Prisons as Growth Industry

We are anticipating two major events to start next week: the demolition of Reeb Hall and the construction of the fencing that will impact our parking lot and driveway. Thank you for your patience as we continue to upload more maps (and hopefully video coming soon!) in order to…

Click here to read the complete August…

First let me thank Laura for her excellent posting.  VOICE indeed gave public support to the Columbia Pike Neighborhood Plan the grew out of the  3-yer long Columbia Pike Land Use and Housing Study aimed at preserving affordable housing along the Columbia Pike corridor.  Although in VOICE's view the plan did not go far enough it does represent the biggest and boldest plan ever adopted by Arlington Country.

VOICE viewed it's testimony as a continuation of our Affordable Housing…

As a board member of the UUs for a Just Economic Community, I have talked to people around the region about economic justice and the one thing that always comes up is could UUJEC provide a Shopping Guide that would advise shoppers of stores that have a record of poor wages and union avoidance, and those that are good on these scores.

 As an all-volunteer organization, we lack the resources to do that but the UFCW Union has a new mobile app that does just that for each locality around…

 Monday, July 23   VOICE members from UUCA and other Arlington congregations attended the County Board hearing on the proposed Columbia Pike Neighborhoods area plan.  In what appeared to be an exhaustive, 10-year process, the County reviewed its plan to preserve and increase Affordable Housing in the Columbia Pike area, which it defines as the Pike from the Air Force Memorial to Jefferson Street, including several blocks on either side of the Pike.

The problem with the plan…

I was up early Friday morning and ready to go for my daily walk when I heard the news of the horrific shooting in Colorado at a midnight screening of the new Batman movie. Since then, we have heard the tearful stories of the moviegoers who survived the attacks, as well as the remembrances of the slain by their friends and family. This weekend is another one of those times when we unite in disbelief about the randomness of violence, in prayer for the survivors and in contemplation of the…

July 20, 2012 - Update

This week saw us clear a major hurdle as we received our Demolition Permit from the county! It took a lot of hard work by everyone on the Building Committee and from Sully Construction. It truly was a team effort. We can now proceed…

My father, David Minton, passed away yesterday after a long decline with Alzheimer's. Dad didn't truck with organized or disorganized religion -- he was an empiricist. But he did have a wedding at UUCA to my stepmother, Phyllis Pearson, in 1980. First time I'd come to the church.

Below is the obit I submitted to The Post. Thanks to Rev. Linda for the call, which jogged my to-do list to post this.

David Minton, a postal expert who served as a committee staff…

PAG received James Rodriguez' photo essay documenting the XII annual LGBT Pride Parade in Guatemala City.  To view and read:…

PAG received this photo essay from James Rodriguez documenting Guatemalan Armed Forces Day where, interestingly, thousands marched to San Juan Sacatepequez to reject installation of a military brigade to protect a cement quarry owned by the powerful Novella family.    To view…

I've written a new post on my www.thenewuu.com blog about my experience during the recent storm and heat wave. I also provided a grant work update as well. This external blog is where I write about UUism in general and particularly my grant work. I love this congregation and am grateful for the chance to lead its digital ministry.

Rev. Mark Kiyimba, Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kampala in Uganda, recently received the National Education Association’s “Virginia Uribe Award for Creative Leadership in Human Rights." He was our guest preacher over the King holiday weekend in January during his speaking tour of metro Washington-Baltimore. Click here for a video…

July 20, 2012 - Update

This week saw us clear a major hurdle as we received our Demolition Permit from the county! It took a lot of hard work by everyone on the Building Committee and from Sully Construction. It truly was a team effort. We can now proceed…

I am teaching adult ESL at Virginia Tech these days, and my students are hungry for American conversation partners. I know UUCA offers ESL classes, but my students are already studying full-time and don't need more classes. What they need is practice in actually talking with Americans. The students are highly educated adults from Saudi Arabia and Turkey, and the exchanges are really fascinating and mind-opening. Does anyone have any advice for me on where to turn at UUCA? Do we have a…

Sign the Progressives United petition to support the Disclosure Act, which is coming up on the senate floor next Monday, July 16.

 Visit the petition and sign online at: http://www.discloseact.com/?tag=ema_20120712disclose_pu.

Thank you!

Did you know that this statement is banned from being taught in Arizona Schools? I just learned that this morning.

The Indigenous Women's Network

Our Future, Our Responsibility

Statement of Winona LaDuke

Co-Chair Indigenous Womens Network, Program Director of the Environmental Program at the Seventh Generation Fund, at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, China, August 31 1995.

I am from the Mississippi Band of Anishinabeg of the…

Yet there is a significant body of Americans who have elected politicians who are all too eager to slash costs to weaken government to the point that it will no longer be able to serve the people. That's what's behind this effort to slash the food stamps program at a time when the need is greatest.  And one point that this blog and all of the other articles I read about this missed the point that our economy has so many low-wage jobs that you can work full-time and need food stamps,…

The July Board of Trustees meeting will be held in the Board Room at UUCA on Tuesday July 17, 2012.  The meeting will formally start at 7:30pm.  The meeting is open to everyone.   

Come early and meet with Board members and staff informally.  Starting at 7:00pm on the 17th, there will be an an informal pot luck reception.  Please bring some finger foods to share.  

This is the first meeting of the new Church year.  An emphasis will be placed on introductions and on bringing…