Social Justice
Unitarian Universalism has a legacy of “deeds not creeds.” Our work for a better world calls us to unexpected places as we harness love’s power to stop oppression.
Our Team
Lou Branham of the Monacan Indian Nation and Social Justice Team members Cynthia Thompson, Renee Herrell, Roberta Patterson, Heather Banks, Stephen Maxwell, Linda Shallash, Ann Majure, Savannah Fersner, and Emmett Crawford with UUFW member Kristin Maxwell. Members not pictured: Diane Livick & Melissa Hays.
What We Do
The Social Justice Team of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Waynesboro is not directly engaged in support activities that help people survive who have fallen through the cracks in a system that is not designed for their benefit. Rather, the primary concerns of the Social Justice Team are systemic. “How do we change the world for the better, rather than accepting status quo injustices?” is the primary question this Team will address, not how we can help people survive a bad system.
- Prioritize among the many justice areas and issues that deserve the attention of people seeking justice – because we are a small group who cannot do everything. And create a justice plan, into which the efforts we lead or encourage participation in shall fit.
- Educate and inform the Fellowship concerning social justice concerns and activities.
- Seek and pursue opportunities to develop cooperative relationships with other groups in the community or in the Unitarian Universalist sphere about social justice projects and/or concerns.
- Identify opportunities for the Fellowship to lead or participate in justice efforts locally, regionally, nationally and/or globally, and select from those opportunities to actively promote to the congregation.
- Recruit and train members to participate in a variety of action opportunities, from demonstrations to letter writing and calling elected officials, to showing up when called by outside organizations with which we have developed an ally relationship.
- Organize and provide logistical arrangements for the Fellowship’s justice action.
(As a team our role is not to be the doers of everything but the educators and organizers who will lead the congregation in justice engagement.)
Our Current Focus
After surveying our congregation at large at the end of Fall 2021, we discovered three areas that are of primary concern for our team:
1. Food Insecurity
2. Racial Justice
3. Environmental Protection
A Food Pantry box implemented by our Social Justice Team to start addressing food insecurity by beginning in our very own neighborhood. This pantry provides free, shelf-stable food and hygiene items for community members in need.
Community Organizations That We Love & Support:
WARM (Waynesboro Area Refuge Ministry)
Virginia Organizing: Waynesboro Chapter
Contact Us
If you are interested in finding out more about how our Social Justice Team works or would be interested in joining, please email our team leader at sj-team-leader@uufw.org