Planning Our Future Together...

It was exciting to be with your District Board as they put their heads together to plan the future you all want for the Florida District and the Association. I was reminded again recently that there are as many possibilities as people can envision in the context of our environment. Our job is not only to see the possibilities, but to make wise choices from among them. It's challenging work, and it is meaningful work-and Florida does it well.

The Board of the Association has parallel responsibilities, but our vantage point is from the perspective of our entire Association of Congregations-from the congregations we "live" in as well as those around the world. This is an Association which promotes a culture of justice and equal opportunity guided by our Principles and the application of reason and tolerance among free people. From time to time, I remind the congregations in the Mid-South and Florida that while I am elected by these congregations, I serve all of the congregations of the Association.

The UUA Board has been talking about fundamental issues of accountability, service, stewardship, governance and justice in our work. That has meant discussions about Association elections and appointment processes, the role of General Assembly, flaws in our bylaws and rules, the structure of providing services and satisfaction with them, privilege and oppression in our operations (e.g., the lack of transparency of processes), promoting growth cross-culturally, and more. We will continue to devote time to these issues which are related to our expectations for the Association's work in the future. Our volunteer and paid staff, our congregations, our constituent groups and our allies will experience new ways that we will conduct our business and how we see the world.

The perspectives of the District Board as a group and of you as members of our member congregations will help the UUA Board and the staff see the possibilities, the problems, the opportunities as we work together to spread our message to the larger world. Let me know what you are thinking.
- MARGARET SANDERS, UUA TRUSTEE