Building the world we dream about requires ongoing relationship and collaboration. By working together, UU justice makers and leaders prevent the feelings of isolation and overwhelm that can lead to burnout, despair, and apathy. By strengthening our connections to each other, our context, our partners, and our collective imagination for the world, we can not only succeed in creating justice – we can celebrate and enjoy it.
Formalize your community’s connection with UUJMCA with a Congregational Liaison or by Becoming a “UUJMCA Covenanting Congregation!”
Learn more about our programs to support your congregation’s justice ministries.
Are you a justice leader in your congregation? Stay connected so your community can get updates & support from UUJMCA! Email info@uujmca.org so we can keep in touch and support each other in the work for justice!
Connections & Collaborations
Congregational Organizing with UUJMCA
Congregational Liaisons
As a core component of our grassroots organizing in 2021, we are working to identify a UUJMCA Congregational Liaison in each of California’s 72 UU congregations/communities. These liaisons assist us in keeping congregations up-to-date on various statewide issues and actions, with clear & varied opportunities for individuals to get involved. Congregational Liaisons facilitate their congregation’s connection to UUJMCA programs, partners, resources, and other congregations, while also sharing what is happening locally to receive statewide or national support. They receive training and ongoing support from UUJMCA to facilitate their congregation’s connections, including reduced or free registrations to any paid UUJMCA events (ex: UUBorders, Turning the Tides, etc).
Cluster Co-Coordinators
Cluster Co-Coordinators work with Congregational Liaisons across multiple congregations in their cluster to support connection and collaboration on statewide & national justice efforts. By having Cluster Co-Coordinators for each of the geographic clusters in California, we can empower and enable congregations to work beyond their church walls, imagining and creating justice on a local and regional level beyond what each individual congregation can do alone. Like congregational liaisons, Cluster Co-Coordinators receive training and ongoing support from UUJMCA to facilitate cluster collaboration, including reduced or free registrations to any paid UUJMCA events (ex: UUBorders, Turning the Tides, etc).
Interested in serving as a Congregational Liaison or Cluster Co-Coordinator?
Fill out our volunteer interest form here!
Covenanting Congregations
UUJMCA knows that Unitarian Universalist congregations and communities do not all have the same justice priorities. We honor this reality, while also encouraging forms of communication, collaboration, and support that remind us that we are part of a larger network working to create justice in our world. UUJMCA’s “Covenanting Congregations” Program invites UU communities and congregations in California into an intentional relationship to strengthen our ministries of social transformation.
Those communities in who covenant with UUJMCA commit to 1) informing UUJMCA as to the justice priorities that are important to their congregation and its members, updating this information as priorities change, and 2) encouraging members of our congregation to participate UUJMCA-sponsored regional and statewide trainings, activities (related to congregational justice priorities), and cluster events.
To become a UUJMCA Covenanting Congregation, your community agrees to identify a Congregational Liaison and support the statewide movement of UU organizing by becoming:
A Congregational Sustainer with an annual financial gift to UUJMCA;
OR
A Congregational Host for one of UUJMCA’s in-person or regional programs.
Congregational Sustainers – 2020 & 2021
The following congregations have made a financial gift in 2020 or 2021 to support UUJMCA’s organizing ministries with UU communities throughout California. THANK YOU to the following communities for helping to collaboratively strengthen our justice ministries and to bring UU values more powerfully to the public square. (Updated July 2021)
- Conejo Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
- First Unitarian Church Universalist Church of Stockton California
- First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco
- Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Church
- Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church
- Napa Valley Unitarian Universalists
- Orange Coast Unitarian Universalist Church
- Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis
- Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto
- Unitarian Universalist Church of the Santa Clarita Valley
- Unitarian Universalist Church of Verdugo Hill
- Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura
- Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Marin
- Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Chico
- Unitarian Universalists of San Mateo
- Pacific Central District of the UUA
- Pacific Southwest District of the UUA
Interested in learning what it means to be a Covenanting Congregation? Look at this sample “Covenant of Collaboration” and let us know if you’d like to collaborate. Send us an email at info@uujmca.org or fill out the form below.
Covenanting Congregation Interest Form
Trainings & Programs
UUJMCA Regional Justice Convenings
Join UUJMCA and our California partners for our annual Regional Justice Convenings! These convenings are an opportunity to deepen our faith-rooted work for justice, learn about active legislative efforts and statewide actions, and take a “deep dive” into UUJMCA’s Core Campaigns (including: Defund Police, ICE out of California, Fossil Free California, and Medicare for All). in 2021 year rooted our conversations & community in a model for putting our love into faithful and intentional action for collective liberation. Through breakout conversations and issue-specific campaigns, these convenings are an opportunity to engage in how love resists, love accompanies, and love creates, and where we are called to be as individuals and communities.
Our 2021 Spring Regional Justice Convenings have passed. Information on any potential Fall 2021 Convenings will be shared here in September 2021!
Issue-Centered Trainings/Workshops
UUJMCA works alongside numerous grassroots organizations and statewide coalitions in our work for justice. In 2021, we are offering trainings on specific issues/movements related to immigrant justice, climate justice, and racial justice efforts in California. If you are interested in learning more about the efforts we are highlighting this year and bringing a free informational workshop / presentation tailored to your congregation, email us at info@uujmca.org or send us a message here.
Deep Roots & Soaring Wings:
Ancestor-Rooted Justice Workshop
Our work for collaborative justice is part of a generations-long movement and (r)evolution. So who are our ancestors in the work of justice and love? How do we connect our stories, values, and strategies to their efforts? How do we hold onto our deep roots in the stormiest of time? Led by Rev. Ranwa Hammamy, UUJMCA’s Executive Director, this “workshop worship” lifts up the stories of our ancestors and elders in justice, and encourages shared exploration of their importance to our own efforts for collective liberation today. Contact UUJMCA today to learn how to bring this free program to your congregation or community!
Community Action Circles
Looking for ways to engage in online actions that are grounded in your faith and connected to an active community? The UU Service Committee & UU College of Social Justice have developed strategies for hosting online “Community Action Circles,” to provide meaningful & engaging spaces for taking online action for justice. With faith-grounding & interactive tech, these online circles let you and your community take dozens of actions for justice in just one hour! Learn more about these circles and upcoming ones hosted by UUJMCA here. If you are interested in co-hosting one of these action circles with UUJMCA, contact us at info@uujmca.org and let’s craft something together for your community.
Congregational Discernment & Engagement Program
While each congregation’s needs differ, UUJMCA has identified key components that are critical based on congregations with healthy and effective justice ministries. We believe these steps will help congregations identify healthy, accountable social justice ministries which can be integrated into congregational life as well as a preliminary plan to begin to build such ministries. This is a fee-for-service program, and is somewhat customizable. The cost is $1,500 inclusive of all sessions and related expenses. A $100 discount is available for covenanting congregations. Find out more about the Congregational Discernment & Engagement Program and contact us if you’re interested in bringing it to your community.
