CUUPS Mission and Vision Statement

CUUPS Mission and Vision Statement May 27, 2015

The CUUPS Revisioning process is almost complete.  Based on our surveys of members, friends, chapters and congregations, the Revisioning team has crafted a mission and vision statement to guide our operations for the next ten years.

The statement will be open for public comments until Sunday, June 7.  At that point, the team will make any necessary changes and present it to the CUUPS membership for a vote.

While we have solicited input from all our stakeholders during this process, voting on the mission and vision statement will be limited to members of CUUPS Continental.  If you aren’t a member already, now would be a good time to join.

Walden 2013 by John Beckett

The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans

Mission:  CUUPS is a Unitarian Universalist covenant group dedicated to supporting UU Pagans, to promoting Paganism within Unitarian Universalism, and to promoting Unitarian Universalism within Paganism.

Who are we? 

  1. We are both Pagan and UU.
  2. We support UU values, principles, and causes.
  3. We bring a UU approach to Paganism – we draw from many sources and we oppose any attempt to establish orthodoxy or anything resembling it.
  4. We value Nature, our experiences of Nature, and our relationships with Nature.
  5. We have an interest in gods and spirits.  Fully aware of the uncertainty and diversity of such matters, we are exploring what they are and what it means to experience them.
  6. We bring a Pagan approach to Unitarian Universalism, inviting UUs to explore Paganism and Pagan spiritual practices.

How are we gathered?  CUUPS consists of solitaries, chapters, and gatherings.  Solitaries are individual members throughout North America and beyond.  Chapters are groups affiliated with local congregations and chartered by CUUPS Continental.   Gatherings are both formal and informal get-togethers among members and friends.

Who do we serve?  Individual members serve various deities, principles, values, and communities as dictated by their own consciences.  CUUPS chapters and CUUPS Continental serve our members, the Pagan community, and the UU community.

Why are we here?  Individual UU Pagans have many reasons for being CUUPS members.  The job of our chapters and CUUPS Continental is to encourage individuals to be the best UU Pagans they can be and to provide resources to help them do so.

How do we do that?

  1. We give people a community of interest to belong to – we create a shared identity and shared commitment.  Our mission and vision statements form our foundation, and our internet site (currently CUUPS.org) is our storehouse of information and resources.  We support our shared identity and shared commitment through our social media outlets, our newsletter, our podcast, and our blog.
  2. The CUUPS Board of Trustees coordinates the work of our Librarians and Curators.   They facilitate dialogue within UU Paganism, they network and dialogue with other Pagan organizations, and they identify and share best practices – they show us what’s possible.  They look for ways to encourage deeper spiritual practice, to encourage more social and environmental action, and to facilitate events for participation and growth.  They promote and advertise CUUPS – they make sure people who want what we offer know we’re here.
  3. We cover four main areas of interest.
    1. Information for beginners:  the basics of Paganism, the basics of Unitarian Universalism, and the basics of CUUPS.
    2. Practices to facilitate spiritual growth and to draw us into deeper community:  regular spiritual practice techniques, rituals for individuals and groups, ideas for experiencing, honoring, and relating to Nature, and ideas for experiencing, honoring, and relating to gods and spirits.
    3. Guidelines for chapter operations:  forming a chapter, right relationships with host congregations and other institutions, and basic leadership skills.
    4. Social justice:  supporting UU values and causes, and supporting Pagan values and causes.

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