UPDATE on Unitarian Universalists in Arizona Protesting SB1070
Unitarian Universalists from all over the country answered the call to go to Phoenix and participate in the National Day of Non Compliance with SB 1070, Arizona's anti-immigration law parts of which went into effect on July 29th. Go to Standing on the Side of Love for more information about the legislation. The Thomas Jefferson District was well represented in standing for justice for immigrant families and working to achieve fair and just comprehensive immigration reform as evidenced by the photo below.
According to reports from
Standing on the Side of Love staff and posts from Facebook and Twitter,
there were 83 people arrested for civil disobedience on July30th with a
substantial number of UU clergy and laity included in that number. Among
the arrests were UUA President, Rev. Peter Morales; Phoenix minister,
Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray and our own District Executive, Annette Marquis. Annette was released late today (Friday) at the same time as UUs in Richmond, VA were engaged in a vigil in solidarity with those in Arizona. Annette and other UUs are
continuing to engage in loving witness and vigil tonight so please
keep them all in your thoughts and prayers. For those
congregations who wish to create a worshipful space in solidarity with
our colleagues and friends in Arizona, you may find the Interfaith
Toolkit found here helpful.
The
First UU Church of Richmond hosted a Vigil tonight on
the street corner in front of the church in solidarity with all of those in
Arizona. A small group of congregants held signs, prayed together and joined in song as passersby waved, honked their horns and rang their bicycle bells. It was an uplifting experience. Pictures are forthcoming.
How can you help those who have been arrested? Standing on the Side of Love has established a legal defense fund to help provide bail and/or legal fees for the many who have acted and will be acting in civil disobedience. To donate go to the Standing on the Side of Love donation page and enter your information and donation amount and in the comment line, enter "Bail/Legal". If you want to donate to a particular person, you may also enter their name in the comment line.
We will post more information as we receive it however you may find information more quickly on the Standing on the Side of Love's Facebook page or by searching Twitter feeds with #uu #1070 or #sideoflove.
UUA Video Series, "A Religion for Our Time" Features Two TJ District Congregations
The UUA and President Peter Morales have created a video series highlight inspiring work in Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations,
including innovative projects relating to worship, religious education,
social justice, membership, and fellowship. Two of our TJ District congregations have been featured in the series: the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Wilmington, NC and Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church in TN. Please see the episodes below. Well done UUFW and ORUUC!
Video featuring Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Wilmington
Episode Four presents a creative approach to youth programming from the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Wilmington (UUWF), North Carolina. What's a compelling way to engage teenagers in a deep, yearlong discussion of theology and Unitarian and Universalist principles? How about a curriculum designed around the Star Wars movies? It's working like a charm at UUWF.
Video featuring Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church
Episode Five explores the creation of an alternative worship service at the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church (ORUUC) in Tennessee. When several congregants at ORUUC realized two years ago that they yearned for a worship service with more music and interaction, they started working with the minister to create a "celebration service." They call it a work in progress.
Relief Fund established to help UUs in flood-stricken TN and KY Greater Nashville UU Congregation, in the TJ District, 1st UU Church of Nashville, in the Mid-South District, and the UU Church of Bowling Green, in the Heartland District, have been significantly affected by the flooding in Tennessee and Kentucky. Although both of the Nashville church buildings were spared (Bowling Green was not so lucky), UUs in both Nashville congregations experienced catastrophic losses. Because the flooding extended beyond the established flood plains, many of these people do not have flood insurance. Although members from both congregations are helping in with clean-up, temporary housing, and other assistance, it will be only through the generosity of other UUs that the flood victims will be able to get back on their feet.
The purpose of the 2010 Tennessee/Kentucky Flood Relief Fund is to bring practical financial assistance, ministry, and spiritual care to those affected by recent tragic flooding in Tennessee and Kentucky, particularly to those in the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville, the Greater Nashville Unitarian Universalist Church, and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Giving to this fund will support these congregations and their communities in this challenging time and let them know that they are remembered by those in the Unitarian Universalist faith community. The fund is a partnership among the UUA, the affected congregations, and their districts, the Mid-South District, the Thomas Jefferson District, and the Heartland District.
Please donate now to help restore hope for the UUs affected by this flooding. Individual gifts are, of course, welcome and you can live your covenant with other UU congregations in which you pledge your mutual trust and support by taking up a special collection or sharing the plate in your Sunday service. We have exceptionally generous people in the TJ District and we want to thank you, in advance, for demonstrating it once again.
UU World Article UUA raises funds for southeastern flood victims Will help Unitarian Universalist congregations in Tennessee and Kentucky. By Donald E. Skinner http://www.uuworld.org/news/articles/162765.shtml
To Donate Donations for the 2010 Tennessee/Kentucky Flood Relief Fund may be sent to the UUA, 25 Beacon St., Boston MA 02108. Attn: Stewardship & Development Gift Processing. Please note “Nashville Flood Relief” somewhere on the check. Online donations may be made at http://uua.kintera.org/TNKYFloodRelief.
Well-attended TJD 2010 Annual Meeting enjoyed historic venue The TJD 2010 Annual Meeting held this year at Penn Center, St. Helena's Island, SC, April 30 - May 2, 2010, was clearly one of most exciting annual meetings we have had in the TJD. A total of nineteen children and 219 adults attended the event. The weather cooperated wonderfully and the location, Penn Center, an organization founded in 1862 by Unitarian, Laura M. Towne, as one of the first schools for the newly freed African people of the Sea Islands of SC, was amazing. Even more amazing was the dedication, committment and hospitality of the UU Fellowship of Beaufort. For a congrgeation of 81 members to host a record-size annual meeting was quite a feat and they did it with grace and love.
The theme, Standing on the Side of Love, included an inspiring and moving keynote by the Reverend Chris Buice, Tennessee Valley UU Church. Workshops were led by former UUA moderator, Denny Davidoff, and the director of the Standing on the Side of Love campaign, Adam Gerhardstein, and several of our capable congregational volunteers, Frank Benedetti and Gary Trowbridge (Winston-Salem), Wendy DeGroat (Richmond), Linda Lane Hamilton (Williamsburg), and district staff, the Rev. Sue Sunnamon, and Donna Sequeira. On Friday evening, Leon Dunkley, an ethnomusicologist and Director of Congregational Life at Unity Unitarian in Minneapolis, entertained and moved us with a fundraising concert for an organization that teaches organic farming to children of the Sea Islands.
Five major items on the business agenda were decided:
A by-laws amendment to change the District name failed.
Several bylaw amendments related to policy-based governance all passed
The district budget, including an increase of TJD Dues to $22 for the 2012 church year, was approved
A proposal by the District Board related to the Arizona anti-immigration law passed unanimously (see below).
New district leaders were elected: the Rev. Ann Marie Alderman (Greenville, NC) and Nato Hollister (Eno River) were elected to the board, Jim Key (Beaufort, SC) and Denise Rimes (Richmond) were re-elected to the board. Myrtle Hepler (Raleigh) was re-elected and Lois Cavanaugh-Daley (Raleigh) and Anna Olsen (Asheville) were elected for the first time to the Nominating Committee.
All in all, we had a very successful weekend in which we honored and were inspired by our courageous ancestors, Laura M. Towne and Clara Barton, congregations put the democratic process to the test, and we all practiced beloved community.
For Jim Key's presonal reflections about the name change vote, visit Jim's blog.
Delegates pass resolution in response to Arizona's anti-immigration law
The delegates to the 2010 Assembly of TJD Congregations passed a resolution in response to Arizonia's newly passed immigation law. The resolution included three actions:
Member congregations are encouraged to engage in a robust dialog about how both legal and illegal immigration affects their local communities and to support efforts of the United States Congress to enact legislation that addresses, in an effective and compassionate way, the entire immigration issue;
Unitarian Universalists from local communities to the national level are urged to develop creative ways to bear witness to our commitment to justice, equity and compassion for all, but particularly to poor and powerless;
And support is offered to the officers and staff of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations in their efforts deal with the implications of the Arizona immigration law for the UUA General Assembly scheduled for Phoenix in 2012.
