Author: Erica Hauck

Double Your Impact

July 2024

Dear Justice Supporter,

I hope this message finds you well. As the President of the Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry of California (UUJMCA), I am reaching out to share an exciting opportunity for you to amplify your impact and help us continue our vital work for justice.

We are thrilled to announce a match grant through the Veatch Funding Program from the UU Church of Shelter Rock where every dollar you donate will be doubled up to a total of $10,000. This means that your contribution will have twice the power to support our programs and campaigns that promote social justice, equity, and compassion across California.

Over the past year, UUJMCA has made significant strides in advocating for climate justice, immigrant rights, economic equity, and more. Our successes are a testament to the commitment and generosity of supporters like you. However, the challenges we face are growing, and the need for justice work has never been more urgent.

With the match grant, your $50 donation will become $100, and your $100 donation will become $200. This is a unique opportunity to maximize your contribution and ensure that UUJMCA can continue to:

• Mobilize communities and congregations for effective advocacy.
• Provide education and training on critical justice issues.
• Partner with marginalized communities to amplify their voices and fight for systemic change.
• Support legislative efforts that align with our values of equity, compassion, and justice.

To take advantage of this match grant, please make your donation by July 31st. You can donate online at “Double Your Impact” or mail your check to:

Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry of California
1731 Howe Avenue, #579
Sacramento, CA 95825

Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a difference and brings us closer to a more just and equitable society.

We are deeply grateful for your ongoing support and commitment to justice. Together, we can create meaningful change and build a world where everyone’s dignity is respected and upheld.

Thank you for your generosity and solidarity.

You can take a look at my remarks from last month in the President’s Corner at:

https://uujmca.org/2024/uujmca/presidents-corner-may31

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments. We have a lot going on and a busy schedule of activities and programs for the summer and upcoming fall months. 

I look forward to hearing from you!

In service,

Tom
Tom Loughrey
President, Board of Trustees
UUJMCA

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A New Look for UUJMCA

June 2024

I’m happy to report that our new organizational work has now been completed and is operational. Earlier this year, the UUJMCA Board approved a contract with BridgesUU to assume most of our non-program work, including bookkeeping, website development and maintenance, financial management including donor records management, as well as other clerical and administrative tasks. 

This change allows us to have a greater focus on programs and outreach around justice matters for our congregations. Of course, we have just begun this new arrangement and will continue to evaluate responsibilities as we move forward. 

One of the immediate features of this new organizational arrangement is the communication capability. You can check it out at our website at www.UUJMCA.org. In fact, I invite you to do so, and once on the site, introduce yourself by clicking on the virtual office button Monday through Thursday, from 8am to 12pm PT. You can also see the latest news, events, and general information and services, including an up-to-date calendar of activities. Oh! …., and you can also make a donation to our work at the same time. 

You can take a look at my remarks in the President’s Corner at:

https://uujmca.org/2024/uujmca/presidents-corner-apr26

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments. We have a lot going on and a busy schedule of activities and programs for the summer and upcoming fall months. 

I look forward to hearing from you!

In service,

Tom
Tom Loughrey
President, Board of Trustees
UUJMCA

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REGISTER ONLINE at https://secure.everyaction.com/Ct_NVRn61UKeXyjJxHvelg2

Hosted by Rev. Betty Stapleford
Monday, June 3 at 7PM
ZOOM LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82441623681

There has been a lot of discussion about the need for reparations to the descendants of slaves in the United States, arousing inflammatory rhetoric by some people in our country. Instead, Rev. Dr. Betty Stapleford, from the Vision and Values Team and Board of the UU Justice Ministry California, invites you to an interactive discussion of On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World by Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg.

This book helps us grasp the complexities of the issue and find our own ways of understanding them through a Unitarian Universalist lens. We hope you will join us.

Hosted by Antoinette Scully
Tuesday, May 21 at 7PM
ZOOM LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82441623681

C.A.L.M. Sessions honor our spiritual needs, rooted in activist principles and values. Enjoy music, readings, prayers, and a short reflection. We welcome people of all backgrounds, spiritual paths, and beliefs of goodwill while remaining rooted in Unitarian Universalist practices. Join UUs all over California as we gather to celebrate the work of UUJMCA.

You can learn more about Antoinette Scully by visiting antoinettescully.com/about.

This is an important year for all of us, with federal, state, and local races, and issues to address. 

How we get our news influences so much of our opinions about what’s going on in the world, how we are impacted, affected, and maybe what we may be missing. I depend on friends and colleagues to help me with the issues that don’t make the headlines and front pages, but may have a more immediate effect, particularly with regard to issues of justice, such as climate, race relations, economic injustice, voting rights, and more.

I’m interested that one of the questions to potential jurors in the criminal trial of a former president focused on where individuals get their news. It is a New York trial, so it is no surprise that The NY Times is a prominent news source, along with CNN, MSNBC, and Fox. Some of these are my own primary sources, along with several other news sources I subscribe to. I am surprised at the responses, which included X (formerly Twitter), and even TikTok.

While I value the conversations and insights from friends and family, they come with their own biases and proposals for dealing with the issues. So how do we focus on what’s important, what’s true, or what’s opinion? 

This is when I start to make my decisions based on who I trust more, their agenda, and their resources. This leads me to UUJMCA. Our focus is California and the role UUs play on justice issues that affect us right here at home. As an organization, we can play an important role for UU congregations and members by focusing on local and statewide issues, bringing attention to issues where we may have an impact, and shed light on issues that may otherwise be overlooked.

UUJMCA is working to assist congregations by identifying resources, providing programs, services, and creating spaces for our community to live out their commitments to justice work.

In an effort to allow us to focus more on programs and service as well as reduce our overhead costs, the UUJMCA Board voted to outsource much of the clerical functions, such as bookkeeping, database management, website management, and more. This moves that kind of work (all of which is necessary) away from our Executive Director and brings on a team of professionals to assist us in our justice work. 

We have selected BridgesUU to handle these administrative functions. BridgesUU is a service provider for UU communities and organizations, including congregations, assisting each with administrative work and freeing leadership to focus on mission, vision and their ministries.

The UUJMCA Board is looking forward to improving our congregational connections and program services with this new relationship. If  you would like to make a commitment to UUJMCA and our ministry of justice please do so by Clicking Here and considering making a monthly (recurring) contribution.

Please feel free to contact me at president@uujmca.org with any questions, concerns, requests or other interests that you may have.

In service,

Tom
Tom Loughrey
President, Board of Trustees
UUJMCA