Dear Friends,

Greetings of love and peace.

It’s impossible in the United States not to hear about “the election,” which is just over a year away. We hear about the presidential candidates attempting to take each other apart, beginning with the competition in their own party and then extending to members of the opposition party.

It’s impossible to pay attention to the news without hearing about the unfolding drama in Pakistan, where an increasingly isolated General Pervez Musharaf has declared martial law, dismantled the Supreme Court, and cancelled, then reinstated the elections, while many of the opposition parties are detained in prisons or under house arrest.

It’s impossible to forget the heroic vision of Buddhist monks standing up to a cruel dictatorship in Burma demanding a more open society where the people truly had a voice in the decisions that determine so much of the course of their lives.

Against this global backdrop, the URI is in the midst of its triennial experiment in global democracy. You won’t read about it in the newspapers or hear about it on the evening news, but it is an experiment that can help change the world.

The first part of URI’s global trustee selection process has just drawn to a close. Cooperation Circles all over the world have sent in certifications that they are still valid CCs and entitled to vote.

Some have nominated candidates to serve on the next Global Council, URI’s governing board. Most have voted on a proposed bylaw amendment that is intended to ensure the fundamental right of each CC to vote in elections of the global URI and to ensure the integrity of the process by which new CC s are admitted into membership in URI.

The next phase of this process will begin early in 2008 as each CC certified to vote will receive a voting packet containing descriptions of each person nominated to serve as a trustee on the new global council. CCs will then meet to review the statements about each nominee and to decide how they wish to vote. Their votes will determine the three trustees that will become Global Council Trustees from each of eight regions.

As URI’s Bylaws state: “The purpose of the Global Council is to support the Membership in making real the vision and values of the Preamble, Purpose and Principles.  The Global Council's central spirit is not one of control, but rather one of service informed by deep listening to the hopes and aspirations of the whole URI community.  The Global Council will inspire and support the URI worldwide community in cooperative global action.  It is envisioned that their deliberations will be tempered by tenderness for one another and for the Earth community.  It is envisioned that their actions will reflect a yearning to help the people of the URI fulfill their aspirations to be a positive force for peace, justice and healing in the world.”

Perhaps URI’s greatest accomplishment is the creation of a global community where people of all faiths from all over the world believe that they are one community, in all their glorious diversity. Our election process seeks to honor our deepest values and the importance of each CC, no matter how large or small.

We believe this is work to change our world for the better. We invite you to join us.

Faithfully,

Charles

The Rev. Canon Charles P. Gibbs
Executive Director