2,000 UUs gather in Washington for March for Women's Lives on April 25
(Washington D.C., April 25, 2004) An estimated 2,000 Unitarian Universalists, representing over 200 UU congregations from 37 states, gathered in Washington DC over the weekend to participate in the March for Women's Lives, the largest women's reproductive health march in history and perhaps the largest march held in Washington since the 1960's civil rights marches.
 UUs came from every part of the United States, traveling on planes, overnight buses and trains. An 80-year-old grandmother from Clearwater, Florida; a woman from Georgia who had an illegal abortion in 1959; youth delegations from many congregations; and a male Minister of Religious Education from California who has focused on youth ministry were among those making the trip and rallying.
Events included a chili dinner for marchers held at All Souls Church Unitarian in Washington DC, the UU flagship congregation in our nation's capitol. An ingathering celebration on Saturday night was hosted by UUA Moderator Gini Courter and featured prayers and reflections by the Rev. Roberta Finkelstein, a former nurse; Rev. Deborah Mero, a longtime advocate of abortion rights and women's reproductive health issues; and Denny Davidoff, former UUA Moderator and a leader of the UU Women's Federation. The ingathering was followed by a keynote address by former US Senator (D-IL) and Ambassador to New Zealand Carol Moseley Braun, who was introduced by the Rev. Robert Hardies of All Souls Church and the Rev. William Sinkford, UUA President. More than 750 people attended the Saturday evening events.
Later Saturday, from 10 PM until midnight, a candlelight vigil was held by Unitarian Universalists in front of the Capitol Reflecting Pool as part of a 24-hour vigil organized by the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Participants included Rev. Sinkford and Ms. Courter as well as the Revs. Rosemary Bray McNatt, Elizabeth McMaster, Meg Riley, Ginger Luke; former moderator Denny Davidoff, and Thomas Jefferson District Executive Quiyamah Rahman.
 On Sunday, worshippers packed the sanctuary and social hall of All Souls Church with more than 1,000 people in attendance. The Rev. Rebecca Parker, President of Starr King School for the Ministry, preached the Sunday sermon, "For All That is Our Life." Following the service, worshippers, led by the ministers of All Souls, Rev. Robert Hardies and Rev. Shana Goodwin, processed down Harvard Street to the nearest Metro Station in order to join the March. The contingent was met on the mall by Rev. Sinkford, who had participated in an interfaith worship service at the March and Rally site.
During the march, which was led by Rev. Sinkford, Moderator Gini Courter, former moderators Natalie Gulbrandsen and Denny Davidoff, Revs. Hardies and Parker, and members of the UUA Board of Trustees, mothers and daughters walked together while other stories of UU commitment to reproductive health emerged. Congregations, including one in Billings, Montana, raised funds to send young adult women to the march. Parents marched with their young adult daughters, others pushed children in strollers, and UUs, carrying a huge banner at the front of the march line, sang UU hymns and proclaimed, "Who are we? UUs. What do we want? Choice."
UU events for the march were jointly organized by the UUA Washington Office for Advocacy and Witness and All Souls Church, and were coordinated by Kierstin Homblette, the UU Women's Federation Clara Barton Intern for Women's Issues in the UUA's Washington Office. For more information on UU involvement in the March for Women's Lives and photos of the weekend's activities, go to http://www.uua.org/news/2004/040427.html. For information on UU commitment to women's issues, go to http://www.uua.org/actions/#women.
Media coverage:
April 26, 2004 - Washington Post Video 
April 24, 2004 - Salt Lake city
Tribune:  "Religious voices join chorus for abortion rights" by Adelle
M. Banks, Religion News Service
—Reported by Deborah Weiner; photograph by Nancy Pierce/UUA
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