How do we meet the current moment in history? How do we meet this moment of power hungry, and highly efficient administration led by a president who has increasing immunity and few checks to his power?
However much we may detest Trump’s agenda, it is also true that he and his supporters are no slouches. They are moving quickly and efficiently – I may even suggest creatively – on multiple, simultaneous fronts to enact their agenda. Remember Spring of 2025? Trump appointed Elon Musk to slash Government agencies. The citizenry barely had time to react, it happened so fast.
The Dept of Efficiency feels like an eternity ago, so much has happened since then. Last winter were the mass ICE protests in Minnesota, Chicago and other cities. Then in June, the first strikes on Iran. This war that has never been brought before Congress for approval. A few weeks ago, Trump signed a proclamation shrinking Bears Ears National Monument by 91% and dissolved the Bears Ears Commission, a co-management body created by five Tribal Nations working with federal agencies. Just keeping track of the Trump Administration’s actions is a full time job.
How do we resist? What can we do? First let’s recognize that our community is resisting every day. Our members are observing immigration court, getting out the vote, raising funds for Gaza, attending Pride and No Kings marches, and this is just the tip of our resistance iceberg. We also resist by simply being together in space and time. In an age of increased isolation, where digital experiences are substituting for real human interaction, it is an act of resistance to meet in person and build real and meaningful relationships.
And yet, we will need to find new and creative ways to resist. But what, how? I have no recipe. None of us does. The UUA does not. I suspect some of the way forward lies in greater interdependency, strengthening connections to resistance groups outside UUCB. I suspect it has something to do with making sure our voice is heard, in a world of media monopolization, owned by powerful business interests. I would venture that our new forms of resistance need to be informed by understanding what our youth are facing and by addressing digital information overload and the disruptions brought by artificial intelligence .
We are lucky to be part of an amazing spiritual community that already takes action on multiple fronts. In the next months, from your Board, from Rev. Marcus and in other venues, there will be invitations to refresh our vision for our church. As we struggle together to meet the moment, I invite you ask the questions listed in Learn more about Meet the Moment | UUA.org
- What is the moment we are in?
- What are the most urgent needs and important opportunities of this moment?
- What do our shared values call us to do in response to this moment?
With so much changing, and with so much at stake, it is a good time to take stock, to clarify your own personal values and to articulate those in support of a renewed UUCB mission and purpose. I look forward with curiosity and hope the new and creative ways we decide the UUCB will step up to meet this moment.
Kristen Jensen for the UUCB Board of Trustees
