August 2012: Get Ready for a New Church Year—Justice Calendar & Resources

Dear Congregational Leaders:

Following an inspiring Justice GA, UUs around the country have stepped up organizing for justice in our communities with our Justice GA Taking It Home Resources, posted below.  See our new 2012-2013 UU Liturgical Social Justice Calendar, starting with Labor Day - Labor in the Pulpits. Whether your congregation is working on economic justice, immigrant justice or the elections, we have resources and funding to help! Check out this month’s best practice for migrant justice featuring UU congregations around the country! 

In faith,    Audra, Craig, Dan, Jessica, Kat, Meredith, Susan, and Taquiena - UUA Witness Ministries Team  

2012—2013 UU Social Justice Liturgical Calendar - Start Planning Your Year! Plan your social justice calendar for the year. You can join in collective national advocacy and witness with the UUA, Standing on the Side of Love, UU social justice organizations, other UU congregations, and community and national partners! As the dates approach, go to www.uua.org/justice for worship resources, action campaigns, educational materials and more on a variety of issues that your congregation may already be working on or want to start! Please post on your bulletin boards and share with your congregation. Use word doc template to make your own calendar.

Labor in the Pulpits - Labor Day Weekend, September 2012 Organizing a service on worker justice over Labor Day weekend is a great opportunity for your congregation to recognize the sacred work of all its members and support low-wage workers' struggles for justice. The UUA is a member of Interfaith Worker Justice (IWJ), that sponsors Labor in the Pulpits. Incorporate a worker justice theme into a worship service, educational or other kind of event. IWJ can connect your congregation with a union member or labor leader who can talk about the connection between his or her faith and the struggle for justice in the workplace. See www.iwj.org/locations. 

Note: Kim Bobo, Executive Director of Interfaith Worker Justice, spoke to hundreds at Justice GA 2012 on wage theft and vulnerable workers. You can view a clip here.

Taking Justice GA Home – Next Steps for Immigration Justice-State by State & Community by Community! All of our communities, districts and regions have diverse communities of immigrants. We are neighbors, we are co-workers, we are employers. Some migrants are UUs. Others are part of organizations that are partners with UU churches. We have opportunities to be in solidarity and to build beloved community.   At GA, UUs gathered by state to share strategies and next steps for bringing home what we've learned at Justice General Assembly (GA).  The presentations and materials are now online!

UUA/UUSC College of Social Justice is offering service-learning trips to the southwest United States and the borderlands of Mexico to learn firsthand about the complex struggles of the immigrant community. This journey will help you engage your congregation in immigration justice in your own community. Trips: February and May 2013. View the brochure (PDF).  Please visit our website for details on these and other UUCSJ programs — and register for a trip today.

More Immigration Resources! See our 2012 Justice GA Workshops including our Regional Take Home Sessions, Effective Congregational Immigration Ministries, Creating Partnerships, Stopping Arizonification 1070 Copycat Legislation, and more!

Election Resources:  Funding & Organizing Partners Much is at stake in upcoming elections. Regressive policies and corporate control oppress people on the margins and disenfranchise the vulnerable. The UUA has funding and resources available for congregations interested in doing voter registration, taking on voter suppression, and organizing GOTV efforts.  See our webpage with information on GOTV grant opportunities, how to find a local partner, marriage equality and immigration-related ballot initiatives, as well as organizing resources. 

The Fund for UU Social Responsibility is offering grants of up to $1000 to support GOTV and voter registration efforts by congregations in the following states: CO, FL, IA, NM, NV, NC, OH, VA, WI. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis through Sept 15, 2012. See www.uua.org/uufp for an application.

No Papers No Fear! Best Practice: UU Congregations Support ‘UndocuBus’ Ride for Justice. The UndocuBus riders are individuals who are risking it all by coming out of the shadows as undocumented and unafraid. UUs in Phoenix gave the tour a great send off .  Next UndocuBus stopped in Denver and were met by ‘Love People’ clad in yellow shirts, including six UU ministers and other faith allies.  Rev. Nancy Bowen, the Mountain Desert District Executive, spoke at the press conference. UU congregations also provided meals to riders.  In Austin this weekend the riders, UUs, local community organizations, and supporters will rally in front of the Sheriff's office for an end to deportation programs like Secure Communities. First Austin UU will be hosting Texas residents and undocumented leaders to talk about their experience in detention and train others in starting a visitation program.  You can support UndocuBus virtually.

August Congregational Justice Bulletin features information and resources for congregations on:

• Restoring Trust: Grassroots Campaign for Breaking ICE’s Hold on Our Communities
• Resources from Justice GA on Effective Justice Ministries, Creating Partnerships & More
• Reproductive Justice: Expanding Our Social Justice Calling
• 2012 Elections: Funding &  Resources for Congregations
• Labor in the Pulpits - Labor Day Weekend, September 2012
• The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration and Institutional Racism

See www.uua.org/justice for resources, campaign stories, and more!