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Ohio-Meadville District of the UUA |
Committee Mission and Purpose ~ UUA Commission on Social Witness ~ Email Lists ~ Chair's Message ~ Grants ~ JUUST Change Consultancy Program ~ Social Justice Resources
The mission of the Social Justice Committee is to provide education, support, and linkage for individuals and congregations in the OMD who are engaged in the fight for racial, ethnic, and/or social justice.
To further our mission, we:
We support congregations within the district with speakers, workshops and social justice grants. If you are doing a social justice or social action project or workshop and you need funds or a speaker, please contact Mac Goekler about grants and available speakers. Grant proposals should be sent to Mac Goekler, co-chair of the committee. We provide linkage through the use of a district wide social justice email list. This list has a contact in each congregation. If you want to be included send an email to Susan Goekler, co-chair of the committee.
The OMD's Social Justice Action Committee hosts a yahoo list serve where social justice chairs, and other justice seekers, can share events, news, concerns, or questions. If you have responsibility for social action, social justice, or racial justice in your congregation and are not on the list serve, please contact sgoekler at neo.rr.com to be added. It is a monitored list, so you will not get spam, but sometimes messages are delayed a day or two. Rarely are messages posted more than a few times a month. If you have questions about this invitation or if we can support you in your important work, please feel free to contact either co-chair at 330-633-1846 or socialjustice at ohiomeadville.org
Another excellent resource is the Democracy in Action listserv hosted by the UUA’s Washington Office (formerly the SAC listserv). This is a one-way communication about issues occurring at the national level that have implications for social justice/racial justice work. To sign up, go to
www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/UUA/content.jsp?content_KEY=1807 A recent posting provided information about a revised edition of the Real Rules. If your congregation plans to become engaged in any activities related to the upcoming election, you need to read this, which is available at www.uua.org/documents/washingtonoffice/real_rules.pdf
Peacemaking
The Delegates to the UUA’s General Assembly selected the topic of Peacemaking for 4 years of study and action in 2006. In January of this year, your congregation was asked to report what it is doing as part of that process. If you or a member of your congregation plans to attend the 2008 UUA General Assembly, you might want to attend sessions on the topic to share with your congregation. By late 2008, the UUA’s Commission on Social Witness will have a draft statement of conscience on the issue. Delegates will be able to vote on it ONLY if at least 25% of all UU Congregations have engaged with the issue in early 2009 (responding to the draft statement). If you are not yet engaged, consider ways to become engaged. For ideas, participate in a teleconference with theologians and noted others on the issue and/or access other resources available at www.uua.org/socialjustice/issuesprocess/currentissues/peacemaking/index.shtml OMD’s Social Action Committee’s co-chair, Mac is part of the core team working on this issue at the denominational level. He is another resource you can call on at socialjustice at ohiomeadville.org.
OMD Legislative Advocacy Groups - Our district has three statewide legislative advocacy groups in the formation stages. These groups monitor, advocate, link with other groups, etc. in an effort to promote a UU agenda in their given states.
Feel free to contact the following and join in the fun! For West Virginia -- Mel Hoover wvadvocacy at ohiomeadville.org. For Penn. -- Rev. David Herndon paadvocacy at ohiomeadville.org. For Ohio -- Mac and Susan Goekler ohadvocacy at ohiomeadville.org.
OMD Social Justice Funds - We also have some OMD Social Justice Grant Funds available. If your congregation has a social justice project that needs some funding please contact Mac at socialjustice at ohiomeadville.org.
UUSC - Lastly, Susan and Mac are the UUSC Regional (OMD) Coordinators. If you would like to be a UUSC Local Representative for your congregation (having more that one representative per church is even better) please contact Mac at omduusc at ohiomeadville.org.
Peace,
Mac Goekler
socialjustice at ohiomeadville.org
The UUA Commission on Social Witness facilitates the social justice work of the denomination and has many resources. Their webpage www.uua.org/csw has the latest texts of the Study/Action Issue proposals -- listed under “proposed SAIs” as well as guides for accepted Study/Action Issues, and texts of proposed and adopted Statements of Conscience. There is also an explanation of the revised process for Study Action Issues.
Here is information from the Advocacy and Witness staff aboutGA this year. You can download this as a pdf flyer for posting by clicking here.
It is always a special treat for the Advocacy and Witness staff to connect with you at General Assembly. This year we planned/presented six workshops and had sponsored an action center in the exhibit hall where 365 people sent messages to their representatives! For those of you who attended our workshops or booth we thank you and we look forward to working with you throughout the year. Also, we would like to extend a very special AMEN to the Right Relationship Team. General Assembly 2007 marked the debut of this hardworking volunteer committee, which helped address instances of discrimination, misunderstanding, or hurt between and among attendees, and which reported on its work to the entire plenary hall. They truly exemplified what it means to practice right relationship. To learn more about GA and to view many of the workshops online, visit:
http://www.uua.org/events/generalassembly/2007/index.shtml
2007 Actions of Immediate Witness
One of the most important things that happens at GA is the debate and adoption of Statements of Conscience and Actions of Immediate Witness. These statements on moral and public policy issues inform and guide the Advocacy and Witness work of the UUA. In contrast to the Statements of Conscience, which arise from a lengthy period of congregational study and action, Actions of Immediate Witness are adopted address pressing policy concerns in a timely manner. To learn more about Actions of Immediate Witness, visit www.uua.org/csw.
Watch Presentations Online
Welcoming the Stranger: A Just Immigration Policy (Friday 6/22)
This presentation on immigration featured Interfaith Worker Justice Director Kim Bobo and discussion of congregational organizing and solidarity actions, including the new sanctuary movement. http://www.uua.org/events/generalassembly/2007/presentations/31350.shtml
Theology of Peacemaking: (Saturday 6/23)
Rev. William Schulz and Professor Sharon Welch discussed the theology of peacemaking in this popular presentation. http://www.uua.org/events/generalassembly/2007/presentations/31313.shtml
The Pentagon Papers: Then and Now (Saturday 6/23)
Rev. Robert West, Daniel Ellsberg and presidential candidate Mike Gravel recounted their roles in events that led to the UUA's Beacon Press' publication of the Pentagon Papers in 1971-72. Moderated by Amy Goodman. http://www.uua.org/events/generalassembly/2007/presentations/30971.shtml
Ware Lecture: Dr. Rashid Khalidi (Saturday 6/23)
Historian Rashid Khalidi delivered a stinging denunciation of the Bush administration and its Middle Eastern policies in Saturday’s Ware Lecture. http://www.uua.org/events/generalassembly/2007/presentations/31309.shtml
