Rev. Beth Miller, Executive Secretary of the Ministerial Fellowship Committee, Picks MLK Day To Have Nothing More To Say. . .
If I remember correctly the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a thing or two to say about complicit silence. . .
Such as -
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
and
"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
Rev. Beth Miller, Executive Secretary of the UUA's Ministerial Fellowship Committee, sure picked a great day to decide that she has nothing more to say about the obviously negligent and effectively complicit dismissal of my clergy misconduct complaint against Rev. Victoria Weinstein for conduct unbecoming a minister, U*U or otherwise. . . by the UUA's department of Congregational Services under the rather questionable leadership of Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris. I am posting the complete email string of my communications with Rev. Beth Miller and, as usual, in order to be properly understood these U*U church records that are now open for scrutiny should be read from the bottom up.
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2007 22:21:21 -0500 (EST)
From: "Robin Edgar" robinedgar59@yahoo.ca
Subject: RE: Procedures for filing a complaint against a U*U minister
To: "Beth Miller" bmiller@uua.org, "Tracey Robinson-Harris" trobinson@uua.org
CC: "William Sinkford" BSinkford@uua.org, "William Sinkford" wsinkford@uua.org
Dear Rev. Miller,
Well you sure picked a good day to say that you have nothing more to say.
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Actually I will remember both the insulting and defamatory words of my enemies such as Rev. Ray Drennan and other intolerant and abusive U*Us, as well as the cowardly complicit silence of my "friends" at the UUA and its very aptly named Ministerial Fellowship Committee.
I hope that you all had a great Martin Luther King Day.
I am very confident that this MLK Day will be one that you will remember.
Sincerely,
Robin Edgar
P.S. Here are a few more pertinent Martin Luther King Jr. quotations that you would do well to keep in mind. . .
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
Even this MLK quote is highly pertinent to the unjustices and abuses that the UUA and the MFC are largely responsible for perpetuating and sustaining.
Segregation is the adultery of an illicit intercourse between injustice and immorality.
Indeed segregation is by no means the only wrong and inequity that may be very justifiably characterized as the adultery of an illicit intercourse between injustice and immorality. . . I dare say that that bon mot applies very well to the UUA's negligent and complicit response to clergy misconduct of various kinds, and other injustices and abuses within your "beloved community".
Beth Miller bmiller@uua.org wrote:
Dear Mr. Edgar,
I am sorry that you were unhappy with my reply to your concerns. Nonetheless, that is my reply and I have nothing more to say. I do not intend to engage further with you on either of the issues you have brought to my attention for the reasons previously stated.
Sincerely,
Beth Miller
the Rev. Beth Miller
Director, Ministry and Professional Leadership
Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
BMiller@uua.org
www.uua.org
617-948-6407 phone
617-742-2875 fax
Assistant to the Director
A'Llyn Ettien
Phone 617-948-6406 AEttien@uua.org
---------------------------------------------------------
From: Robin Edgar robinedgar59@yahoo.ca
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 6:31 PM
To: Beth Miller; Tracey Robinson-Harris
Cc: William Sinkford; William Sinkford
Subject: RE: Procedures for filing a complaint against a U*U minister
Dear Rev. Beth Miller,
You must be a very busy person indeed if "current matters" kept you too busy to respond in any manner whatsoever to an email that I sent you about three months ago.
Considering just how inappropriately, indeed negligently and complicitly, the UUA's Ministerial Fellowship Committee responded to my original serious grievances arising from Rev. Ray Drennan's intolerant and abusive anti-religious attack on my monotheistic religious beliefs and practrices, I am not the least bit surprised that after having a look at "the Drennan file", you consider that it is not *appropriate* for you to analyze either the process or the outcome. It could prove to be just a bit problematic for the Unitarian Universalist Association and its negligent Ministerial Fellowship Committee if anyone in a position of authority and responsibility ever undertook to responsibly analyze both the process and the outcome and make official comments about it. N'est-ce pas?
You say that you support the response (or perhaps I should say the UUA's typically negligent and effectively complicit non-response) of Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris, current Director of the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Congregational Services Staff Group, to my current clergy misconduct complaint against Rev. Victoria Weinstein that arises from her insulting and defamatory language, and other unbecoming conduct, as very publicly displayed on Rev. Weinstein's pseudonymous Peacebang blog.
Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris is on record as claiming that -
Given the rules of the MFC and the nature of the issues you raise, it is not appropriate for the MFC to adjudicate.
If you feel that you have been defamed or libeled and wish redress that would be a matter for civil court action.
So am I correct in understanding that you agree that, "given the rules of the MFC", it is not appropriate for the UUA's Ministerial Fellowship Committee to adjudicate any case of clergy misconduct that involves the "issues" of a U*U minister insulting, slandering, libeling, or otherwise defaming a person on their blog, to say nothing of doing so in other ways?
Am I correct in understanding that the only recourse available to deal with injurious and untrue allegations made about someone or insulting and defamatory language directed at someone is for that person to bring a lawsuit against the minister in question?
Am I correct in understanding that it is still the current policy of the UUA, its Ministerial Fellowship Committee, and now its department of Congregational Services to allow verbally, emotionally, and psychologically abusive U*U ministers to insult, slander, libel, and defame people with complete impunity and no accountability whatsoever?
Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris is also on record as claiming that -
It is the case that in this situation the minister’s blog is anonymous ( though you were able to identify the individual) and that she is free to express her opinions and to do so outside of her professional role as a minister serving a congregation.
I thus must conclude that you support Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris' decision that Rev. Victoria Weinstein is free to express her deeply insulting, injurious, abusive, defamatory and libelous opinions on her Peacebang blog even though I have already pointed out to Rev. Robinson-Harris that her assertion that Rev. Weinstein's Peacebang blog it is "outside of her professional role as a minister" is open to dispute in that Rev. Victoria Weinstein proclaims on every page of her pseudonymous Peacebang blog that:
PeaceBang is the alter ego of a small town pastor serving an historic New England Unitarian Universalist congregation.
and that her Peacebang blog is about "Unitarian Universalism, UU Chrisitan (sic) spiritual practice, occasional cultural and political ravings, and the inner life of ministry."
Indeed quite recently Rev. Victoria Weinstein wrote on her blog that -
"I blog as an excercise in Unitarian Universalist and Christian evangelism, and as a way to share my passion for ministry and for religious life lived in community."
It should be glaringly obvious that Rev. Victoria Weinstein does not consider her Peacebang blog to be "outside of her professional role" as a U*U minister.
So how is it possible that you, and Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris, and whoever else in the UUA and its department of Congregational Services participated in Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris' highly questionable decision to dismiss my serious complaint abour Rev. Victoria Weinstein's unbecoming conduct, pretend that her Peacebang blog is actually "outside of her professional role as a minister"? Pray tell. . .
I asked Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris a number of important questions that she has refused to answer. I expect you to answer these questions, including those that I just posed to you. Failure or refusal to answer my reasonable
questions will be interpreted as knowing and willful participation in UUA institutional stonewalling and denial. Your colleague Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris has unfortunately already made her decision in that regard. You may wish to consider a making a wiser choice that actually lives up to the letter and the spirit of the purported principles and purposes of the U*U community and UUA President Bill Sinkford's Holiday Message that calls upon U*Us to "commit ourselves to the spiritual practice of waging peace—in our hearts, at home, in our congregations and communities, and in our world. . .
Let us rededicate ourselves to waging peace."
http://www.uua.org/president/061213_holiday.html
At present the UUA and U*Us more generally are not off to a very good start in that regard. There will be no peace until there is some genuine justice so I suggest that you and the rest of the UUA start practicing what President Bill Sinkford preached not so long ago by waging justice with me as part and parcel of waging peace with me. Failure or refusal to engage in waging peace with me will ensure that our little war of words will continue well into 2007 if not longer.
Sincerely,
Robin Edgar
Beth Miller bmiller@uua.org wrote:
I apologize for the delay. Current matters have kept me busy.
I have read the Drennan file and see no reason to comment in any way. This case was handled and closed long before my arrival and it is not appropriate for me to analyze either the process or the outcome.
As to your complaint against Rev. Weinstein, that matter is in Rev. Robinson-Harris’ hands and I support her response to you.
Sincerely,
Beth Miller
the Rev. Beth Miller
Director, Ministry and Professional Leadership
Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon Street
Boston , MA 02108
BMiller@uua.org
www.uua.org
617-948-6407 phone
617-742-2875 fax
Assistant to the Director
A'Llyn Ettien
Phone 617-948-6406 AEttien@uua.org
---------------------------------------------------------
From: Robin Edgar robinedgar59@yahoo.ca
Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2007 7:26 PM
To: Beth Miller
Cc: William Sinkford; Tracey Robinson-Harris
Subject: RE: Procedures for filing a complaint against a U*U minister
Dear Rev. Miller,
It is now three months since you said that you would "look at the (Rev. Ray Drennan) file when I get back, though, and contact you then." I have had no response whatsoever from you. I am asking you and your department to responsibly review how that serious complaint about Rev. Ray Drennan's anti-religious intolerance and related insulting and defamatory injurious and untrue allegations about me, my monotheistic religious beliefs, and my perfectly acceptable religious activities was (mis)handled by the UUA's aptly named Ministerial Fellowship Committee even if it did occur prior to your arrival.
As you are aware from the recent email correspondence with Rev. Tracey Robinson-Harris that I cc'd to you a couple of times now, I am far from satisfied with how she has (mis)handled my recent formal complaint against Rev. Victoria Weinstein. Even if you refuse to reopen and re-examine my complaints against Rev. Ray Drennan I expect you to invest the time and effort to "second guess" a complaint about similarly insulting and defamatory unbecoming conduct by a U*U minister that has not been resolved to my satisfaction on your watch.
Thank-you,
Robin Edgar
Beth Miller bmiller@uua.org wrote:
Dear Robin Edgar,
I am away from Boston now and will not be back in my office until 11/8. Since I have only been with the UUA since July and have no knowledge of the situation you're speaking of, I really can't comment at all right now. I will look at the file when I get back, though, and contact you then. I will say, however, that I am unlikely to try to second guess something that was resolved, even if not to your satisfaction, prior to my arrival.
Thanks for pointing out the inconsistency in our website. I will see about getting that fixed.
Beth Miller
the Rev. Beth Miller
Director, Ministry and Professional Leadership
Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon Street
Boston , MA 02108
BMiller@uua.org
www.uua.org
617-948-6407 phone
617-742-2875 fax
Assistant to the Director
A'Llyn Ettien
Phone 617-948-6406 AEttien@uua.org
---------------------------------------------------------
From: Robin Edgar robinedgar59@yahoo.ca
Sent: Fri 11/3/2006 3:52 PM
To: Beth Miller
Subject: RE: Procedures for filing a complaint against a U*U minister
Dear Beth Miller,
Thank you for your prompt response to my query about filing a complaint against a U*U minister for unbecoming conduct. The UUA web site seemed to indicate that you were the primary contact person. You might want to review what is stated on the UUA web site about the complaint filing process to ensure that it is up-to-date. I will contact Tracey Robinson-Harris about this complaint.
You seem to indicate that you exercise oversight of the response to complaints against ministers by the Ministerial Fellowship Committee and that you interface with the minister through whatever actions they take. In fact I have been very poorly served by the Ministerial Fellowship Committee in terms of its response to a previous complaint against a different minister. The Ministerial Fellowship Committee under the directorship of Rev. Diane Miller, and later under the directorship of Rev. David Hubner, failed to responsibly deal with a complaint about unbecoming conduct by Rev. Ray Drennan of the Unitarian Church of Montreal. I would appreciate it if you could provide advice as to how I can take steps to ensure that Rev. Ray Drennan faces real accountability for his verbally and psychologically abusive clergy misconduct and how the Ministerial Fellowship Committee can be held accountable for its apparently incompetent and/or negligent responses to my earlier complaints that effectively condoned Rev. Ray Drennan's clergy misconduct. Any helpful advice as to how I may appeal the previous decisions made by the MFC would be greatly appreciated.
Thank-you,
Robin Edgar
Beth Miller bmiller@uua.org wrote:
Dear Robin Edgar,
Formal complaints are handled by Tracey Robinson-Harris, Director of Congregational Services. The procedure is outlines on the UUA website at:
http://www.uua.org/cde/ethics/complaintprocess.html
This process keeps me and my staff from a potential conflict of interest as we deal with the response to the complaint by the Ministeial Fellowship Committee and interface with the minister through whatever actions they take.
I am saddened to know that you are having serious difficulty with one of our ministers and hope that you will be well served by the UUA, whatever the outcome.
Best Regards,
Beth
the Rev. Beth Miller
Director, Ministry and Professional Leadership
Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon Street
Boston , MA 02108
BMiller@uua.org
www.uua.org
617-948-6407 phone
617-742-2875 fax
Assistant to the Director
A'Llyn Ettien
Phone 617-948-6406 AEttien@uua.org
---------------------------------------------------------
From: Robin Edgar robinedgar59@yahoo.ca
Sent: Wed 11/1/2006 4:02 PM
To: Beth Miller
Subject: Procedures for filing a complaint against a U*U minister
Dear Ms. Miller,
It is my intention to bring a complaint for unethical conduct unbecoming a minister against a U*U minster in the coming days. I would appreciate it if you could inform me of what the current procedures are for bringing such a complaint against a U*U minister are. Is it possible for all written communications to be conducted using email or will it be necessary to send a hard copy letter by conventional mail in the form of a registered letter.
Thank you,
Robin Edgar
Such as -
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
and
"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
Rev. Beth Miller, Executive Secretary of the UUA's Ministerial Fellowship Committee, sure picked a great day to decide that she has nothing more to say about the obviously negligent and effectively complicit dismissal of my clergy misconduct complaint against Rev. Victoria Weinstein for conduct unbecoming a minister, U*U or otherwise. . . by the UUA's department of Congregational Services under the rather questionable leadership of Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris. I am posting the complete email string of my communications with Rev. Beth Miller and, as usual, in order to be properly understood these U*U church records that are now open for scrutiny should be read from the bottom up.
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2007 22:21:21 -0500 (EST)
From: "Robin Edgar" robinedgar59@yahoo.ca
Subject: RE: Procedures for filing a complaint against a U*U minister
To: "Beth Miller" bmiller@uua.org, "Tracey Robinson-Harris" trobinson@uua.org
CC: "William Sinkford" BSinkford@uua.org, "William Sinkford" wsinkford@uua.org
Dear Rev. Miller,
Well you sure picked a good day to say that you have nothing more to say.
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Actually I will remember both the insulting and defamatory words of my enemies such as Rev. Ray Drennan and other intolerant and abusive U*Us, as well as the cowardly complicit silence of my "friends" at the UUA and its very aptly named Ministerial Fellowship Committee.
I hope that you all had a great Martin Luther King Day.
I am very confident that this MLK Day will be one that you will remember.
Sincerely,
Robin Edgar
P.S. Here are a few more pertinent Martin Luther King Jr. quotations that you would do well to keep in mind. . .
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
Even this MLK quote is highly pertinent to the unjustices and abuses that the UUA and the MFC are largely responsible for perpetuating and sustaining.
Segregation is the adultery of an illicit intercourse between injustice and immorality.
Indeed segregation is by no means the only wrong and inequity that may be very justifiably characterized as the adultery of an illicit intercourse between injustice and immorality. . . I dare say that that bon mot applies very well to the UUA's negligent and complicit response to clergy misconduct of various kinds, and other injustices and abuses within your "beloved community".
Beth Miller bmiller@uua.org wrote:
Dear Mr. Edgar,
I am sorry that you were unhappy with my reply to your concerns. Nonetheless, that is my reply and I have nothing more to say. I do not intend to engage further with you on either of the issues you have brought to my attention for the reasons previously stated.
Sincerely,
Beth Miller
the Rev. Beth Miller
Director, Ministry and Professional Leadership
Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
BMiller@uua.org
www.uua.org
617-948-6407 phone
617-742-2875 fax
Assistant to the Director
A'Llyn Ettien
Phone 617-948-6406 AEttien@uua.org
---------------------------------------------------------
From: Robin Edgar robinedgar59@yahoo.ca
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 6:31 PM
To: Beth Miller; Tracey Robinson-Harris
Cc: William Sinkford; William Sinkford
Subject: RE: Procedures for filing a complaint against a U*U minister
Dear Rev. Beth Miller,
You must be a very busy person indeed if "current matters" kept you too busy to respond in any manner whatsoever to an email that I sent you about three months ago.
Considering just how inappropriately, indeed negligently and complicitly, the UUA's Ministerial Fellowship Committee responded to my original serious grievances arising from Rev. Ray Drennan's intolerant and abusive anti-religious attack on my monotheistic religious beliefs and practrices, I am not the least bit surprised that after having a look at "the Drennan file", you consider that it is not *appropriate* for you to analyze either the process or the outcome. It could prove to be just a bit problematic for the Unitarian Universalist Association and its negligent Ministerial Fellowship Committee if anyone in a position of authority and responsibility ever undertook to responsibly analyze both the process and the outcome and make official comments about it. N'est-ce pas?
You say that you support the response (or perhaps I should say the UUA's typically negligent and effectively complicit non-response) of Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris, current Director of the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Congregational Services Staff Group, to my current clergy misconduct complaint against Rev. Victoria Weinstein that arises from her insulting and defamatory language, and other unbecoming conduct, as very publicly displayed on Rev. Weinstein's pseudonymous Peacebang blog.
Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris is on record as claiming that -
Given the rules of the MFC and the nature of the issues you raise, it is not appropriate for the MFC to adjudicate.
If you feel that you have been defamed or libeled and wish redress that would be a matter for civil court action.
So am I correct in understanding that you agree that, "given the rules of the MFC", it is not appropriate for the UUA's Ministerial Fellowship Committee to adjudicate any case of clergy misconduct that involves the "issues" of a U*U minister insulting, slandering, libeling, or otherwise defaming a person on their blog, to say nothing of doing so in other ways?
Am I correct in understanding that the only recourse available to deal with injurious and untrue allegations made about someone or insulting and defamatory language directed at someone is for that person to bring a lawsuit against the minister in question?
Am I correct in understanding that it is still the current policy of the UUA, its Ministerial Fellowship Committee, and now its department of Congregational Services to allow verbally, emotionally, and psychologically abusive U*U ministers to insult, slander, libel, and defame people with complete impunity and no accountability whatsoever?
Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris is also on record as claiming that -
It is the case that in this situation the minister’s blog is anonymous ( though you were able to identify the individual) and that she is free to express her opinions and to do so outside of her professional role as a minister serving a congregation.
I thus must conclude that you support Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris' decision that Rev. Victoria Weinstein is free to express her deeply insulting, injurious, abusive, defamatory and libelous opinions on her Peacebang blog even though I have already pointed out to Rev. Robinson-Harris that her assertion that Rev. Weinstein's Peacebang blog it is "outside of her professional role as a minister" is open to dispute in that Rev. Victoria Weinstein proclaims on every page of her pseudonymous Peacebang blog that:
PeaceBang is the alter ego of a small town pastor serving an historic New England Unitarian Universalist congregation.
and that her Peacebang blog is about "Unitarian Universalism, UU Chrisitan (sic) spiritual practice, occasional cultural and political ravings, and the inner life of ministry."
Indeed quite recently Rev. Victoria Weinstein wrote on her blog that -
"I blog as an excercise in Unitarian Universalist and Christian evangelism, and as a way to share my passion for ministry and for religious life lived in community."
It should be glaringly obvious that Rev. Victoria Weinstein does not consider her Peacebang blog to be "outside of her professional role" as a U*U minister.
So how is it possible that you, and Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris, and whoever else in the UUA and its department of Congregational Services participated in Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris' highly questionable decision to dismiss my serious complaint abour Rev. Victoria Weinstein's unbecoming conduct, pretend that her Peacebang blog is actually "outside of her professional role as a minister"? Pray tell. . .
I asked Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris a number of important questions that she has refused to answer. I expect you to answer these questions, including those that I just posed to you. Failure or refusal to answer my reasonable
questions will be interpreted as knowing and willful participation in UUA institutional stonewalling and denial. Your colleague Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris has unfortunately already made her decision in that regard. You may wish to consider a making a wiser choice that actually lives up to the letter and the spirit of the purported principles and purposes of the U*U community and UUA President Bill Sinkford's Holiday Message that calls upon U*Us to "commit ourselves to the spiritual practice of waging peace—in our hearts, at home, in our congregations and communities, and in our world. . .
Let us rededicate ourselves to waging peace."
http://www.uua.org/president/061213_holiday.html
At present the UUA and U*Us more generally are not off to a very good start in that regard. There will be no peace until there is some genuine justice so I suggest that you and the rest of the UUA start practicing what President Bill Sinkford preached not so long ago by waging justice with me as part and parcel of waging peace with me. Failure or refusal to engage in waging peace with me will ensure that our little war of words will continue well into 2007 if not longer.
Sincerely,
Robin Edgar
Beth Miller bmiller@uua.org wrote:
I apologize for the delay. Current matters have kept me busy.
I have read the Drennan file and see no reason to comment in any way. This case was handled and closed long before my arrival and it is not appropriate for me to analyze either the process or the outcome.
As to your complaint against Rev. Weinstein, that matter is in Rev. Robinson-Harris’ hands and I support her response to you.
Sincerely,
Beth Miller
the Rev. Beth Miller
Director, Ministry and Professional Leadership
Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon Street
Boston , MA 02108
BMiller@uua.org
www.uua.org
617-948-6407 phone
617-742-2875 fax
Assistant to the Director
A'Llyn Ettien
Phone 617-948-6406 AEttien@uua.org
---------------------------------------------------------
From: Robin Edgar robinedgar59@yahoo.ca
Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2007 7:26 PM
To: Beth Miller
Cc: William Sinkford; Tracey Robinson-Harris
Subject: RE: Procedures for filing a complaint against a U*U minister
Dear Rev. Miller,
It is now three months since you said that you would "look at the (Rev. Ray Drennan) file when I get back, though, and contact you then." I have had no response whatsoever from you. I am asking you and your department to responsibly review how that serious complaint about Rev. Ray Drennan's anti-religious intolerance and related insulting and defamatory injurious and untrue allegations about me, my monotheistic religious beliefs, and my perfectly acceptable religious activities was (mis)handled by the UUA's aptly named Ministerial Fellowship Committee even if it did occur prior to your arrival.
As you are aware from the recent email correspondence with Rev. Tracey Robinson-Harris that I cc'd to you a couple of times now, I am far from satisfied with how she has (mis)handled my recent formal complaint against Rev. Victoria Weinstein. Even if you refuse to reopen and re-examine my complaints against Rev. Ray Drennan I expect you to invest the time and effort to "second guess" a complaint about similarly insulting and defamatory unbecoming conduct by a U*U minister that has not been resolved to my satisfaction on your watch.
Thank-you,
Robin Edgar
Beth Miller bmiller@uua.org wrote:
Dear Robin Edgar,
I am away from Boston now and will not be back in my office until 11/8. Since I have only been with the UUA since July and have no knowledge of the situation you're speaking of, I really can't comment at all right now. I will look at the file when I get back, though, and contact you then. I will say, however, that I am unlikely to try to second guess something that was resolved, even if not to your satisfaction, prior to my arrival.
Thanks for pointing out the inconsistency in our website. I will see about getting that fixed.
Beth Miller
the Rev. Beth Miller
Director, Ministry and Professional Leadership
Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon Street
Boston , MA 02108
BMiller@uua.org
www.uua.org
617-948-6407 phone
617-742-2875 fax
Assistant to the Director
A'Llyn Ettien
Phone 617-948-6406 AEttien@uua.org
---------------------------------------------------------
From: Robin Edgar robinedgar59@yahoo.ca
Sent: Fri 11/3/2006 3:52 PM
To: Beth Miller
Subject: RE: Procedures for filing a complaint against a U*U minister
Dear Beth Miller,
Thank you for your prompt response to my query about filing a complaint against a U*U minister for unbecoming conduct. The UUA web site seemed to indicate that you were the primary contact person. You might want to review what is stated on the UUA web site about the complaint filing process to ensure that it is up-to-date. I will contact Tracey Robinson-Harris about this complaint.
You seem to indicate that you exercise oversight of the response to complaints against ministers by the Ministerial Fellowship Committee and that you interface with the minister through whatever actions they take. In fact I have been very poorly served by the Ministerial Fellowship Committee in terms of its response to a previous complaint against a different minister. The Ministerial Fellowship Committee under the directorship of Rev. Diane Miller, and later under the directorship of Rev. David Hubner, failed to responsibly deal with a complaint about unbecoming conduct by Rev. Ray Drennan of the Unitarian Church of Montreal. I would appreciate it if you could provide advice as to how I can take steps to ensure that Rev. Ray Drennan faces real accountability for his verbally and psychologically abusive clergy misconduct and how the Ministerial Fellowship Committee can be held accountable for its apparently incompetent and/or negligent responses to my earlier complaints that effectively condoned Rev. Ray Drennan's clergy misconduct. Any helpful advice as to how I may appeal the previous decisions made by the MFC would be greatly appreciated.
Thank-you,
Robin Edgar
Beth Miller bmiller@uua.org wrote:
Dear Robin Edgar,
Formal complaints are handled by Tracey Robinson-Harris, Director of Congregational Services. The procedure is outlines on the UUA website at:
http://www.uua.org/cde/ethics/complaintprocess.html
This process keeps me and my staff from a potential conflict of interest as we deal with the response to the complaint by the Ministeial Fellowship Committee and interface with the minister through whatever actions they take.
I am saddened to know that you are having serious difficulty with one of our ministers and hope that you will be well served by the UUA, whatever the outcome.
Best Regards,
Beth
the Rev. Beth Miller
Director, Ministry and Professional Leadership
Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon Street
Boston , MA 02108
BMiller@uua.org
www.uua.org
617-948-6407 phone
617-742-2875 fax
Assistant to the Director
A'Llyn Ettien
Phone 617-948-6406 AEttien@uua.org
---------------------------------------------------------
From: Robin Edgar robinedgar59@yahoo.ca
Sent: Wed 11/1/2006 4:02 PM
To: Beth Miller
Subject: Procedures for filing a complaint against a U*U minister
Dear Ms. Miller,
It is my intention to bring a complaint for unethical conduct unbecoming a minister against a U*U minster in the coming days. I would appreciate it if you could inform me of what the current procedures are for bringing such a complaint against a U*U minister are. Is it possible for all written communications to be conducted using email or will it be necessary to send a hard copy letter by conventional mail in the form of a registered letter.
Thank you,
Robin Edgar
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