More News About The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS)
CUUPs has been an independent affiliate of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) for many years. The history of UU Paganism runs back almost 10 years before CUUPs was founded. In 1977, the UUA General Assembly passed the Women and Religion Resolution. This resolution started an extensive review of gender stereotypes within UU liturgy. These discussions led to the 1985 UU adult religious education course "Cakes for the Queen of Heaven," which dealt with the antiquity of Goddess worship and its all but complete effacement from conventional and highly patriarchal western religion. What followed was a wave of "Declarations for the Goddess" throughout the UUA. This led to the founding and growth of the Covenant of UU Pagans (CUUPs).
The first known UU Pagans organizing effort was at the 1985 General Assembly (GA) in Atlanta. Later that year UU Paganism was introduced at the 1985 Covenant of the Goddess Grand Council, which introduced UU Paganism to the larger Pagan community.
At the 1986 GA in Rochester, N.Y., a group of 22 people met in an organizing meeting. It was decided to form a UU Pagan network; seek UUA Independent Affiliate status; and produce a program at the 1987 GA at Little Rock. A quarterly newsletter was established with a logo of twin chalices in a paired circle, used for the next 10 years.
During the 1987 GA, Beacon Press author, Margot Adler, gave a keynote speech "A Pagan Spiritual View" and introduced even more UUs to the word Pagan. During that year a draft of CUUPs purpose was adopted. The Bylaws were adopted in Oct. 1987 and brought to the 1988 GA in Palm Springs, CA for ratification. CUUPs received UUA independent affiliate status.
In 1990 a CUUPs sponsored activity began at de Benneville Pines UU camp in California. (Pagan group activities are scheduled for the LA/Valley cluster weekend Oct. 7-9 2005, so come and learn.)
In 1993 the UU's new hymnal, "Singing the Living Tradition," came out. It includes material found in the indexes under "Earth, God, Goddess and Spirit and Pagan." The Sixth Source Amendment added Earth-centered spirituality to the formally acknowledged roots of UU spirituality.
In 1996 new CUUPs leadership was installed. It welcomed lay leaders in the organization from chapters and members onto various committees. At the present time CUUPs has standing committees for bylaws, finances, publications, religious education, membership and ethics.
In 1997, an Ohio incorporation purchased the association called CUUPs. The new incorporation filed for 501 (c) 3 non profit status from the IRS and received approval as an independent affiliate of UUA.
For about 5 years following its inception, CUUPs doubled its size annually. Today there are close to 70 chapters affiliated with UU churches. At Studio City, our
The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans, Inc. (CUUPS) is an Independent Affiliate of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA). We are a not-for-profit organization committed to furthering Pagan and Earth-centered thea/ology within the UUA.
We welcome everyone who is interested in learning more about this spiritual path.
Meetings
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1st and 3rd Thursdays of every month at 7:30-9:00 pm |
| Contact | For more information contact Melissa Gray at (818) 990-2917 or melscott@earthlink.net. |