Summary of Congregational Survey Regarding Founding Membership in NAUA

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A congregational survey asking members to weigh in on whether the UUCS should become a founding member of the North American Unitarian Association was sent out on January 11, 2023. Members had until January 25 to respond to the survey, and a total of 112 members participated. Of the 112 responses,

  • 76 said “Yes,”
  • 27 said “Yes, With Some Reservations,”
  • 5 said “Not Sure” and
  • 4 said “No.”

Comments from those members who responded “Yes” expressed

  • disappointment with the UUA leadership,
  • the need to keep Unitarian and liberal values alive,
  • the desire to save the 7 Principles,
  • the importance to send a message to Boston,
  • the UUA is too authoritarian,
  • that with NAUA we can bring the changes we want,
  • the NAUA is a sensible way out of a difficult situation,
  • the need to keep respect for congregational polity and the democratic process,
  • the need for an organization more aligned with personal values,
  • the need to keep the freedom to express oneself without censure,
  • the need to connect with other Unitarians who share our concerns,
  • feeling upset about the UUA’s treatment of our minister, Todd Eklof,
  • the need to address the current liberal minister crisis (lack thereof), and
  • the desire for UUCS to become a founding member of NAUA.

Comments from those who responded “Yes, with some reservations” included

  • many concerns about possible unforeseen financial costs to UUCS joining with the NAUA,
  • practical issues such as possible changes to staff health and retirement benefits that are currently provided by the UUA,
  • concern that joining with the NAUA will have unforeseen impacts on our local congregation (including ministerial and staffing resources),
  • preference for an in-person congregational vote,
  • curiosity about how many other churches will join in, and
  • the desire to have more information about the NAUA and details about how it will function (e.g. mission statement, concrete plans).

Several members were “Not Sure” about the proposal for the UUCS to become a founding member of NAUA, citing as reasons the need to have more information about NAUA and also not understanding the purpose for a new organization.

From those who responded “No” to the survey question, reasons included

  • the need to have more congregational conversations about becoming a member of the NAUA before a decision is reached,
  • thinking the whole process was rushed,
  • thinking we should have been able to vote online instead of answering a survey,
  • a preference for strengthening our local congregation first,
  • fear that NAUA membership will weaken our local congregation’s already-stressed sense of community,
  • not wanting to support NAUA financially,
  • feeling we should support the UUA instead of starting a new organization, and
  • worry that our congregation generally might be negatively impacted by joining the new organization.