Seems like it must be time for an update on what the Social Justice Committee is doing out in the community. As always our goal is to work with a diverse group of people and organizations to effect positive change in Chattanooga and the surrounding area AND to raise awareness of our church, our values and our activism.
- We are supporting the next step in the training of community volunteers to lead “Healing of Memories” workshops. This is in keeping with SJ’s focus of working collaboratively to find ways to transform the violence in Chattanooga.
- Fred and Carol Schumaker have done a stellar job of taking over a project and organizing it so that we are now able to serve several meals a week at the Welcome Home Chattanooga hospice care center. I want to give them a shout out for making this happen!!!
- Dave Benn is organizing a few UUCC folks to help with the mentoring programs led by Father to the Fatherless and Troy Rogers (Public Safety director). We need more folks….let Dave know if you are interested. Believe me you will receive as much as you give these young folks!
- Judith Benn is in the final stages of organizing for a Black church to meet with us and have open, compassionate conversations about race in America.
- We continue to show monthly movies with a Social Justice message: on January 27th the movie is “Harold and Maude” a wonderful movie to discuss gender and age stereotypes.
- February 4th look for the environmental play “Extreme Whether” at church. Sandy Kurtz is organizing this Elegant Evening. We will provide cake and punch and champagne. I hope you will join us.
- We hosted a group of Native American Activists on January 12 at church to speak to us about what the camps are like and what their ongoing plan of action is…..to continue to resist DAP-L, protect the Ogallala watershed and to work to protect all waterways! Wow, they surely are dedicated souls.
- Look for the new “Yard Signs” Social Justice will be distributing which promote equality and community.
- Finally, in February or early March look for a workshop sponsored by Social Justice on “Bridging the Divide in America: How to have a dialogue with those we may not agree with politically.” We hope to begin the process of healing the divide that threatens to destroy our democracy.
Democracy is not a given my friends it must be embodied. Let us be FEARLESS together as we go forward into a new era and a new commitment to our Unitarian values.
~ Judith Pedersen-Benn