UUA Programs & Services: Social Justice

Congregational Success Stories

Community UU Church of San Antonio sponsors Ten Tree Challenge
South Dakota UUs Fight State Abortion Ban
2005 Bennett Award Recipient: First Parish of Sudbury Unitarian Universalist of Sudbury Massachusetts
First Parish of Sudbury Unitarian Universalist of Sudbury Massachusetts for their “Take it to the World” program. Linking service to advocacy the congregation has worked to feed the homeless and establish affordable housing; contribute to a renewal house for families affected by addiction and advocate for universal single payer health care; support the local high school gay-straight alliance and struggle for marriage equality; passage of a city wide civil liberties safe zone resolution, support to prisoners and much more.

For more about this project:
About the Bennett Award

"Power: What It Is and How Grassroots Community Groups Can Create It" - Rudy Lopez, National Field Director, U. S. Hispanic Leadership Institute

On Saturday, March 19th, the second anniversary of the war in Iraq, Candlelight Coalition and the Social Action Committee of Unitarian Universalist Church West in Brookfield, Wisconsin

hosted their second annual peace conference. Social Action Chair Becky Steffes

reports: It was an afternoon of stimulating workshops that informed and motivated the some 100 concerned citizens who attended. On the second anniversary of the war in Iraq, we came together to build a greater sense of community. It was our hope that moving forward, together we can build a more peaceful and just world.

The Social Responsibility Committee of the UU Congregation of Erie was one of 13 groups endorsing a Statement (see link below) read out loud and delivered during a peace action on March 18, 2005, in Erie, PA. The action started mid-day at the local office of Representative Phil English (PA-3), and included a press conference and reading names of U.S. troops killed in Iraq and descriptions of Iraqi civilian casualties. The readings were in the Congressman's office by various peace and justice activists -- including 4 members from our congregation and our minister Rev. Nancy Roemheld. There was also a group witnessing the action and holding signs outside the Congressman's office for several hours that included members of our congregation -- and continued until the office closed at 5 p.m. During the afternoon, we hand delivered a similar Statement to the local offices of PA's two senators Arlen Specter and Rick Santorum.

Report from Al Richardson , Social Action Chair

Tsunami Relief Effort
South Nassau UU Congregation in Freeport, NY began a month-long fundraising effort starting with a collection on Sunday Jan. 2nd, for the Tsunami Relief Fund of the UU Service Committee. They gathered $1,055 in amounts ranging from a $5 bill to a $200 check. This was an unprecedented amount for this small congregation to raise in one Sunday for a special offering, especially since it was a low-attendance Sunday with no religious education being held over the holiday. They are hopeful for an even greater outpouring in the month to come. Update: On January 9th, the congregational raised an additional $1,350.66 bringing their total to almost $3,500. Yuuth, the congregation’s youth program, raised $340 by conducting a one-week collection drive among their friends asking for “one dollar at a time.”

The congregational is holding an interfaith, interdenominational candlelight service with their local neighbors, in solidarity with the victims and survivors of the tsunami, to be held on January 26th, at 7:30 pm, one month after the disaster occurred.

For more information contact: Rev. Nancy Palmer Jones

Contribute to the UUSC Tsunami Relief Fund.
The 2004 Bennett Award for Congregational Action on Human Justice and Social Action was awarded to the Berrien UU Fellowship of St. Joseph MI for their work on criminal justice and prison reform. FULL STORY >>
First Unitarian Society of Madison WI has initiated the Go Vote Coalition that includes the NAACP, Urban League, Legaue of Women Voters, and others. The effort kicked-off on a Sunday at First Unitarian with 15 members of the church registering to vote and 50 people attending the first meeting. Coalition members were then deputized by a local election official to conduct off-site voter registration. The Coalition has applied to be a new voter project that will receive funding from the Pew Foundation. Plans include outreach to Latino and Asian communities as well as European and Afrrican American potential voters. A big push is planned around July 4th and the Coalition is producing t-shirts with the slogan -- Do Something Patriotic - Vote! Volunteers have signed up for the weekend and for weekends in September. Registration records will be photocopied for GOTV (Get Out The Vote) efforts in November. The Coalition plans to rent vans and follow up with registrants to get out the vote in November.
Congregational Implementation of Current Study Issues and Statement of Conscience
For More Congregational Stories by Issue See:

Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon St. | Boston, MA 02108 | 617-742-2100