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

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.

Below are the recipients for 2012-13:

August 2012: Equality Virginia and PFLAG DC
September 2012: Food Assistance - Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC), Arlington Street Peoples Assistance Network (ASPAN), and Alexandrians LIVing Ecumenically (ALIVE)
October 2012: Culpepper Garden
November 2012: UUCA Immigration Working Group
December 2012: Beacon House, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice (UUSJ) and a project of the UUCA Youth Group (tbd)
January 2013: Peace Camp
February 2013: Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (VOICE)
May 2013: Partners for Arlington and Guatemala (PAG)
June 2013: Torture Abolition, Survivors and Support Coalition (TASSC)
July 2013: Parents, Friends and Families of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
August 2013: People of Faith for Equality in Virginia (PoFEV)

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
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) (needed)
Immigration Work Group: Co-conveners: Marilyn Baker and Amy Grenier.
SJ Advisory Group Members: Barbara Johnson, Bernie Hyde, and Chris Sutton.