Proposed Bylaw Amendment
Pat Fleeharty is proposing an amendment to the UUCA Bylaws, as part of Section E – of Bylaw V – Meetings: Any decision or transaction, duly approved by a majority vote, can only be overturned or significantly modified by a vote at a subsequent Congregational Meeting.
Statement In Support of the Proposed
Bylaw Amendment To Be Considered during the
Congregational Annual Meeting, April 11, 2021
by Pat Fleeharty
The purpose of this amendment is twofold. First, to codify within the Bylaws some level of accountability; that is, to ensure that the leadership of the church carries out the decisions of the congregation. Second, as a small step toward reestablishing Trust within the Beloved Community of UUCA.
It originates from a deeply troubling experience for many of us in 2018. In 2017, during the height of Donald Trump’s attacks on immigrants, ICE officers were picking up large numbers of immigrants off the streets, from their jobs, and from their homes to deport back to their homes of origin, often to face threats, torture, and sometimes death. We, at a UUCA Special Congregational Meeting, after several congregational conversations, took a bold and courageous step to declare ourselves to be a “Sanctuary Church,” offering refuge to a person or family whose legal remedies had not yet been exhausted and needed protection from these ICE agents. The determination as to which asylee candidate for acceptance into our space would be accepted, based upon their particular case and the availability of as yet unfulfilled legal options, was up to the discretion of the ministerial team, so that our Sanctuary Committee would not have to be consulted, especially if time was of the essence.
Meanwhile, A large group of UUCA members, as well as supporters from AIJN, were busily making preparations for hosting a refugee somewhere on church property, as support for this project reached deep within our membership and our friends from other faith communities in AIJN. Volunteers were signing up to provide 24-hour coverage, donate furniture, assist with shopping and other errands, and make any on-site alterations to the church that would be necessary. Then, in November 2018, the Sanctuary Church leadership, and then the assembled congregation, were informed by the interim minister and board of trustees that UUCA would no longer consider ANY asylee request for refuge. This was stated as a “done deal,” with no follow-up Congregational Meeting or discussion. We were given no recourse to reverse or discuss this unilateral leadership decision.
Those of us who were working diligently on the Sanctuary preparations were left stunned by this announcement. Our voices were not heard and, worst of all, the rug had been pulled out from under all of our hopes to be a church that “walked the talk” on immigration. The Trump deportations, if anything, got worse over the course of the next 2 ½ years, while all we could do was watch and try to support AIJN as much as possible. For many of us, Trust took a huge hit and several of us left the church for a period of time. Some of us, but not all, have returned, but the experience has left Beloved Community scars that still run deep.
Rev Anastassia offered a first step in rebuilding that Trust a few weeks ago, during a church service, with an official UUCA apology for the hurt that this decision had caused. I believe that another small step could be accomplished with the passage of this amendment. The old bylaws, under which the church operated in 2018 had no provision to require another Special Congregational Meeting to consider the staff reversal of the Declaration. Unfortunately, the new Bylaws similarly have no such accountability provision either. This amendment would correct that omission.
Words are important, and so are actions. I believe approving this amendment is one small action that we can take as we work together to move forward and heal the badly broken Trust within our Beloved Community.
Board Comments about the Proposed Amendment
to UUCA’s Bylaws To be considered during
the Congregational Annual Meeting, April 11, 2021
Heather Millar, President
The Board appreciates the issue Pat Fleeharty has raised: How can a congregant or group of congregants effectively express an idea or concern and know that they have been heard? Pat proposed an amendment to UUCA Bylaws to respond to a specific incident that occurred in 2018 when the ministers with the support of the Board decided to not offer hosting a person or family at that time. There were several reasons for this decision but these were not communicated to the many who were actively involved with Sanctuary nor to the general congregation. This resulted in misunderstandings and feelings of betrayal. I was president and should have realized a better way of making and communicating this decision to delay hosting a person or family. I regret my actions and apologize for them; I am truly sorry.
Pat Fleeharty is proposing an amendment to the UUCA Bylaws, as part of Section E – of Bylaw V – Meetings: Any decision or transaction, duly approved by a majority vote, can only be overturned or significantly modified by a vote at a subsequent Congregational Meeting.
The Board extensively considered this proposal during their February Board meeting and did not endorse this amendment. Among the reasons cited are the following.
- In 2018 there were staffing concerns. Even though the members of the Sanctuary Team were committed to take responsibility for 24/7 coverage while hosting, the reality is that staff attention would be required and staff was already overcommitted.
- Instead of supporting the bylaw amendment, the Board made a decision to develop a “Feedback Policy” and is currently finalizing a draft written by the executives to introduce to the congregation by the end of this month.
- The actions taken in 2018 did not violate or overturn the Sanctuary Resolution. Here is the relevant part of that resolution. “Furthermore, we declare that UUCA is a Sanctuary Church: we will provide support and refuge to immigrants regardless of their immigration status and to other marginalized people, as the ministry deems appropriate, with periodic reports by the Senior Minister (or designate) to the Board of Trustees regarding actions taken pursuant to this resolution. Finally, we will work with partner organizations to create sacred space of sanctuary where it is needed. We dedicate ourselves to educate and activate our congregation, to amplify and respond to the voices of immigrant, refugee and leaders of marginalized communities, and to speak out against discrimination toward any and all marginalized people.” There are many actions to support sanctuary in this resolution that were untouched by the decision to delay hosting a person or family.
- The implications of the amendment are unclear. Who determines “overturned” or “significantly modified?”
- This reflects “small church” where the members are involved with day-do-day decisions about what is done.