From Our Social Action Committee

Children's Peace Week 2008

Children's Peace Week will take place August 18 - 22nd from 8:30 a.m.  - 12:30 p.m. each day at the Unitarian Universalist Church.  Children who have completed Kindergarten up to those who have completed Eighth grade are invited to attend.  Registration fee is $25/child. During this week children learn non-violent ways to relate to each other, their families, neighbors, the world and nature through art, drama, games, music and lessons.

Please contact Ibby Chiquoine 853-2925, Sunithi Bajekal  sunibaj@verizon.net or Diane Stebbins 735-3112 for registration forms.
 

The Tents of Hope service will take place August 24th at 10:30 a.m. —– hopefully outside!  We plan to have a tent approximately the size of one at a refugee camp in Darfur.

The committee is looking to borrow for one day an 8x10 tent with 8 ft. ceiling and 5 ft. high wall.

The inside will contain what would be typical for a Darfurian family, and the outside will be decorated with pictures of hope. There will be music, drumming, skits and art. Anyone interested in planning this service or taking part in it, If there is anyone in the congregation who has a canvas wall tent 8 X 10 ft. with a ceiling height of 8 ft. and wall height 5 ft. and is willing to lend it to us for this day, please contact Diane Stebbins as listed in the Directory.

For more information about the "Tents of Hope" go to UUSC website and look for "tents of hope" under the "What's new"  section.

The Community Food Bank needs our help!

If you have a garden, plant a row for the Community Food Bank.  Director Kim Strong said if 200 people would donate the harvest from five plants each, this would enable them to feed the ever increasing number of hungry people.

"We need all the help we can get to survive this year," she said. "People are saying they have enough to pay their bills but there is nothing left for food."
If you can lend a hand or have questions, call Kim and Denise at 733-0346

The Family Nurturing Center of Central NY, Inc. sent a note of thanks for the paper products given to the Evelyn’s House.  They are very pleased our
congregation is a part of the community’s efforts in assisting them in meeting the needs of young women and their babies who are in need of services.
 

The next Social Action Meeting will be Sunday, September 14 at 12:00 noon in the parlor.  All are welcome.

Green Sanctuary

Green Sanctuary Committee meeting will be announced.

Green Tip of the Month:

Last month, we said reduce your thermostat by 1 degree.  If you have central air, the same may apply, only you would increase your thermostat by 1 degree.  If your car has air conditioning, it will get better mileage when you don't use it.

Reducing our “carbon footprint” is everyone’s responsibility.  What is our carbon footprint?  It is the amount of greenhouse gases we as individuals produce, that contribute to global warming.  Acting locally begins in the home.  Here are a few suggestions from the website: http://www.nativeenergy.com/more_you_can_do.html
Travel:  Keep your auto tuned up and the tires properly inflated.  Don’t leave that junk in the trunk either.  All that extra weight is killing your gas mileage, so leave those cinder blocks at home where they belong.  Don’t idle your car.   Accelerate gently.  Drive slower on the highway.  Use public transit, when possible.  Share your ride.  Ride your bike.
Household:  Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) are a more efficient way of lighting your home.  They last longer and use less energy.  (The initial cost is higher, but you save in the long run.)  Use a programmable thermostat for your furnace or air conditioning.  Seal up those drafty windows and doors.
More information is available at our church website: http://www.uuutica.org/carbonfootprintinfo.htm
Our Social Action Committee met on December 9, and more details will be posted.  Our next meeting is scheduled for Sunday, December 9th at 12:00 Noon in the parlor.  Please join us.   Diane Stebbins, Social Action Chair

Social Action meetings will take place the second Sunday of every month. Diane Stebbins, Social Action Chair

If you are a National Grid customer, you can elect to have your energy supplied from wind and hydro-electric (renewable) sources.  This may cost a few more dollars a month, but it is one way we can decrease demand for nuclear and fossil fuels.  Go to:  http://www.niagaramohawk.com/enrgchoice/programs/renew-res.html  or call  1-800-642-4272.  They can send you a copy of the card that is needed to make the switch.  Or you can make the switch on website above, by going directly to one of the providers listed on that page.

For more information on the Darfur Relief Fund, check the Social Action Bulletin Board at church, and visit www.savedarfur.org and/or www.uusc.org.

What is the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee?

Originally founded by Unitarians in the days before World War II to assist European refugees, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee has been successfully partnering with grassroots organizations around the world for over 60 years to empower women, to support the struggles of oppressed racial, ethnic and indigenous groups, and to defend the rights of children. In addition, the Service Committee trains young people here at home to be the next generation of social justice leaders.

The UUSC does not receive direct support from the Unitarian Universalist Association or from any government agency. UUSC relies primarily on the contributions of its 25,000 members, supporters and volunteers.
Kate Beasley, director of Religious Education at the Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship wrote, "When I was growing up in a Unitarian Church in the 1950's and 60's, supporting the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee was as much a part of being Unitarian Universalist as attending church. It was a given that if you joined a church you also joined the UUSC. Becoming a member of the UUSC is one of the easiest ways to put our UU values into practice."

Wouldn't it be wonderful for our congregation to be a leader in UUSC involvement, so that it becomes "a given that if you joined [this] church you also joined the UUSC"? Please consider becoming a member. Information will be on the "Guest at Your Table" boxes you will receive this month. To learn more, visit http://www.uusc.org .

Click on the link, In Memoriam, for a photo album of flags flown in memory of those who have died in Irag, US Military, Iraqi Citizens and others.

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee

The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee has a web site from which you can send action alert messages to your elected representatives.  Go to http://capwiz.com/uusc/home/

If you would like to sign on as a member of our Human Rights Defenders network of activists
and receive regular e-mail alerts,  please contact Brandi Tague in our Programs Department
at Brandit@uusc.org.  This is a quick way to make your voice heard.

EXTRA!  If you would like to send an email message to President Bush about the Campaign to help end the genocide in Darfur, you may go to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee site and under "What's New" on the right hand side, click onto "Join Million Voices for Darfur".  This site, http://www.uusc.org/darfur/index.html, will allow you the opportunity to send an electronic postcard to President Bush.  Paper postcards will also be available at church on Sunday.   Also, the UUSC has a blog page at http://www.uusc.org/blog/hotwire.html called hotwire .   Visit it for more information.

Close the School of Assassins

On November 18-20, 2005 thousands of people of conscience will gather to demonstrate at the entrance to Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia, home of the notorious School of the Americas (SOA/WHINSEC) where the U.S. Army trains dictators and terrorists who commit atrocities against humanity throughout Latin America.

This school’s legacy of shame began in 1946 in Panama. In 1984 it was kicked out of that country under the terms of the Panama Canal Treaty. Former Panamanian President, Jorge Illueca, stated that the School of the Americas was the “biggest base for destabilization in Latin America.” The SOA, frequently dubbed the “School of Assassins,” has left a trail of blood and suffering in every country where its graduates have returned.

Over its 59 years, the SOA has trained over 60,000 Latin American soldiers in counterinsurgency techniques, sniper training, commando and psychological warfare, military intelligence and interrogation tactics. These graduates have consistently used their skills to wage a war against their own people. Among those targeted by SOA graduates are educators, union organizers, religious workers, student leaders, and others who work for the rights of the poor. Hundreds of thousands of Latin Americans have been tortured, raped, assassinated, “disappeared,” massacred, and forced into refugee by those trained at the School of Assassins.
This spring an opportunity will come in the form of a Congressional vote to have this school closed for good.

Support for and against this action is just about even, so a strong presence at this November demonstration could make all the difference. It is an annual demonstration, one of the most family and beginner friendly protests in the country.

I am urging the members of our congregation to, if you are able, join this peaceful protest and speak out for justice. If you are unable to attend you can sponsor someone from our region to attend. Our nearest organizing group is School of the Americas Abolitionists in Syracuse.

Information on Drug Policy Reform

UUs for Drug Policy Reform, a national independent affiliate of the UUA, invites you to get involved. Find the resources to help you with the UUA's drug war Study/Action Issue and other useful information at http://www.uudpr.org/ or contact Charles Thomas, President, UUs for Drug Policy Reform, at 301-938-1577, e-mail charlesthomas@uudpr.org

A short message from the Social Action Committee

We are continuing to investigate ways to add our voice to the concern over the efficacy
of the 30-year-old Rockefeller drug laws that deal with the sale of drugs. Currently we are contacting each of the 32 other uu churches in the St. Lawrence District to see if there is any interest in making this a collective effort.

Several from the Committee attended a presentation at a meeting of the League of Women Voters about the Oneida County Drug Court. This is a relatively new specialized court that deals with nonviolent offenders who use/abuse drugs, and uses a community-based team approach that seeks to modify behavior rather than to automatically turn to the traditional incarceration system.

We are looking for volunteers from the congregation to participate in NYS's Adopt-A-Highway Program. This is a 2-year contract to attend to a 2-mile stretch of roadside four times/year. In turn a sign would be placed at the location acknowledging our church's participation.

Pro-Choice Assistance Needed

The Planned Parenthood Federation of America has advised Planned Parenthood Centers nationwide that October  3rd 2005 may be an intense day of picketing by Anti-choice groups.
Why?: October 3rd marks the beginning of the next United States Supreme Court session.
Who?: Multiple anti choice groups may be involved including STOPP (Stop Planned Parenthood) and ALL (American Life League.
When?: All day Monday  October 3, 2005. Our center hours on Mondays are 8:30 AM to 4:30  PM.
Where?: Planned Parenthood Center, 1424 Genesee St., Utica
What can YOU do to help?:
Come stand in support of pro-choice – come for 30 minutes, an hour, anytime that you can – help our patients and the community know that there are pro-choice advocates out there and we have a voice.
Bring a friend, a family member, a stranger, come alone – every body and voice counts.
It is not our policy to engage protestors, it is our right to be out there just as it is the right of these protestors to be there.
Mission statement of PPFA:
“-to empower every individual to make responsible and informed decisions about sexual and reproductive health.”

Congratulations to Kate Oser, who was awarded the honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, by Utica College at their annual commencement May 15, 2005.   Kate was recognized for her many years as a social activist.  Click on her name to read full article.

INTEREST IN MAKING THE WORLD A MORE PEACEFUL PLACE! ! !

Join the

The Mohawk Valley Peace Coalition Mission

 Its mission. . .
 To challenge violent conflict in all its forms by
 1) increasing awareness of the consequences of and alternatives to war
 2) promoting an understanding of motivation for war and
 3) offering education on creative alternatives for conflict resolution.

To get involved contact Doreen Markson as listed in our Directory.

T -Shirts:
The logo on the T -shirts being sold is "War is not the Answer". Very versatile, being sold at cost to raise consciousness. Posters are also available. Contact Kate Oser, as listed in our Directory.

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (uusc.org)
A powerful voice for human rights In order to help Unitarian Universalists and peace advocates educate, act, and organize around this issue, we have assembled resources that you and your community can use to advocate peace and alternatives to violent conflict in Iraq. Below are links that provide important information about current events, the history of the conflict with Iraq, as well as resources for action:
American Friends Service Committee (http://www.afsc.org/iraq/Default.htm) Provides alternatives to war, reasons to oppose the war, history of the conflict, and resources for action.Ê Friends Committee on National Legislation (http://www.fcnl.org/) United for Peace (http://www.unitedforpeace.org/)
Unitarian Universalist Association (http://www.uua.org/news/2002/021105.html)
Churches for Middle East Peace (http://www.cmep.org/)
National Council of Churches (http://www.ncccusa.org/)
National Network to End the War (http://www.endthewar.org/default-new.htm)
New York Times Iraq Page (http://www.nytimes.com/pages/world/worldspecial/index.html)
St. Lawrence District Opportunities (See Bulletin Board for moor info)