October Social Concerns Calendar

Love, Knit & Crochet Wed. Oct. 21st, 6:30. We are making scarves for the homeless between now and Christmas. Come with your hook or needles, yarn is provided. Everyone is welcome ~ we will teach beginners.

Social Concerns Committee's Next Meeting: Oct. 28th, 6:30. Topics: Don Rollins will talk about social concerns; blood drives & discrimination against MSM, update from Brandon on youth concerns, update from Launa on Park Hill, and other ideas and concerns brought by members. No meetings in Nov. & Dec.

Wed. Sept. 23rd. Social Concerns Meeting 6:30

Corrected Minutes (thanks, committee members!)
Update on activities of September-October
This month’s topics include: Youth activities, ShareThePlate, Critter Connections, Discrimination against Gay Men by FDA in accepting blood donations and others.

What is “Social Concerns”? Nationally, UU churches have committees, variously called Social Concerns, Social Action, and Social Justice, with efforts similar to ours. They usually stress, as we do, “think globally and act locally.”

Present: Alice Sutton, chair; Don Rollins, minister; Launa Blackburn, Park Hills Liaison; Brandon David, youth rep; Kim Danner, board liaison; additional members Ed Wilde, Abby Fowler, P. K. Weis, Palma and Mitchell Eisner, and Cynthia Howe; and supporters Bobbie Schoss and David Stack.

Update on activities of September-October:
*Total Ministries: Penny Hatchell calls Total Ministries when the food barrel is full. Previously, Meg Barnhouse sometimes gave food directly to needy applicants from the barrel, and Penny has continued that through the summer. We had a consensus that it was better to refer to Total Ministries but agreed that DON ROLLINS should decide whether he wished to continue this tradition or preferred that all applicants go direct to Total Ministries: Discussion w/ DON: he wants to follow the church recommendation. We recommend that he refer all to Total Ministries & Free Lunch at Second Pres. *Wed. Sept. 16th. Love, Knit & Crochet had its first meeting. We will knit/crochet scarves for the homeless from now till Christmas, meeting monthly. We hope more will join us.
*Ruth Stanton offered info on pending legislation for public education & voter registration on Sept. 20th.
*Launa Blackburn spoke at the Sept. 20th service on Park Hills partnership to recruit volunteers and put calendar on bulletin board.
*Alice spoke about Social Concerns committee after service. Also bought organizations directory.
*Oct. 1st & 3rd. SPIHN (Spartanburg Interfaith Hospitality Network): UU church commitment to Fernwood Baptist Church is to provide one meal to the homeless family/families hosted. Dixon Covenant Group will provide Th. Oct 1 meal and Launa will be a Saturday overnight host.
*Breast Cancer Awareness & Memorial: Sally Hicks has ordered Pink Sunday materials for us and Alice will speak about this at Oct. 25th service.
*Nov. 1st Connie Godenick will begin a monthly Sunday morning health program for our congregation, and also open to the community.

This month’s Topics
1. ShareThePlate: we all thought this was very worthwhile last year. Did we really lose money doing this? Ed Wilde explained the Finance Committee recommendation of 7/09. They recommended that “any plate amount over $80 each Sunday will be given to the charity of the month in addition to checks and contributions given to the church in the charity’s name.” This was calculated based on church pledges and the pattern of giving, to hopefully meet budget.
We felt that this phrasing was very awkward and also would not encourage people to give that extra amount for charities that the previous Share the Plate plan did. However, we acknowledged the financial realities that make the previous Share the Plate plan more generous than we can afford at this time. After much discussion, we reached a consensus and make this recommendation to the Board:
That we share the plate every Sunday with the following phrasing: This month, the ___________(charity) will receive all designated checks or money placed in the donation envelopes and labeled for _________, as well as a portion of the loose cash and change put in the collection plate.” We would like to continue to have each recipient organization speak at one service for a few minutes, and would also like that org. to have a table with info. in the fellowship hall at least one week in the month.
Further, we designate Park Hills School as our next Share The Plate recipient. We will do a new congregational survey and choose additional recipients in October and January. Launa agreed to create this survey.

2. Bobbie Schoss shared information on “Critter Connections,” an animal foster-and-adoption NPO in Spartanburg. This is a good place for people looking for pets or who would like to foster a pet, and also a good candidate for Share The Plate.

3.David Stack shared information about the lifetime exclusion of blood donations from men having sex with men (MSM). The American Red Cross, the American Assoc. for Blood Banks and America’s Blood Centers have urged the FDA to revise the ban because of technological advances ensuring the safety of the blood supply with a revised plan. This discrimination has led some to call for banning blood drives from some locations. We agreed that all members present will research and think about this topic and discuss this at our Oct. meeting. Launa will discuss this issue with Rick Hahnenburg & Margaret Schmidt, who have been involved in recent blood drives, and invite them to our next meeting.

4. Brandon David shared his ideas on how our youth would like to contribute to our church, first, by helping with fundraising, and second, with our help to expedite community volunteer activities. He also spoke about the need for more recreational youth activities in our community, and we discussed some ideas on how youth recreation and fundraising could be combined. We thought the youth could make a wonderful contribution to the auction by teaming up to offer hours of work. Our new fundraising committee clearly needs a youth member, too! Don, P. K. and Launa will take initial steps to help with ideas such as a youth coffee house or dance, and volunteer help at after school activities at Park Hills School. Alice & Launa will be happy to talk to a youth group about community activities after Alice has attended upcoming neighborhood assoc. meetings.

5. Brandon also spoke about the Respect and Equality Petition with 600+ signers presented by high school students at the District 6 School District Board meeting. This was in response to a very exclusive prayer-speech given at last spring’s graduation at Dorman High. Subsequently, the School Board lost the petition. The Social Concerns committee support this petition and agree that Brandon, et al, should have a table in the Fellowship Hall on a Sunday very soon, to give our church members the opportunity to sign a new petition. Brandon will let us know when he would like to have a table in the Fellowship Hall (soon).

6. Launa shared her concerns about declining contributions to the Total Ministries Food Barrel. She would like the barrels put in a more visible location. Alice will bring barrel locations and other housekeeping concerns up at the next COC meeting.