We’re Excited!

&bull Did you miss Anatomy of Hate, the fascinating movie presented on Valentine’s Day at Converse College? This film provoked anti-gay demonstrators and TWO big demonstrations for love & tolerance, one on campus, one across from campus. A good sized group of UU’s were among the demonstrators and the large audience! You’ve got another chance to see the movie, 7:00 Wednesday, March 2nd, at UUCS – this is free and open to both adults and youth.
&bull We agreed to make the first Sunday of each month an opportunity for the congregation to sign letters for various causes. Sunday, March 6th, we’ll have letters to state legislators protesting budget cuts to important programs such as education—Jinx is preparing these.
&bull Unitarian Universalists are fighting for gay rights in Uganda: UUA President Peter Morales announced the fund on January 25 to help human rights activists in that country. This was just before David Kato, a Ugandan gay rights activist, was fatally beaten.
What can we do to help? We agreed to designate our March Share the Plate to split between the UUA LGBT Uganda fund and our own Spartanburg Upstate Pride as they work to put on the 3rd Annual Upstate Pride SC Festival on June 4th. And we applaud the appointment of Cynthia Lanier to the Upstate Pride Board.
&bull Ruth’s Haiti Trip: Ruth leaves Mar. 26th to teach at Haiti's School for Midwives for a week. She’s taking medical supplies with her --she has over $1100 from UUCS plus other donations from friends and family to spend for medicines, baby supplies, etc. She’ll bring back lots of photos & share her experience in Hinche, Haiti, at a presentation in April.
&bull We’ll have a short meeting March 16th to present Ruth with the total of knitted, crocheted, and other baby gifts for her trip and discuss possible global issues for next year: candidates so far are the Gulf Coast, Haiti, Midle East/freedom, Women’s Issues/fair trade/microfinance.
&bull We set Mar. 23rd for the Green Sanctuary meeting--yes, the Environmental Assessment should be completed by next Monday! Alice will mail SJ committee members a copy when we receive it. Anyone else who wants to look at it may request it—happy to share!!