At the annual meeting Sunday I declared the troika of “Transparency, Inclusion and Love” to be the touchstones I hope will mark my two years as president for the Board at USR. Maybe you’re thinking, “What about ‘Kum-ba-yah’?” Everybody’s in favor of T.I.L., aren’t we?
UnTIL transparency means airing our dirty laundry. UnTIL inclusion means giving power to “younger and/or marginalized-identifying members” (as a candidate for the Unitarian Universalist national board said who wants to spLIT our denomination). And unTIL love gets mystical and transcendental.
I’m not setting out touchstones that can be set aside when the work gets difficult. I’m aiming to make our UU principles and sources the wellspring of our work, and to take our mission statement as gospel:
Growing in mind and spirit, we act together as a beacon for justice and love: transforming self and world.
I’m inviting each of you to join me in this journey marked by T.I.&L. as USR moves forward in these exciting and challenging times, as we fully activate our circle process and as we plan for our future. I will keep you informed, listen to what you have to say, and (as I have learned in these admittedly few years of being Unitarian Universalist with you) care deeply about the legacy we’ve received and the future we’re creating for the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood.
In my video message Sunday I said thank you to Rev. Sarah for her inspiring leadership that made me want to get involved at USR, thank you to Dawn Walter for holding us together during the incredibly disruptive pandemic, and thank you to you, the members, for entrusting me with the responsibility to guide the Board. Together we will “Grow Back Stronger,” strengthening the membership and material resources of the Society.
Please reach out to me with your questions and comments: 201-406-8991 (cell) or jlohr@uuridgewood.org
–Jack
