December 2012: This Holiday Season, Act to Protect the Most Vulnerable Among Us

Dear Friends:

As we celebrate the coming holiday season, we remember those who are struggling economically in this country.  Right now, the quality of life for the most vulnerable among us is at stake. During the next few weeks, it is likely that Congress will pass legislation that would dramatically affect the federal budget.  The UUA is part of the interfaith Faithful Budget Campaign, based on a covenant that “All our faith traditions place people who are impoverished and marginalized at the forefront of concern.”  Now is the time that your elected representatives need to hear your voice: a moral voice, a compassionate voice, a voice that values all people and all families. Please act now and contact your representative to protect the most vulnerable among us!   Please share with your congregation and others!

Best Practice: On Nov. 29th, Rev. Craig Roshaven, Witness Ministries Director, and Rev. Catherine Senghas of the UU Urban Ministry and UU Mass Action state network, joined an interfaith delegation to Senator Kerry to advocate for a faithful budget.  The Faithful Budget Campaign organized visits with key senators to advocate for reducing military spending and protecting social programs and held a press conference on the Capitol steps. Read more at the Campaign website. [Image: Rev. Catherine Senghas and Josh Protas, Director of Government Affairs for MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Office.]

We also want to thank UUs around the country who showed Walmart workers love on Black Friday!

In this issue you’ll find our December Social Justice Bulletin with resources and information for congregational justice ministries on:

• Jan 19 through Feb 17 – Standing on the Side of Love’s 30 Days of Love
• Take Action: Calling for a Faithful Budget Now!
• Interfaith Immigration: Breaking Bread & Building Bridges
• Immigration Reform on the Horizon
• Hurricane Sandy Relief - Still Needed
• Jan 22 - 40th Anniversary of Roe v Wade
• Social Witness Process: Comments Wanted
• New Curriculum: Reproductive Justice: Expanding Our Social Justice Calling
• Social Justice Award Nominations Wanted in March
• Transgender Identity & Inclusion Webinar
• New Facebook Group: UUs Resisting the New Jim Crow & Mass Incarceration

We are delighted to introduce Jennifer Toth, the new Standing on the Side of Love Campaign Manager.  Jennifer joined us last week and shared a video introduction on the blog.

From all of us at UUA Witness Ministries, we wish you a restful and renewing holiday season.  We are so appreciative of our UU community and our collective efforts for multicultural justice-making.  We are looking forward to working together next year in an environment that will offer many new opportunities for building Beloved Community.

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

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