Saturday, March 10, 2018

Brockport man leaves church meeting mad

Brockport, NY - A man at a church committee meeting Wednesday night shouted at a fellow committee member, "You're a fucking asshole! I've had enough of this shit!" and stormed out of the meeting.

According to witnesses, the committee members were discussing what term should be used in church liturgy to refer to the Higher Power. Frank advocated for use of the term, "God" but Barbara preferred "Spirit of Life." When Al stated that he preferred "interdependent web" all hell broke lose. Frank called Al a "fucking asshole," stated he'd had enough of this shit and stormed out of the room and left the building.

Barbara who has known Frank for years tried to console Al for the attack saying that Frank, "can be a bit of a hot head."

Pastor Beverly stated simply "I don't care what word you want me to use, but I hope you can make a decision and let me know, and not let his issue further divide the congregation."

Al said, "I still feel strongly about 'interdependent web.'"

Barb sighed and looked like she was about to cry. "I doubt," she said, "we will see Frank at church on Sunday."

3 comments:

  1. UUs make the mistake of thinking that "democracy" is consensus. It isn't. It gives an individual or a small group all the power to block decision making.

    Pastor Bev as the workship leader needs to make the decision of what to call the Higher Power. That's what she is paid to do. If she made the decision there would be nothing for people to fight over and conflict would not destroy the congregation.

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    1. I agree. The lack of decision making in UU congregations lead to schism after schism after schism. Conflict resolution is not in the UU skill set. Well functioning organizations have a chain of command and they can be participatory but at the end of the day the leader has been granted the authority to make the decision. Without that authority, organization breaks down and like children who get into a fight in a sandbox, toys get thrown and the interactive play is disrupted sometimes forever.

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  2. Unlike in other denominations UU ministers have no organizational clerical authority other than that which the board of the local church gives them. The pastor may have charisma, moral authority, and professional authority if there is such a thing, but an M.Div degree doesn't do much for a person in this day and age.

    The lack of local church accreditation by the national association leaves churches on their own. They can do as they please pretty much. The lack of structure is another reason why UU is slowly disintegrating.

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