Building Beloved Community

8th principleBBC: Building the Beloved Community

In April 2018, UUCA voted to affirm the 8th Principle as a guiding principle for our anti-racism, anti-oppression work. The 8th principle states:  “We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”

The BBC team transforms the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis into a welcoming community for all, valuing each person for who they are and inviting each to bring their gifts of spirituality, love, and healing. We especially recognize those who are part of one or more oppressed groups and welcome their wisdom and experiences in accomplishing our vision.

Educational Opportunities for All

3rd Sundays 2026-2027: MOSAIC Anti-Racism Workshops

This is an ongoing series of middle hour sessions that provide opportunities for members of our congregation to practice and live UUCA’s resolution in support of the 8th Principle. The recently-introduced MOSAIC platform by UUA fosters belonging and liberation in Unitarian Universalist congregations and communities. 

  1. September 20 – Summer Book read discussion: “The Science of Racism” by Keon West
  2. October 18 – Social Justice panel
  3. November 15 – MOSAIC session
  4. December 20 – MOSAIC session
  5. January 17 – Speaker/presenter
  6. February 21 – MOSAIC session
  7. March 21 – MOSAIC session
  8. April 18 – MOSAIC session
  9. May 16 – MOSAIC session

Please save these dates and join us for our ongoing 2026-27 UUCA MOSAIC Sunday Anti-Racism Workshops. These sessions will be held through the congregation for all ages. As we begin a new church year together, we renew our commitment to anti-racism.

This is more than a program. It is a movement.

We are being called to deepen our understanding and our action in the work of anti-racism and collective liberation. Not as an optional part of our faith, but as a central expression of it. The MOSAIC Sunday series is being brought to you by BBC, a ministry of building beloved community, committed to our shared UU 8th Principle.

Partnerships

Members of the BBC partner with the following organizations by sponsoring their meeting spaces at UUCA and participating in their work against racism:

The BBC developed the Accountability Checklist to help us put our anti-racist aspirations into practice. Please select the link below to view the accountability checklist: BBC Accountability Checklist

During the summer of 2020 the UUCA congregation read Subtle Acts of Exclusion: How to understand, identify and stop Microaggressions by Tiffany Janna and Michael Baran. The BBC developed a model based on the authors’ work to use when handling SAEs in our church. We introduced the SAE model to our board of trustees and the congregation this autumn and now teach it as part of our 8th Principle Practice Series workshops. You can link to our SAE model here.