The Social Justice Council (SJC) members support the mission of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville (UUFG) by 'fostering…peace and justice' through assessment of social concerns and the promotion of effective actions to meet community needs. The purpose of the Social Justice Council is to promote peace and justice by providing information and facilitating action on political and social issues. Individually, members of the Social Justice Council have the opportunity to use their talents and skills working on social projects of their particular interest. Collectively, the members have the necessary strength to provide effective leadership for the congregation and the community.
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Social Justice Council: What's Next |
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Nov. 23, 2009
We are excited about two new ways in which we are encouraging reflection on the social justice work of the congregation. The new Engaged Spirituality Circle of Life focuses on reflection, sharing, and learning concerning how spirituality supports us as activists. The Circle is open and the congregation is invited to join in the discussion.
Rev. LoraKim Joyner's new experiential Guides encourage Faith Development through experiencing. The leader's guide and accompanying participant guide will take groups through the steps of the learning and teaching method based on the "experience, reflection, action cycle." A group of us tried it out by engaging in an activity in Pineridge, followed by discussion of our experience, reflection on the activity and how it impacted us, and finally planning for how we might follow up with a revised activity. We will be using this Guide in future activities.
Social Justice Council will take a break in December, meeting next on the 4th Tuesday of January, 2010.
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Social Justice Council 2009-10 - Social Justice Council is made up of representatives from several Task Forces which meet monthly to report on what task forces are doing and exchange ideas and give support to each other.
- Social Justice Council also takes some actions as a whole, such as fundraising or sponsoring related activities in UUFG and the Gainesville community.
- Everyone is welcome to attend Task Force or Social Justice Council meetings.
Task Forces: are committees representing the various projects we are currently working on. These may be long-standing or temporary. - ACTION Network Task Force (chair Mickie Edwardson) facilitates UUFG’s work with this community wide group of 14 churches which works to help Gainesville citizens by getting government agencies and other organizations to do what needs to be done.
- Anti-Racism Task Force (chair Harriet Ludwig) has a new project, working with the African American Accountability Alliance to eliminate the achievement gap in the schools. It also works with the Anti-Racism Coalition, which is a group of organizations and individuals in Gainesville in which UUFG has taken a leadership role.
- ARAOMC Task Force (contacts Rev. Joyner, Roxane Bleiweis, Harriet Ludwig, Alice Primack) is facilitating a series of activities to help UUFG become an Anti-Racist Anti-Oppressive Multicultural Congregation and implement the principles of social justice for all in our own community through education, experience and change.
- EarthKeepers: Gainesville UU Ministry for Earth (chair Dottie Burnham) is the outgrowth of the Green Sanctuary program we started several years ago, and works for all things environmentally sound. Current projects include a large garden at UUFG in which food is grown and given to the needy.
- Interfaith Hospitality Network Task Force (chair Bonnye Greene) is UUFG’s part of this organization of local congregations that shelter homeless families for a week at a time, so that those families can be helped to get jobs, transportation, and a place to live.
- Interweave (co-chair Eddie Nieman and Janese Nix) represents UUFG’s welcoming stance toward GLBT people, providing support and information in monthly meetings and special events such as the annual PRIDE parade.
- Peace Task Force (chair Carol Willis) facilitates UUFG’s participation in the Gainesville Interfaith Peace Center and the anti-war demonstrations with the Veterans for Peace, as well as various other related activities.
- Pineridge Neighborhood Project Task Force (co-chairs Alice Primack and Rosaleen Salvo) members are working with residents to make conditions better in the nearby Pineridge subdivision, an area with problems of poverty and racism. UUFG hosts children’s programs and works with children in their schools, as well as programs in the neighborhood.
- UU Legislative Ministry of Florida was started by Rev. Meredith Garmon and other Florida UU ministers to work for legislation to help with statewide problems. UUFG participates in the annual Legislative Ministry Day in the spring, and various other actions through the year.
Other Areas of Interest - Anti-Death Penalty (contact Amy Jo Smith)
- Gainesville Community Ministry (contact Roxane Bleiweis)
- UUFG Voices for Animals (contact Joy Southwell)
- UU Service Committee (contact Carol Willis)
Many individual members of these task forces and other individuals in the congregation work on other social justice projects as well. The Social Justice Council tries to educate the congregation and keep people involved in social justice projects by occasionally providing speakers at the Sunday morning Discussion Group, regular articles in the Millhopper, participation in Services, Social Justice Forums with speakers, and a film series. We like to work with any other UUFG groups such as RE to promote social justice understanding. |
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