can be, even as Unitarian Universalism swears, we are the most inclusive. We have all said hard and harsh things to one another in pursuit of that better, truly equal, truly just, life-saving world we know can exist for ourselves and for seven generations to come. And we.are.all.so.tired. All of us know we must do better. But are all of us willing to be better?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:-webkit-standard;line-height:1.38;margin-left:36pt;margin-top:9pt;margin-bottom:9pt"><span style="font-family:"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;color:rgb(55,56,57);background-color:transparent;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family:-webkit-standard;color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:1.38;margin-top:9pt;margin-bottom:9pt"><span style="font-family:"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;color:rgb(55,56,57);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">My colleague Sofia Betancourt spoke this truth last year: “…we can never be the bearers of love and justice that the world so desperately needs if the foundation that sustains us is still perpetuating the very problems we long to solve.”  ~Rev. Marta Valentin, GA Worship, 2019</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:-webkit-standard;line-height:1.38;margin-left:36pt;margin-top:9pt;margin-bottom:9pt"><span style="font-family:"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;color:rgb(55,56,57);background-color:transparent;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">  </span><span style="color:rgb(55,56,57);font-family:"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:-webkit-standard;line-height:1.38;margin-top:9pt;margin-bottom:9pt"><span style="font-family:"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;color:rgb(55,56,57);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">definition of white supremacy culture</span><span style="font-family:"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;color:rgb(55,56,57);background-color:transparent;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> - </span><span style="font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">A set of institutional assumptions and practices, often operating unconsciously, that tend to benefit white people and exclude people of color<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> </span><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">(or others with traditionally less voice / power in our culture)</span>.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:-webkit-standard;line-height:1.38;margin-top:9pt;margin-bottom:9pt"><span style="font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:1.38;margin-top:9pt;margin-bottom:9pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, sans-serif"><span class="gmail_default" style="white-space:normal">The LSE </span><span style="font-size:medium;white-space:normal">committee and also the UCM staff have looked at <span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:large">the list of practices associated with white dominant culture, or white supremacy culture.  </span></span><span class="gmail_default" style="white-space:normal"></span><span style="font-size:medium;white-space:normal"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:large">We've done so with</span> a goal of trying to see when we find these unhelpful traits creeping into ourselves or our work together, and trying to switch gears.  As an LSE committee this has become a priority in how we work together. Here’s an example of when we started to fall into old patterns, with several elements from the white supremacy critique, but recalibrated when we noticed stress dominating the process, and chose a different approach.</span></font></span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-left:36pt;margin-top:9pt;margin-bottom:9pt"><span style="background-color:transparent"><span class="gmail_default"><font color="#373839" face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"><b>White supremacy traits manifesting in the beginning (listed parentheses).</b>  </span></font></span><font color="#373839" face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"></span></font></span><br></p><p dir="ltr" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:-webkit-standard;line-height:1.38;margin-left:36pt;margin-top:9pt;margin-bottom:9pt"><span style="font-family:"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;color:rgb(55,56,57);background-color:transparent;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">At the LSE’s Committee end-of-year retreat last June there was a jam packed agenda.  One of many pressing tasks was deciding on a replacement for Children’s Parting song<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> (paternalism in deciding what was best for the kids/congregation). B</span>oth Worship and Arts and LSE committees decided <span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">that </span>singing the changed lyrics against the composer’s wishes did not fit with our values<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"></span>.  Liza had rounded up options of alternatives used widely at other congregations, with some input from Donia of the Music Committee (Dick was on vacation that week)<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> (individualism, power hoarding)</span>.  If the committee could vote, Liza could get copies to the choir to have it in time for it to be ready by the first services in September<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> (sense of urgency).  </span>There was a sense of anxiety with the packed agenda, and all that had to be discussed and accomplished.  It seemed very important that the transition to the new song be ready by September… but was it? </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:-webkit-standard;line-height:1.38;margin-left:36pt;margin-top:9pt;margin-bottom:9pt"><span style="font-family:"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;color:rgb(55,56,57);background-color:transparent;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:-webkit-standard;line-height:1.38;margin-left:36pt;margin-top:9pt;margin-bottom:9pt"><span style="font-family:"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;color:rgb(55,56,57);background-color:transparent;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><b>A transition to a more multicultural, collaborative model (elements listed in parentheses):  </b></span><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:-webkit-standard;line-height:1.38;margin-left:36pt;margin-top:9pt;margin-bottom:9pt"><span style="font-family:"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;color:rgb(55,56,57);background-color:transparent;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">We realized that it would be too much to fit in that evening’s agenda.  We let go of our timeline<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> (effective leadership more important than efficient leadership)</span>.  More time for this transition would allow Liza to to get more people’s input on the songs we were choosing to put forward<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <i>(creation is done in community)</i></span>.  We realized it was a rich opportunity to give the children a voice and vote, since they rarely have that chance<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <i>(those most affected by a decision make the decision)</i></span>.  We could use the fall to fill the congregation in on the process.  We suggested to the Worship and Arts committee a placeholder song<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">--"</span>May the Longtime Sun Shine Upon You<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">"--</span> while we navigated the process with more calm and clarity and inclusiveness<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <i>(taking more time in setting goals of inclusivity)</i></span>.  We explained our process in a Time for All Ages in September<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <i>(embrace discomfort, new ideas are a gift, not a challenge)</i>.  </span> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:-webkit-standard;line-height:1.38;margin-left:36pt;margin-top:9pt;margin-bottom:9pt"><span style="color:rgb(55,56,57);font-family:"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent">Dick, Joan, Donia, Liza, and Eliza all helped narrow the options to three songs<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> (asking for help, collaboration)</span>.  Last week the kids voted on the song, tying into the theme of Integrity.  The presentation and vote included help from Members of Worship and Arts and the former members of LSE committee in presenting the options</span><span class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(55,56,57);white-space:pre-wrap;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <i>(asking for help, collaboration)</i>.</span><span style="color:rgb(55,56,57);font-family:"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent"> Theresa White, a teacher, helped navigate a way for the non-readers to participate and vote</span><span class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(55,56,57);white-space:pre-wrap;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <i>(take more time setting goals for inclusivity)</i></span><span style="color:rgb(55,56,57);font-family:"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent">.  We’ll try this new one out for a few months after communicating with the congregation via e-news.  There’s even discussion that maybe we don’t have ONE single Children’s Parting Song for the next 15 years, but that maybe we bounce between a few that we are very fond of</span><span class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(55,56,57);white-space:pre-wrap;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> <i>(both / and thinking, embrace complexity)</i>. Overall, a more inclusive and transparent process.  </span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(34,34,34)"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:-webkit-standard;line-height:1.38;margin-left:36pt;margin-top:9pt;margin-bottom:9pt"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br></span></p><p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:-webkit-standard;line-height:1.38;margin-left:36pt;margin-top:9pt;margin-bottom:9pt"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:large">This is all one of my favorite areas of self-reflection and awareness raising right now, so I'm happy to talk more with anyone around these ideas.  </span></span></p><p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:-webkit-standard;line-height:1.38;margin-left:36pt;margin-top:9pt;margin-bottom:9pt"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:large">Thanks,</span></span></p><p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:-webkit-standard;line-height:1.38;margin-left:36pt;margin-top:9pt;margin-bottom:9pt"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:large">Liza</span><br></span></p></font></span></div><div><font size="4"><br></font></div><font size="4">-- <br></font><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><font color="#0b5394" size="4"><b>Liza Earle-Centers, Director of Lifespan Spiritual Exploration</b></font></div>
<div><font size="4">pronouns: she/her/hers</font></div><div><font size="4">Unitarian Church of Montpelier</font></div>
<div><font size="4">(802) 223-7861 ext. 2 -- <a href="mailto:ucm.dre@gmail.com" target="_blank">ucm.dre@gmail.com</a><br></font></div>
<div><font size="4"> </font></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>