Inside this issue... Messages from Our Officers & Committees v EarthMan The CCUUUUPPSS Shared Leadership v Protecting the Innocent from Us Mystic’s Wheel v Convocation Information Newsletter An Eco-Fable v General Assembly Information Annual Meeting Announcement Spring/Summer 1997 TONITE , I D RUM ! I can already feel the heartbeat, Pounding in my depths. Low and dull, yet ever it builds. The anticipation quickens my soul. Tonite, I travel. Tonite, I merge with the One. Tonite, I drum! Blessed Be! SUE WILSON CHANNEL , CEDAR FALLS , IA Covenant of Unitarian From the Chair... what we considered the intent Network puts out a fascinating of the old bylaws; we wanted quarterly newsletter called The Universalist Pagans, Inc. Welcoming CUUPS, Inc. to be in line with Ohio and New Age Unitarian. Copies of this Board of Trustees & It has a funny feeling, but the IRS, and the Principles of publication will be available for Officers CUUPS, Inc (CI) has bought the UUA. We danced! purchase at the CUUPS all the members of CUUPS Display table at GA - and in I want to give special thanks the unincorporated association our next issue, we tell you how Brydie Palmore to Patrick Sileo who did so President/ CUUPS Inc. (Cua). Of course, there is only you can subscribe to it. much of the background Convo 97 Chair the right to call ourselves work, I want to thank Alana A new phone-mail system has Joan Van Becelaere members, so let me tell you how this all works. Hommel for assembling all recently been installed which Chair/ CUUPS (cua) the material needed for the contains brief summaries of GA 97 Programming Chair Incorporation of Cua could 501(c)(3), and I want to who we are, what CUUPS Treasurer/ CUUPS, Inc. not be accomplished according thank all the Board Members major events are this year. to three lawyers consulted by of Cua for their patience and David Pollard We're still experimenting with the Cua Board. So we created compassion throughout this Secretary/ CUUPS (cua) what information to put on Convo 98 Chair an all new organization, gave undertaking. it the same name, and CI there - so check it out and let Jerrie Hildebrand bought all the assets of Cua by us know what you think of it. Communications Director Brydie Palmore The number is: 817-557-3949. CUUPS (cua) way of an agreement crafted President/ CUUPS, Inc. by the Cua Board at a meeting Patrick Sileo in Texas in February. With From the Secretary... David Pollard Secretary/ CUUPS, Inc. incorporation seal in hand Secretary/ CUUPS (cua) Patrick Sileo filed a 501(c)(3) Despite having changed Margot Adler From the Communications with the IRS so that we would addresses twice in the past R. Tom Dixon have non-profit status. What year, despite not having out - Director... Stacey Greenstein that means is that a portion of side advertising for almost a The new address appears on year, despite (until very Rev. Melanie Morel Sullivan your membership dues or any the label portion of this other donations can be tax- recently) not having any pam - newsletter so please note it in Carolyn Taylor exempt. phlets in print to distribute, your personal address files. CUUPS continues to grow. Thanks to those of you start - The Cua Board chose to do Last August we had 859 the incorporating in Ohio for ing to send in submissions for © May 1997 members - now (at the end a number of complex reasons, the newsletter. If you do not Published by Covenant of of March) we have 908, of the most important being con - see something in this issue Unitarian Universalist Pagans, Inc. which 667 are voting mem - fidentiality. Ohio's laws are a that you sent, keep watching. 8190A Beechmont Avenue #335 bers and 241 are associates. bit different concerning the list It may be in the file for Cincinnati, Ohio 45255-3154 There are also 208 non-mem - of member names. upcoming issues. Phone: 817. 557.3949 ber subscribers to the Email: [email protected] There was another stone in CUUPS Newsletter. The Newsletter Team is accepting submissions for the our path: Cua Bylaws are For people coming to GA, rather sketchy. Let me try to August edition of the newslet - (and everyone else - should ter. Articles we are particular - The opinions expressed show how this works. The the Annual Meeting put any ly interested in for this issue by writers in this publication do activities of an incorporated questions to a postal ballot) are on anti-defamation efforts not necessarily reflect the views organization are controlled by the 30-day cutoff for voting of the Covenant of Unitarian the Bylaws, or as Ohio calls in the Pagan and UU Pagan eligibility at the Annual community, and fall equinox. Universalist Pagans, them, the Regulations. If there Meeting is May 22. the incorporation or the is something that is not cov - The idea of anti-defamation association, Officers, ered by the Regulations, the We are about to produce the and discrimination issues Coordinating Committee or Articles of Association take 1997 CUUPS Webworking Board of Trustees. among Pagan identified UU’s precedence, and should the Directory. Last year's had is becoming quite a problem Articles are copyrighted by the AoA not speak of the issue, about 225 people in it - this across the country – from individual writers and newsletter the issue is controlled by Ohio year's will have around 300. child custody cases to simple is copyrighted by CUUPS, Inc. State Law. In the case of the If you are a Conf.=3 person rights to practice one’s own Cua Bylaws, the Articles could and you don't want to be list - spiritual beliefs. As a commu - Permission to reprint articles ed in it - let me know. If you rests with the article authors not dam the holes, so our nity of UU's, how can we actions would have been con - are not a Conf.=3 person and support one another in these trolled by State Law. you do want to be in there - let matters? Is there interest in Ancient cultures purposefully me know. (Phone number creating a team to network So we wrote new regulations, listed below) added mistakes into their work to show it to with legal counsel, and tried to and offer support to folks be the work of humans. While we will work leave a lot of things for the Speaking of networking, needing to know their organi - to make our publications as perfect as pos - our sister organization in zation is there behind them? sible ...we will always be human! board to handle with policy. We made no attempt to alter England, the Unitarian Pagan How do congregations sup - 2 port us? Or how do they fall From the Religious From the GA Display "levels " of membership and short? All of these questions Education Committee.... Committee.... eliminates the " sliding member - and thoughts are open for dis - ship fee " that many felt to be cussion and articles. The ad hoc Religious Education March finds activity for the confusing - however the Committee started internet dis - GA Display Committee start - Student/Low Income The new brochures have been cussions last fall with a great ing to ramp up. Membership rate was kept for sent to the printers finally. deal of enthusiasm. Many won - This past year has brought to those who can not afford the New forms for CUUPS mem - derful ideas for both adult and press several books that we standard CUUPS member - bership and such can be children's curricula were gener - hope to display at General ship fee. found later in this issue of the ated. Unfortunately, we found Assembly. As in past years, newsletter. that all of the members of the Our work is not yet done. there will be T-shirts and a RE Committee were already There are several issues that The Website Team has been small amount of jewelry. We very busy people and no one we did not reach consensus cooking! We have the begin - are also attempting to focus has yet had the time to turn on - and would like further nings of the site in place and more on academically oriented any of these great ideas into feedback. Some of these are applying for domain books on Paganism, and mate - a viable curriculum proposal. issues are: names. Special thanks to rial that is produced by The Committee hopes that John Pierce and Christian CUUPS - such as pamphlets Would a Lifetime Membership more time will be freed up this Day for their teamwork and and newsletters. If you have be something p eople would be summer to work on some of Susan Shaw and David an item that you would like to interested in? What would an these ideas. Burwasser for writing the see at the CUUPS booth at appropriate fee for this be? text with me. At the same time, members of GA please send a message to Some chapters feel CUUPS Susan Shaw is creating a team the Committee have shared the CUUPS Office. should not charge an annual to create accessibility to our with the chair, Joan Van chapter registration fee - published materials. Currently, Becelaere, a number of short David Pollard while other chapters voluntar - she and her team are looking articles that they have used as GA Display Committee ily pay far over the required at what it will take to have our discussion starters in mixed amount. Is the current $30/yr promotional literature and UU groups. It was felt that From the Ethics a happy medium? What (if newsletters available on cas - some of the articles might help Committee...