General Assembly 2024: Highlights & Takeaways 

UUCC is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA). The UUA is a covenantal network of UU congregations, and every year, thousands of UUs from around the world gather at General Assembly (GA) to conduct the association’s business. As a member congregation of the UUA, our delegates represent UUCC in casting important votes and participating in business meetings to shape the direction and future of the UUA.  

Last week, from June 20-23, 2024, eleven UUCC congregants and staff members participated in GA as attendees and delegates. Many more of you tuned in to observe the business sessions via the public YouTube stream because of the historic nature of this year’s GA business.  

Here are a few highlights:  

1. Article II revision adopted after multi-year discernment process 

After years of listening, drafts, edits, debates, and discernment, Article II of the Unitarian Universalist Association bylaws has finally been revised. On Saturday, June 22, delegates voted overwhelmingly (80.2%) to adopt the proposed revision to Article II as amended earlier in the week.  

At UUCC, we’ve spent several years discussing and considering the impact of the Article II revision. The centerpiece of the revision is a reimagining of how we frame and articulate our faith tradition: instead of a list of principles that we can all agree on, this revision calls us to live our Unitarian Universalist faith through a deep commitment to values that drive our actions. These values of generosity, interdependence, pluralism, transformation, justice, and equity—with love at the center as a grounding, coherent force—reflect the ever-evolving nature of our living tradition.  

In the words of UUA President Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt, “This is a historic moment for Unitarian Universalism, as we move our living tradition forward to focus on shared values that will help promote liberation, radical inclusion, and communal care both within our church and across society.” 

The Article II revision was not without detractors, however. Almost 20% of delegates voted against its adoption, and debate during General Assembly was lively. Four amendments were brought to the floor for consideration, and only one received enough votes to be incorporated. The successful amendment modified the language of the equity value to read: “We declare that every person is inherently worthy and has the right to flourish with dignity, love, and compassion.” Two amendments that failed to make the cut would have added new values of reason and peace to the values statement.  

Just as some congregations and individual UUs adopted an eighth principle on their own, the UUA will not dictate how congregations and individuals relate to the values statement at the heart of the Article II revision. The seven principles and six sources of Unitarian Universalism that have for so long been a part of our UU lives will continue to shape Unitarian Universalism even as it evolves.   

2. Business Resolution affirming trans lives passed with 91.8% in support 

This year, delegates had the opportunity to vote on a business resolution titled, “Embracing Transgender, Nonbinary, Intersex, and Gender Diverse People is a Fundamental Expression of UU Religious Values.” A business resolution adopted by the General Assembly essentially becomes an internal document that directs the work of the UUA staff.  

During the discussion of this business resolution, a small number of delegates used their allotted speaking time to disseminate false and harmful information about transgender people, including transgender youth. General Assembly process observers and moderators recognized the harmful nature of these comments and their impact on trans, nonbinary, and gender diverse people everywhere, and offered pauses in the discussion and resources with factual information (see: Healthcare Resources for Transgender Youth and Resources of Support for Transgender and Nonbinary People).  

The discussion period for this business resolution closed with a powerful statement of love by Rev. JeKaren Olaoya, a beautiful and affirming moment to counter a charged and painful discussion.  

3. Fat liberation featured at GA: Anastasia Kidd and Tigress Osborn in conversation 

General Assembly isn’t all business! The full GA schedule includes countless hours of on-demand and live programming—including workshops, cohort groups, worship services, panel discussions, lectures, and more—to help us grow as people and congregations of faith and justice.  

Each year at GA, certain events like the Berry Street Essay and the Ware Lecture get a lot of attention. A personal highlight for me this year wasn’t one of the higher-profile events; it was the featured content on Saturday morning, a conversation between Rev. Dr. Anastasia Kidd, author of Fat Church and Tigress Osborn, Chair of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance.  

Tigress Osborn presented on the history of fat liberation, beginning with its roots in fat acceptance movements of the 1960s, the racialized impacts of anti-fatness (especially in medical settings), and legal advocacy for fat bodies (did you know that height and weight are protected classes in only two states and eight cities in the United States?). Rev. Dr. Kidd traced a historical throughline of religious thought that led us to today’s anti-fat culture, beginning with Plato and Socrates’ hierarchy of bodies, a misogynist and racist philosophy that New Testament writer Paul borrowed from ancient Greece and embedded into Christianity.  

Today, diet culture and religious messaging are still intertwined: we’ve all experienced food moralism (good vs. bad foods) and calls for food repentance (ie. exercise to work off that burger you ate). We know that health is considered the responsibility of the individual; this ableist mindset blames individuals for outcomes beyond their control, discounts social determinants of health, and upholds systems of oppression by letting us off the hook for not acting collectively to address systemic problems. And we see how these messages are marketed to women especially; women are required to keep themselves pure and healthy for bearing strong, white, “pure” children, a mindset descended from ancient Greece and celebrated in America’s recent past.  

I found the conversation engaging, challenging, and enlightening. In recent years, the UUA’s Beacon Press has published several books on fat liberation (I’m a fan of Aubrey Gordon of Maintenance Phase, and her book “You Just Need to Lose Weight” and 19 Other Myths about Fat People was published just last year—check it out!), but this event was the first time that fat liberation took center stage at GA. As part of a religious movement that centers love, justice, and equity in our relationships, we are called to learn, listen, and expand our thinking as we build the Beloved Community.  

Here’s an intro glossary to help you out, wherever you are on the journey of becoming a fat liberation activist! 

4. Actions of Immediate Witness & Responsive Resolution 

An Action of Immediate Witness (AIW) is a statement about a significant action, event, or development in the world that necessitates immediate engagement and action among UU congregations. AIWs are drafted and proposed by UUs around the world, and the Commission on Social Witness assesses proposed AIWs for eligibility. Eligible AIWs are introduced for discussion in an online forum before GA begins; GA delegates then vote for three eligible AIWs to admit to the GA business agenda.  

The three AIWs on the agenda this year were:  

1. World on Fire: Humanitarian Work and Climate Change (passed with 95.6% support) 
2. Centering Love Amidst the Ongoing Impact of COVID-19 (passed with 86.1% support) 
3. Solidarity with Palestinians (passed with 73.5% support) 

All three AIWs passed with clear support from the voting delegates. The third AIW, Solidarity with Palestinians, was subject to lengthy discussion.  

Separate from the AIW process, a resolution was introduced in response to UUA President Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt’s report to the association on Friday of GA. The responsive resolution reiterated the UUA’s support for October 7 hostages, as expressed by President Betancourt. This resolution passed with 77% support.    

A thorough summary of business transacted at GA can be found on the UUA website here.  

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In the coming weeks, stay tuned for reflections from UUCC’s General Assembly delegates and participants on this momentous, historical week in UUA history!