February 2012:   Congregations Taking the Lead for Justice!

Dear Congregational Leaders:

In this issue, we're sharing the inspiring story of three UU congregations in the New Orleans-area who connected with their local Interfaith Worker Justice affiliate and are a model for congregational and community cooperationfor justice. We have new congregational resources from Standing on the Side of Love for deepening congregational engagement. This month’s Congregational Justice Bulletin offers a Toolkit for Immigration Advocacy in Our Communities to Stop Deportations, information on UUA Social Justice Awards (nominations due March 1st & 15th), Earth Day, and more. Lastly, we are seeking your feedback on Immigration as a Moral Issue.

Just Act Best Practice: New Orleans Congregations Take Lead with Local Interfaith Worker Justice: The Unitarian Universalist congregations of greater New Orleans have come together to join in an exciting partnership with Interfaith Worker Justice (IWJ) and the New Orleans Worker Center for Racial Justice. Their joint work has produced a model of congregational and community cooperation that has begun transforming efforts for economic justice in the city. Together, they have opposed wage theft, protested the abuse of immigrant workers and fought the closing of the Avondale Shipyard, the largest employer in New Orleans. The strength of the partnership comes from strong leadership, especially from the Unitarian Universalists ministers and their efforts to communicate and work with their congregations and other local organizations.   Read the story including the action steps and resources these congregations used to strengthen their justice ministries.

New Campaign Resources: National Standing on the Side of Love Month - 30 Days of Love: The Story of Us, The Story of Now

Our 30 Days of Love concludes February 14th, National Standing on the Side of Love Day, with a call for bold public witness.  Whether it’s on the day itself or in the days before or the weeks after, amplify your voices for love with groundbreaking public witness.   Many congregations are holding services and events on Sunday, February 12th, and will be bestowing Courageous Love Awards to community leaders. Thirty Days of Love culminates in a story of us and story of now that calls you and your community to action.   If you haven't already, be sure to check out our congregational resources for organizing, collective visioning, thelogical reflection, along with event and media resources at http://www.standingonthesideoflove.org/national-standing-on-the-side-of-love-month-the-story-of-us-the-story-of-now/. 

Also in this issue:

February Congregational Justice Bulletin features information and resources for congregations that may want to participate in:

• Earth Day 2012
• Congregational Toolkit for Immigration Advocacy in Our Communities to Stop Deportations 
• 2012 Social Justice Award Nominations Due in March
• UUSC Justice Sunday 2012 - March 25: Justice Is the Human Right to Water

Immigration as a Moral Issue: Submit Comments and Feedback Needed on Curriculum! 

Deadline to submit comments on Immigration as a Moral Issue is March 1.  See the See Guide for Collecting Congregational Comments, view a sample comment form, and submit comments at: www.uua.org/statements/current/index.shtml.

Has your congregation used the six-week curriculum for our congregational study/action issue (CSAI), Immigration as a Moral Issue? We are collecting feedback with the intent of revising the current curriculum. Starting Feb. 1st, UUs who have used the six-week curriculum are invited to share their experiences at:www.surveymonkey.com/s/immigrationcsai. It will be available for three months (closing April 30th). So even if you haven’t used the curriculum yet, it’s not too late to organize a study group or adult RE class.

As always, please let us know what your congregation is doing. We can help you with your programs and we would love to feature your best practices!

In faith,
Audra, Craig, Dan, Jessica, Kat, Meredith, Schuyler, Susan, and Taquiena
See www.uua.org/justice for resources, campaign stories, and more!