February 2012

           Social Justice Committee News

Jim and Valerie Willard, Zada Riordan, and Marjorie Nolan volunteered at the MUUF table during World Peace Day activities at the Sarasota UU Church on January 7.  They reported that there was an excellent turnout for the event and a lot of good speeches and wonderful music by Mindy Simmons.

At our Social Justice Committee meeting on January 15, Isaiah Beaton from RE gave a presentation about an organization at Manatee High School called PeaceJam.  Students work on various projects during the year.  This year they decided to focus on poverty and hunger and did a number of activities to become more aware of hunger in our community.  In March, 10 members of the group hope to meet with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Jody Williams at a conference in Tallahassee.  The cost of this conference will be about $120 each, and donations to help the group attend would be greatly appreciated.  The Social Justice Committee agreed to sponsor Isaiah with a donation of $120 from its budget.

Family Promise coordinators met on January 9 to discuss the future of the interfaith program.  The financial situation has improved through a number of donations in December.  They are now working with the One Stop Center and other groups to find suitable families to house in the four transitional housing units available.  The program in the churches is still in hiatus but the Board is working on ways to make it feasible to start it again.

There will be no special collection in February but we do urge people to support our Fellowship’s Crop Walk participants in their efforts to collect money to combat world hunger.  As usual the Welcoming Congregation Committee will show an appropriate GLBT film on the 3rd Saturday of February (the 18th) starting at 10 a.m.  The issue of the month for February will be combating the recent spate of voter suppression laws.  Al and Zada will work together to publicize the issue and suggest ways you can participate in this important Issue.

Finally, for the latest version of the UUA Study/Action Issue that is presently in process (Immigration as a Moral Issue) see the copy on the Social Justice table.  Comments on this version are due by March 1.

Al Usack, Chair, Social Justice Committee

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MUUF dedicates Peace Pole on September 16, 2007, International Peace Day.
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MUUF serves at Our Daily Bread soup kitchen the third Thursday of each month at 9 am.  Please call 941-746-0067 to volunteer.  Or email, muuf1@verizon.net with your name and willingness to participate.

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Concerned about voter suppression in Florida?

Join us February 22nd for LEGISLATIVE DAY in Tallahassee with the UU Legislative Ministry of Florida partnering with the League of Women Voters.

UUs will be carpooling from all over Florida to Tallahassee Tuesday, February 21, have a catered dinner at the Tallahassee UU Church at 5:00 PM, briefings with a representative from the State League of Women Voters that evening, stay in a nearby motel, meet with legislators Wednesday morning, and participate in an important meeting sponsored by the League with key legislators and staff in the Governor’s Cabinet room from 12:00-4:00 PM Wednesday afternoon, February 22nd, before returning home. Dinner and motel expenses for Tuesday, Feb 21st will be paid by UULMF. Assistance with transportation costs may be available if needed, but ask ahead of time. Carpooling is encouraged. 

Please let Steve or Kindra, Co-Chairs of UULMF, know if you can join us, so we can confirm Tuesday dinner and motel reservations by FEBRUARY 10th.  Contact steve_segner@uulmf.org, 386-788-3039, or kindra_muntz@uulmf.org, 941.497.1764. This should be a significant educational experience that might even benefit Florida voters!

Steve Segner and Kindra Muntz, Co-Chairs, UU Legislative Ministry of Florida, www.uulmf.org.

 

Interested in attending the “Justice GA” in Phoenix?

The UU Legislative Ministry is encouraging UUs in Florida to attend the UUA General Assembly in Phoenix, Arizona June 20-24, 2012, and will offer partial scholarships to needy UUs who want to attend.

This will be an historic GA, a gathering of UUs nationwide with multiple ways of engaging in justice work for people of all ages. “Joining with the people of Arizona, we will worship, witness, learn and work together. We will leave General Assembly grounded in our faith, energized for justice and with resources to bring this work home to our congregations”.

See http://www.uua.org/ga/2012/index.shtml.

Registration and housing reservations start March 1. Act quickly. Expect that inexpensive rooms, especially inexpensive rooms that are close to the convention center, will sell out.

Please contact UULMF Co-Chairs Steve Segner (steve_segner@uulmf.org, 386-788-3039) or Kindra Muntz (kindra_muntz@uulmf.org, 941-497-1764) for more information.

Al  Usack, Chair, Denominational Concerns

 

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