To serve the community and promote the ends of truth, morality and free expression, and to counter the tendency toward polarized debate in our community, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Muncie has established a permanent program designed to promote community-wide dialogue in the 21st century, called the 1859 Forum for Community Conversation.
The purpose of the Forum is to promote community-wide discussion of important issues of clear importance to the citizens of Muncie and Delaware County. The 1859 Forum goal is to provide a framework where open, civil, inclusive and democratic discussion can be pursued. Indeed, the 1859 Forum values honest dialogue above consensus, respectful airing of and listening to differences above reaching a common conclusion.
The purpose of the Forum is to create healthy conversation about issues and, as such, should not presume to offer packaged solutions to the issues. The 1859 Forum should not advance or advocate any particular position on an issue, but rather provide balanced information to help the citizens of Muncie and Delaware County make up their own minds. The 1859 Forum encourages people to take action on issues but will not choose or direct that action.
The 1859 Forum strives to ensure that alternative perspectives are presented. All members of the community and all legitimate perspectives in the community are to be respected and considered in the programs of the 1859 Forum.
It is recognized that true conversation and dialogue are an art. Mutual trust and goodwill, a commitment to civility and willingness to listen are keys to meaningful dialog. The 1859 Forum will make every endeavor to foster and facilitate these qualities in its programming.
1859 Forum always seeks to partner with other local religious, philanthropic, educational and humanitarian groups and organizations to advance its purpose. Issues may vary from very local to global, from religious issues to secular ones, as long as the impact on Muncie/Delaware County is obvious. The Governing Committee of the Forum is expected to draw its members from the larger community as well as members of the UU Church of Muncie.
The 1859 Forum initially funded its tax exempt charitable work with a gift from the Ball Brothers Foundation to be held as an endowment in perpetuity by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Muncie. The idea of the gift originated with Ed Ball, but was administered by Douglas Bakken in response to our application. Additions to the endowment can be made by any party. Interest income from the endowment is expected to be the primary, although not necessarily exclusive, source of funding for programs of the 1859 Forum. The endowment income and other matching funds could pay for speaker fees, honoraria, materials, hospitality costs, and other necessary expenses of the program.
