By Bruce Wiggins, Social Justice Council Chair
Our Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is leading UUs to move beyond stating our values of “Taking Action” to promote justice and compassion. Together with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC), they have published a Declaration of Conscience that congregations can adopt and individuals can sign on to. Nearly 15,000 individuals have signed the Declaration of Conscience and quite a few congregations have adopted it. Signers commit to putting Unitarian Universalist values into action to resist hate and bigotry. Tools are on the web site to help with sanctuary discernment and promoting solidarity with marginalized and disenfranchised people. Once you sign the Declaration, you will receive a monthly update with tools and opportunities to resist hate and efforts to promote fear in local communities. You will also receive an invitation to a monthly Conscience Call.
In the second phase of this effort, UUs and UU congregations are urged to join a “Love Resists” Campaign. The UUA website says, “The Love Resists Campaign is activating people of faith and conscience to resist the criminalization of our neighbors and communities, and create a safer, more just, welcoming, and sustainable world.” Consider signing up on the UUA website! Let me know if you do, so we can build a voice at First Church. Further information about both movements is at visit their website.
Another useful section on the UUA webpage promotes the Holy Work of Showing Up. This is important to our First Church Social Justice Council as we explore social justice as spiritual development, aiming to break down what is often perceived as a separation between spiritual development and social justice.