In this special worship service, the Social Justice Council will focus on key justice areas for church action for this year of urgencies. Council members will present each of the top identified concerns and the related church resolution. On November 5, after church, the Social Justice Council will ask the Congregation to vote on new and updated resolutions and to reaffirm continuing resolutions. This service will guide our role as Unitarian Universalists in social justice today and will give us the opportunity to join together in our efforts for a more just, peaceful, and healthy world.

Here are the opening words- a Social Justice charge for us this year- in the form of a poem by Deborah Bond-Upson:

­­Resolute to Transcend the Dissolute

Volcanic mountains dip sandy toes in an azure sea,

On our island slope, aloha meets our life-force chi.

Blessed to be in fellowship here, alive in this glorious land,

Our joy should eclipse all care – yet in pain we understand:

Our country is enacting, backtracking, hacking and fracking.

Leaders represent us when they’re the last ones we’d be backing.

Across our island, state, country, globe, hopes of equity are fading,

Against humanity, comes greed, hate, hoarding, and raiding.

Surprised and shocked by our leaders’ bellicose tracts

They are matched by other nations’ intolerant acts.

Leaders tapping into fear and anger, and greed

Blast a non-stop, ignorant, embarrassing screed.

Yet we cannot be caught in negative reaction,

Instead, we must drive for empathy and satisfaction.

So, how can we find equity, justice, and peace

While loving our brother when he disagrees?

What actions can we take?

What resolutions should we make?

Now we come to focus our response,

To strategize actions to engender renaissance!

Your social justice council brings you our draft

For new and revised resolutions together to craft.

With these drafts, we propose we resolve

Around which, our efforts, this year to revolve.

Hear ye, Hear ye! Time to think clearly.

Define our intentions. Then meet them quite nearly!

 

Here is a link to all Social Justice Resolution titles— click on the title of interest to read the full text.