To: The HUUF Board of Trustees

From: HUUF Social Action Committee

re: Social Action Cluster Report

Date: December 2018

 

Social Action is Not Something Separate. Social Action is Part of our Purpose and of Everything We Do at HUUF

 

          From our HUUF Aspiration

          “May Love be the spirit of this Fellowship…”

 

          From Cornel West:Justice is what love looks like in the public square.”

 

          From our HUUF Purpose

          Beyond our Walls the Purpose of our Fellowship is:

            To empower people to model and promote social and environmental

            justice – and to stand up for and serve the most vulnerable.

 

          From our UU Principles

          We covenant to affirm and promote – Justice, equity and compassion

          in human relations.

 

Social Action in Youth RE

 

          Our “Our Whole Lives” human sexuality education is about supporting

          young people around issues of human sexuality – and it is absolutely

          about promoting safety and acceptance for GLBTQ people. It’s about

          ending the oppression of women and sexual abuse in our culture.

 

          Our youth (led by Abby Hasting-Tharp) are advocating for more institutional

          inclusion of youth in Pacific Western Regional UU decision making.

 

          Kit Lynn, our Teen Director, presented a powerful Sunday Service

          about listening to the needs of youth and young adults as we

          plan for and shape various styles of worship services.

 

          Our youth prepare casseroles once a month for the Arcata House Night

          Shelter.

 

          Our youth discuss climate change and our needed behavior change in

          order to mitigate climate change.

 

          Our RE Committee is designing an “all natural” play scape for our children.

Social Action in Sunday Services

 

          Because we are held in an inter-dependent web and everything we do is

          inter-related, nearly every Sunday Service has Social Action threads.

          But here are some specific Sunday Services with Social Action

          Themes:

 

                    August 5 – “The Power to Stand Up to Power” – Chip Sharpe

                    Sept. 2 – “Honoring All Human Labor” – Rev. Jessup

                    Oct. 14 – “Singing as Sanctuary” – Liz Rog/Berti Welty

                                (After this service
the congregation, by consensus, came out in                                         
support of Measure K – the Humboldt Sanctuary Initiative                                         
written by our own Erik Kirk.)

                    Nov 4 – “Courage America, Courage” (resisting Fascism) – Rev.
Jessup

                    Nov 11 – “Reflections on War, Racism and Universal Love” – Fr.
Arthur                                MacDonald and Bonnie
MacGregor

                    Nov 25 – “Transgender Day of Remembrance” – Kit Lynn

 

Social Action in Buildings and Grounds – For Sake of the Climate

 

          Grounds: Valerie Gizinski is leading the way in keeping our grounds as

          full of native species as possible. She and her crew also are working on

          composting.

 

          Buildings: Scott Allen and Chip Sharpe are leading the way with transitioning

          all our lights to LED. Chip sorts re-cycling weekly and he and Scott were           instrumental
in getting cloth hand towels (as a choice) in our restrooms. Scott

          keeps our dishwasher working so we can avoid the use of paper plates.

          Sylvia, Jan and the kitchen crew keep us supplied with dishes so we can

          avoid the use of paper and plastic. Anne-Marie Peters washes towels and

          napkins so we can avoid the use of paper.

 

HUUF Board and Personnel

 

          The Board in its Personnel function is committed to paying the minister

          and employees of the Fellowship at Fair Compensation rates according

          to the UUA Fair Compensation guidelines. This is no small things because

          it allows the Fellowship to advocate with integrity for a living wage for people.

 

 

 

 

 

Music and Social Action:

 

          Enough cannot be said about how much Annette Hull and Elisabeth Harrington           and
the choir support our spiritual and our social action services with amazing           music. An old African American saying is that “The Spirit will not descend until
          the people have sung.” Annette and Elisabeth keep us singing! (and vibrating

          to the music.) On Jan. 20, Jeff Thomas and Zera Starchild from our           congregation will
be coming to the 11am service with their all African American

          Gospel singing group to help us honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – And

          to help us follow through on his message.

 

Specific Social Action Committee Efforts

 

          SAC Has a New Chair! – Maureen Lawlor has graciously taken the helm of

          SAC and with Rev. Jessup’s assistance and support from the committee is           guiding
SAC into its new incarnation.

 

          The HUUF Congregation Takes a Stand on Measure K – SAC endorsed

          Measure K and, with the Board’s support recommended that the congregation

          (as a Sanctuary Congregation) do the same. At its meeting on October 14, the           congregation,
by consensus, came out publicly in support of Measure K.

 

          Measure K Press Conference with True North – On November 1, HUUF Co-          Pres,
Berti Welty along with Rev. Bryan Jessup supported True North Organizing           in staging a Press Conference in support of Measure K in front of our Torii Gate.

 

          No on Measure M In September when SAC endorsed Yes on Measure K, SAC

          also took a public stand as the UU Social Action Committee – against Measure M           in
Arcata. A “No” vote allowed for the removal of the Wm McKinley statue from           the Arcata Plaza.

 

          The HUUF Ad Hoc Committee on Climate Change – In June Archie and Sue

          Mossman, Pat Carr, John Schaefer, Joanna Welch and others started this effort.

          One of their first programs was “Leave a Car Behind,” which encouraged           walking,
biking and car pooling to HUUF Sunday services. (This got press           coverage with the Times-Standard.) They have had helpful articles in the HUUF           Newsletters
since June. They screened the movie “Happening: An Energy           Revolution” on October 20. They will work with Rev. Jessup to present a Sunday           Service
on March 3, 2019. (They have already done a “paperless” Sunday           service. – Rebecca Paez, Joanna Welch, Pat Carr and others involved.)

 

           

 

          The UU Common Read – with Adult RE, SAC purchased 10 copies of the

          UUA Common Read for this year: Justice on Earth, People of Faith Working

          at the Intersection of Race, Class and the Environment. SAC member have been

          reading the book and SAC will sponsor three workshops on this book in 2019: J          an 12,
March 23, April 13. The workshops will happen on Saturdays from 1pm to           4 pm. Maureen Lawlor and Rev. Jessup will facilitate.

 

          SAC Offering and SAC Brunch – Once a month with the congregation’s           backing
SAC organizes an offering and brunch the proceeds from which go to           local organizations and programs that the congregation needs to know about,           and
that themselves need to know of our support.

 

 

          Recipients of SAC Brunch/Offerings this past year include: Planned Parenthood,           The Breast/Gyn
Health Project, Food for People, The Rape Crisis Team,           Humboldt Domestic Violence Services, Affordable Homeless Housing           Alternatives,
The Humboldt Edge Newspaper, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, The Boys           and Girls Club, Circulo de Amgias (to support our student in Nicaragua) The           Betty
Chinn Center and The Arcata House Partnership. – Eve Anderson has           been key in organizing the           Brunch
and Eve and Marianne Pennekamp have           been key in establishing the calendar of donations (along with the committee.)

          In light of many needs and variables, conversations are underway about who to           give to
and when in 2019.

 

SAC Offerings/Brunches

July-November 2018

 

                              July – The Humboldt
Edge – $192

 

                              August – Big Brothers
Big Sisters $358.55

 

                              September – Boys and
Girls Club – $609

 

                              October – Circulo de
Amigas – $948.65

 

                              November – Betty Chinn
Center – $1543.89

 

 

          Coffee and Chocolate Sales to Support our HUUF Student in Nicaragua

          Eve Anderson and Marianne Pennekamp have been key in organizing and           tracking
this endeavor.

 

 

          Special Events: a) The Golden Rule Gala – to support the amazing Vets for           Peace sailing vessel Aug 28. – John Schaefer, Berti Welty and Chip
Sharpe           facilitated this event happening at HUUF b) The Jim Scott Concert (co-sponsor           with Adult RE) Aug
13. c) Processing the Kavanaugh Nomination Oct 8 d) The           Roy Zimmerman Concert Nov 8 e) Cuba After Castro – a presentation by John           Schaefer
on Nov 16,

 

          Special Support: The Humboldt NAACP meets monthly at HUUF with Richard           Kossow’s
support, Humboldt Mediation meets for training at HUUF with

          Chip Sharpe’s support. Homeless Awareness Week: 8 people from HUUF at

          the Nov. 13 demonstration at the County Court House (Edie Jessup of HUUF           coordinated
7 editorials on homelessness in the Times-Standard that week)

          Karen Underwood helped the Humboldt Trails Council meet at the Fellowship.

 

 

          Redwood Pride: On Saturday Sept. 29 – SAC organized a table at the

          Pride event at the Jefferson Center – and a large contingent of HUUF folks at the           Pride
Parade in the afternoon. HUUF table staff included: Edie Jessup, Joanna           Welch, Kit and Sandy Lynn, Cynthi Chason Bonnie MacGregor, Brad Meiners           Valerie
Gizinski and more…

 

          Tuesday Evening Meals at the Arcata House Shelter – For years Jan Rowen           has
coordinated folks from HUUF delivering meals to the Arcata House Night           Shelter on Tuesdays. Once a month our Youth RE works to supply a meal.

 

          True North Organizing: Once a month the Fellowship hosts the True North           Spiritual
Leaders in their monthly meeting. On November 1, HUUF hosted

          a special spiritual leaders breakfast workshop with Rev. Alvin Herring the           national
chair of Faith in Action. (This workshop was followed by the Measure K           Press conference.) On November 3, eight people from HUUF along with

          Edie and Bryan Jessup attended the True North Regional Gathering in Orick.

          The previous evening (Nov 2) a dozen people from HUUF attended a

          True North “Solidarity” gathering at Temple Beth El to support our Jewish

          friend in light of the Oct 27 slaughter of eleven Jews at the Tree of Life

          Synagogue in Pittsburgh. On December 6, six members of HUUF attended

          a True North “Solidarity with Migrants at Our Border” vigil and dinner at

          Temple Beth El. On Feb. 3, 2019 at 2pm more HUUF folks will attend a

          True North training at Temple Beth El. On Feb. 17 – True North and HUUF

          will collaborate to offer a Rapid Response Training so local people can

          support migrants in danger from ICE. In October of 2018 six households

          from HUUF confidentially volunteered to offer sanctuary to immigrant families

          in danger from ICE. (They have not yet been called upon but they are ready and           willing.)

 

          Response to the “Camp” Fire in Butte County – Linda Lee, on behalf of

          HUUF is passing along information about how to support victims of the “Camp”           fire.
Rev. Jessup has been in touch with Rev. Plude of the UU Fellowship in           Chico. Six families in his congregation have lost their homes and Rev. Jessup

          and Bridgette Garuti have gotten word out to HUUF members about how to

          donate to the Chico UU Fire Relief Fund.

 

Responding to the Needs of Homeless People – With SAC Offering/Brunch help, HUUF is supportive of the Arcata House Partnership, Affordable Homeless Housing
Alternatives, The Humboldt Edge Newspaper, The Betty Chinn Center and Food for People. The Board has just adopted a new policy on assisting homeless people including members of our own congregation.

 

On March 17 a Sunday Service and Congregational Conversation are scheduled to raise awareness of this new policy. It calls us to understand that we are already supporting “people on the edge”
in many ways. (Providing temporary shelter in our homes, offering some use of our kitchen and the warmth of our space, including people in our potlucks etc.) It also brings our attention to our current limits. (We cannot
at this time house people at the Fellowship or on the grounds.)

 

Because HUUF Funds a Minister, Rev. Jessup is able to represent the Fellowship on Social Justice Issues in the Community.

 

          Rev. Jessup is a member of Planned Parenthood Clergy for Choice in Eureka.

          Rev. Jessup is a member of the Humboldt Interfaith Fellowship.

                    On August 29, Rev. Jessup was part of an HIF Forum on Reducing Gun                               Violence.
On Feb. 11, 2019 – HIF will present another Forum on Reducing                     Gun Violence – this time at
HUUF (this forum will be in collaboration with

                    high school students from NPA and Arcata High)

          Rev. Jessup is a member of the True North Spiritual Leaders group (as           mentioned)

 

The Social Action Committee wishes to thank the Board and members of this congregation for all that they do to fulfill our HUUF Purpose.

 

          Beyond our Walls the Purpose of our Fellowship is:

            To empower people to model and promote social and environmental

            justice – and to stand up for and serve the most vulnerable.

 

 

 

As we fulfill this Purpose together we become aware that Social Action is not something separate from our spiritual and community purpose. Social Action is part of everything we do – and so is our spirituality – and so is the ongoing creation
of our beloved community.

 

Addendum to the HUUF Social Action Cluster Report

December 2018

 

HUUF’S Community Minister Contributes to HUUF’s Social Action Presence

 

          As a Community Minister affiliated with our Fellowship. The Rev. Jamila Tharp

          witnesses regularly with the Justice for Josiah group on the Arcata Plaza.

          From her spiritual path as a Progressive Muslim Imam, she supports

          Muslim people who need a safe, progressive community of Muslims with which

          to connect. She helps educate the HUUF congregation on the reality of

          what Islam is in the world (She presented a service on December 9) and she

          works to help people diminish their anti-Muslim biases.