Transformation Team Announcement

The Transformation Team is pleased to introduce itself to the congregation. This is the group charged with supporting First Unitarian Portland to live into the commitments of the 8th Principle. Its members are Cynthia Casas, Cindy Cumfer, Mai Fee, Jody Feldman, Julie Grice, Ethel Gullette, Cindy McEnroe, Kalissa Scopes, and Ellen Zacny, and it is staffed by Dana Buhl, Director of Social Justice.

In May 2021, First Unitarian voted to include the 8th Principle in its bylaws. Approximately half of the church’s members voted (460 votes cast) with 93% approval to adopt the 8th Principle. The process to consider its adoption was accompanied by a team working with then Senior Minister Rev Bill Sinkford. That team was called the 8th Principle Exploration Team (8XTeam). Following the vote, the 8XTeam, Senior Minister, and Board of Trustees agreed to a charge for a team to be formed to support the congregation. The Transformation Team was to have broad representation across the ministries and communities of the church and have no more than ten people, including a staff member and one congregant who had served on the 8XTeam. 

In January of 2023, the 8X Team met with the new Senior Minister Rev Alison Miller to share the process of the 8th Principle adoption and begin collaboration on next steps. In the Spring of 2023, the 8X Team formed a working group to invite and review the many worthy applications for the eight open spots on the Transformation Team. (The application team consisted of Ameena, Dana Buhl, Ethel, Gilda, Lia, Heather, and Mark.) 

The Transformation Team began meeting in the Fall of 2023, focused on getting to know one another and developing a shared understanding of the work before them. The team strives to educate itself on the history and present culture of the church while trying to define the scope of its mission. The Team is exploring how it can be helpful in the process of dismantling racism and other oppressions while moving our congregation ever closer to fully realizing the goal to be a multicultural, welcoming Beloved Community, present to the opportunities and challenges of inclusive liberation work. The Transformation Team will give periodic updates to the congregation as it continues to define how it can best be a resource to the whole congregation.

The 8th Principle & First Unitarian – A process of transformation 

In September 2020, Paula Cole Jones led a workshop for First Unitarian Portland to explore The 8th Principle, how it relates to our existing seven faith Principles, and what its adoption would mean for our church and faith community. Since then, many communities within First Unitarian have together participated in Exploring The 8th Principle workshops to watch Paula Cole Jones’ presentation and share in conversation about how the proposed 8th Principle relates to and affects the existing seven.

During the learning and discernment process, the Board of Trustees decided to bring a proposal to the voting membership to amend the bylaws to include the 8th Principle, which was also endorsed by many constituent communities within the church. The Board of Trustees endorsed the adoption of the 8^th Principle and brought the proposal to a congregational vote in the Spring of 2021, and it was overwhelmingly approved by the congregation. The 8th Principle has been added to First Unitarian’s by-laws and a new stage of learning and action has begun, so that we can accountably live into the covenant our principles create.

Transforming our congregation into one which does not only enthusiastically adopt the 8^th Principle, but which also accountably embodies it, will require deep reflection, concerted effort and sustained commitment. For that reason, we are instituting a Transformation Team (TT) whose charge is to initiate and guide this important process. 

ARE YOU READY to help lead a transformation of our church, inspired by the 8th Principle of Unitarian Universalism? Any and all congregants are invited to apply to be part of that team! Application information is available here. Applications are due by May 26, 2023.

This will be a dynamic and diverse group, built to help our congregation live into the Beloved Community. 

• This “Transformation Team” of 8-10 congregants will be a learning community, a hub of information, a coaching and advisory resource for all, and a collaborative group which will further our living into the 8th Principle.
• This won’t be an enforcement tool, a “top-down” model, nor a sub-committee of the Board or Executive Team. 
• The Transformation Team will be co-led by a staff person and a lay church member, will have representation from various church communities, will be accountable to the congregation and will meet monthly to collaborate. 

UU Congregations Who Have Adopted The 8th Principle*

*As of February 2021.