Moving Forward After the Elections: UU Justice-Making
In these post-election days you may feel, as UUA President William Sinkford
said, "devastated, hopeless, fearful and even triumphant." After you
have lived with those feelings, what comes next? If you are a Unitarian Universalist
it becomes time, Sinkford suggested, to "return to the work of raising
our liberal religious voice in the public square and to continue building relationships
in our communities." There are many ways to engage in such work: through
further study, participation in congregational empowerment workshops or advocacy,
through involvement with social change organizations.
Find out what our President and Unitarian Universalist individuals, congregations,
and organizations are saying and doing in these post-election days.
From the UUA President:
Nov. 9, 2004 - Statement
on Moral Values
Nov. 3, 2004 - "The
Destiny of Our Democracy"
October, 2004 - Pastoral
Letter
October, 2004 - Message
to Young People
Congregational Actions:
Unitarian Universalists for
Social Justice 
(based in the greater Washington DC area) held
a forum on November 6 to discuss the election outcome .
The panel discussion included the Rev. William Sinkford who observed, "If
those who believe in the gift of the human story and of human potential step
forward, we can have a discussion. If we move into demonization, it is certain
that we won't come together."
The UU congregations in BuxMont PA, Bowling Green KY, and Manhattan KS held
Social Justice Empowerment workshops in the weekends following the elections,
pledging to focus and broaden their justice-making work. The workshops
were well attended and the energy was high. Additionally the UUA's Office
for Congregational Advocacy and Witness has received reports from several
congregations, including those in Portland OR, and Madison, WI, that
are planning to transform their voter education and mobilization energy into
organizing and advocacy efforts.
Read "After
the Election - What's Next?" from the UUA’s Offices for Advocacy
and the Office for Congregational Advocacy & Witness for further information
and tips on what you and your congregation can do next.
Sermons:
- Dear Democrats and Republicans . . . You
Called? by Reverend Sharon Dittmar - First Unitarian Church, Cincinnati,
OH, Nov. 14, 2004
- Reclaiming the Forgotten
by Rev. Wayne B. Arnason - West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church, Rocky
River, OH, November 7, 2004
- Living Under Fascism by the Rev.
Davidson Loehr - Minister, First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin,
TX, Nov. 7, 2004
- What Would Julia Do? by Charlie
Clements, M.D. (President, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee), Nov.
7, 2004
- Unloved by the Rev. Nancy Arnold
- Minister, Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron, OH, Nov. 7, 2004
- What's Next? by the Rev. Dr. Forrest
Church - Senior Minister, All Souls Unitarian Church, New York, NY, Nov. 7,
2004
- Interesting Times by the
Rev. Jan Carlsson-Bull - Minister, First Parish Unitarian Universalist, Cohasset,
MA - Oct. 24, 2004
Election information:
Find out more about UU
congregations who were involved in registering voters and conducting get out
the vote activities
Track vote counting methods and irregularities in the 2004 election; learn
how to make every vote count in future elections
Complete the Faithful
Democracy Post-Election Survey
Continuing Education:
Become involved in the UUA's Social Justice Empowerment Program! Find
out more here.
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