Social Justice

Social Justice is Intrinsic to Our Faith

For many of us at UU Church of Arlington, working for social and economic justice is intrinsic to our life together as a faith community and as individuals seeking to live ethically in the world today. Even when our professional life includes work we identify as justice-making, it is important for us to walk our talk together, to stand together for compassionate policies that create a just and sustainable world and preserve the health of our planet, and to stand up against racism, gender and other oppressions, systemic economic unfairness locally and globally, and environmental degradation. We do our work together conscious always that we work for justice as a faith community, walking together in the ways of love. As a religion that emphasizes “deeds not creeds,” this is a key part of our faith journey together, and one of the ways we grow our own souls.

We believe that this work together changes us for the good, and so we take time to reflect together on the ways our justice efforts are moving the arc of history to bend toward justice, and also how they are transforming our own lives.

We believe a balanced social justice program includes service or charity work to help those who are hurting presently, as well as education, witness and advocacy to build policies that will be life affirming in the long run. In these pages you will find many opportunities to join the social justice work of our church. 

Share-the-Plate Month

(The deadline for 2011-2012 applications for STP was Sept. 15, 2011)

We Share-the-Plate (STP) of all non-pledge Sunday cash contributions with a deserving organization.   During each designated STP month we focus the entire month on the issue and organization to deepen our understanding of the organization, the community it serves, and the underlying issues affecting it. This is an opportunity to provide a deep understanding on any given issue or organization, and foster a culture of abundance. For more information, please contact the Social Justice Coordinator. 

 From September 2010 through August 2011, we have contributed $59,675. Below are the recipients:

• September:  VOICE ($12,857)
• October:  Denominational Connections – UUA ($4,236)
• November:  Alexandrians Involved Ecumenically (ALIVE) and Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network (ASPAN) ($3,720 each)
• December:  UU Holdeen India Project, New Orleans Recovery and Beacon House ($3,515 each)
• January and February: no STP
• March:  UUCA’s Peace Camp ($5,998)
• April:  Buy Fresh, Buy Local (initiative of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation), and National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition ($2251 each)
• May:  Partners for Arlington and Guatemala (PAG) ($7,812)
• June: Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition ($2,438)
• July: (a 2011-2012 recipient):  UUs for Social Justice (UUSJ) ($3,125 )
• August: no STP

Social Justice Fund

Thanks to a generous donation by two long-time members of UUCA, the Social Justice Fund was created to help build and support social justice efforts, especially in Northern Virginia. During the past three years $60,000 has been distributed to community groups. Full details, including all criteria for awards, are available in the grant guidelines.

We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote justice, equity and compassion in human relations and the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all.

-- Second and Sixth UU Principles

Social Justice Highlights

• Social Justice Directory
• 2012-13 SJ Budget Request Form 
• Social Justice Theme Identification Task Force Report and Recommendations
  
• New Representative for UUCA representatives to the Arlington Interfaith Council, Lisa Bellamy (continuing Lavona Grow), and UU's for Social Justice in the Baltimore / DC / NOVA area (UUSJ) is Moya Atkinson, and alternate, Ric Blacksten.
• Immigration Work Group: Co-conveners: Marilyn Baker and Sarah Bazzi.
• Share-the-Plate Task Force:  Short-term work group to assess our STP process and make recommendations for the process for 2011-12.  Final Report submitted mid-May. See July Newsletter for report.  Members: Rhonda Buckner, Marc deFrancis, Ann Marie Hay and Gene Mulligan.
• SJ Advisory Group Members: Barbara Johnson, Bernie Hyde, Todd Parola and Chris Sutton.
• Immigration Task Force:  Short term work group that assessed what we're doing and planning to do, identified gaps in programming, reviewed resources, and maked recommendations for next steps.  Kimberly Niles, MJ Schmelzer, John Sutton, and Agmar Raymundo.

Social Action Groups with Web Pages

• Equality UUCA
• Green Action
• Guatemala Project (PAG)
• VOICE  (Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement)
• VOICE at the UU of Arlington, VA
• Culpepper Garden

• The guidelines for "Statements in the name of the church." are available on the Governance page
• More Social Action and UUCA Organizations that are waiting for you to join them.