Tidbits, 03/2006

UUA TRUSTEE TIDBITS
Joan Lund

It is hoped each month that the topic on which I write will be of some use to your congregation. For certain in each of your wider-world communities there are social justice issues of importance to UUs. The office for Congregational Advocacy and Witness (OCAW) assists UU congregations and organizations in developing their capacity and effectiveness for social justice work and to involve them in state, national, and international coalitions on these issues. What follows is based on information from Susan Leslie, Director of the OCAW.

The OCAW manages the Social Justice Empowerment Workshop program which held six workshops in the fall and will hold six more during this winter and spring. Unfortunately, even though the OCAW has received more applications for workshops, they will be deferred until the fall as the budget limits have been reached. These workshop/programs are very helpful for congregations in terms of mobilizing and inspiring members to engage in social justice efforts and help them develop a plan for how these efforts can be most effective. The workshop brings together at least 20% of their membership along with clergy and helps them accurately assess their capacity regarding size and other factors to identify the ?passion? in their congregation. The OCAW office is also piloting a follow-up consultation to congregations that have sponsored these workshops.

Key coalition work for the current year includes representing the UUA and involving UU congregations in the broad interfaith Let Justice Roll/Living Wage Campaign. This initiative includes advocacy for raising the eight-year-old national minimum wage and it includes several state ballot initiatives and legislation, plus protecting the minimum wage increase won in Florida. The campaign will also focus on voter registration and GOTV for the 2006 elections.

The OCAW will continue working on UUA public witness priorities and with the Washington Office on marriage equality, an end to the war in Iraq, and progressive family values including reproductive rights and reality-based comprehensive sexuality education. To this end and to help bring a holistic integrated perspective to these various efforts Susan Leslie, attended training Spirit in Action Circles program which has worked with hundreds of grassroots organizations and congregations across the U.S. This group has developed core strategies for building an effective spirit-based anti-oppressive movement for a new democracy that brings together leaders, activists, and concerned individuals from various faith communities and issue-based movements. They will be sponsoring a workshop at General Assembly.

Contact me for further information and UUA questions and concerns, jlund@uua.org or 813-931-9727. I look forward to hearing from you. Be of peace and stay well.