Our New Social Justice Program

At the May Congregational Meeting, ALL CHURCH MEMBERS will vote on the 2010 ISSUES for our church.  We have six issues to present to you, and you need to choose the TWO best.   

Our new Social Justice model gives our church two issues/programs to focus on for the coming fiscal year, one local and one global.   We have narrowed down the many possibilities to three local and three global.   Now YOU have to choose the best one in each group:

Our Three Local Issues:
1) Homelessness
2)  Green Sanctuary (a UUA program)
3) Adult Education

Our Three Global Issues:  
1)  Gulf Coast Recovery (a UU Service Committee campaign)
2)  Appalachian Poverty, Ecological destruction, and Opportunities for Recovery
3)  Haiti (a UU Service Committee focus).  

Sunday, April 25th, 10:00 we will talk about the local issues
Sunday, May 2nd, 10:00, we’ll talk about the global issues.
As you learn about our six options, ask yourself these questions:  
1.  How does this issue/program relate to the church mission?
2.  How can this program provide for multiple interfaces between the church and agency, ways for the children and youth, as well as adults of differing interests and abilities, to be involved?
3. Do we have the resources to carry out the program?
4. How can this program help our church grow stronger and stand taller in Spartanburg and in the TJ District?


Park Hills & St. Luke’s Clinic:  We have a continuing project at Park Hills School, with a small but important group of volunteers working there. We have a commitment to make collections for Park Hills. We have a continuing small commitment to St. Luke’s Clinic, with a dedicated group of volunteers. We have no plans to change either of these, but we need new issues & avenues for our whole congregation.

SAMPLES OF OUR ISSUES & PROGRAMS

Local Issue Number 2:  Green Sanctuary (a UUA program)
What is it?   A comprehensive program –a journey—towards a more earth-aware and earth-caring lifestyle for our church community, bringing in everyone from the pagan to the tech-savvy.   Not just changing light bulbs (which is one small but worthwhile effort) but a UUA-developed program which encompasses both worship and action.    98 accredited churches and 118 in candidacy!  (summer 2009)

Honors our Seventh Principle (respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part), practice environmental stewardship, and become better stewards of the Earth.

1. How does this issue/program relate to the church mission?
Justice for people, animals, and the earth:  environmental problems like climate change affect poor people in the developing world and in developed countries more than they affect the middle class right now.   They affect animals, plants, and eco-systems; they destroy our earth.  
Religious leaders from most of the world’s faith traditions have claimed that these envronmental crises may be the greatest moral challenge facing humankind in the twenty-first century. 
2. How can this program provide for multiple interfaces between the church and agency, ways for the children and youth, as well as adults of differing interests and abilities, to be involved?
The first step is to form a Green Sanctuary Team.  The second is to conduct an environmental assessment.  This includes assessment of four focus areas:
      *Worship and Celebration, *Religious Education—adult and children's
    * Environmental Justice,     * Sustainable Living—grounds, parking lot, location,transportation, facilities, kitchen, food, recycling/reuseables, office and cleaning supplies, energy use, investment policies, congregation policies, congregation committees, etc.
Quotes:  “the children in our RE program not only took initiative in helping with the church grounds, but also reached out to help an elderly couple with their yard work”   First Unitarian Soc. Schenectady, NY
“the formation of a Green Team was the spark that set into motion a wide range of progressive environmental movements within the church”  UU Charleston, SC
“There is much more energy around making a difference.” UU Church, Fairfax, Oakton, VA

3. Do we have the resources to carry out the program?   We have many talented, able, and hard-working people.   Also, this program can be done one step at a time!
4. How can this program help our church grow stronger and stand taller in Spartanburg and in the TJ District?   “Our recognition as a Green Sanctuary enhances our ability to make positive contributions to our community.”  A UU church in Mass.
“We are forming partnerships with other churches and faiths.”  UU Church in Eugene, OR

Global Issue 3)  Haiti (a UU Service Committee focus).

1. How does this issue/program relate to the church mission?
Justice of any type is in short supply in Haiti.
2. How can this program provide for multiple interfaces between the church and agency, ways for the children and youth, as well as adults of differing interests and abilities, to be involved?   Global issues require different approaches than local, generally less “hands-on.”  There are two avenues of approach for us. 
First, UUSC has partnerships with three grassroots organizations there.  UUSC “provides assistance to our partners, and their experience and expertise, in turn, enrich UUSC, enhancing our ability to advocate for goals we share in common.”  We can get involved with UUSC efforts, including political lobbying.   
Second, we have a church member who, already, has been wanting to volunteer in Haiti, at a school for nurse-midwives.  Ruth Stanton would be a welcome volunteer teacher at a school for nurse-midwives.  Typically, volunteers bring with them a variety of needed supplies for the school, from medical supplies to simple infant layettes.   Church members could help gather these supplies (and even make some) for Ruth to take with her, and support her trip $$.
3. Do we have the resources to carry out the program?   Again, global issues are a little harder to figure out, but a “Haiti Team” would evaluate resources as they considered different activities.
4. How can this program help our church grow stronger and stand taller in Spartanburg and in the TJ
District?    Over the past several years, UUCS has concentrated our social concerns efforts on local issues.   We need to look beyond our city & our state. The earthquake in Haiti was such a tragedy that it demands a response from the world. Church members demonstrated that they wanted to respond with their contributions to our special Haiti collection. Our efforts here, esp. with Ruth’s personal contribution, can add excitement to our church.