Social Justice Updates
Upcoming Events and Announcements
Sunday, February 5, 2023: Social Justice Committee meeting: 12:30 on Zoom and in person in the church library. All are welcome to join us.
Sunday, February 12, 2023: MainSpring House lunch making: join in for this intergenerational project during Coffee Hour (11:30) as we assemble 90 brown bag lunches for the guests of MainSpring House in Brockton. Each month we send lunches to the shelter, and we need your help to put them together.
Updates
Our January 2023 Brown Envelope collections will support World Central Kitchen (www.wck.org), with a focus on their efforts to feel those suffering in Ukraine.
December Brown Envelope donations totaling $964 went to support the UU Urban Ministry (uuum.org), a social justice organization based in Roxbury, at the First Church Roxbury Meetinghouse.
During our single Christmas Eve service this year, all donations totaling $377 were given to support the work of Father Bills & MainSpring House, offering shelter and resources to the homeless communities of Brockton and Quincy. The SJC voted to round up this amount to $400 from our Shopping For Justice grocery card fund.
The November Brown Envelope donations totaling $903 went to support Youth On Fire , a program of AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, a drop-in center for homeless and street-involved youth, ages 14-24, located in Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA. Since opening its doors in 2000, over 3,000 youth have benefitted from YOF programs. In the last two years, the number of clients served has doubled, while funding has decreased. Your support for their important work will be greatly appreciated.
Food Pantry Donations: Our ongoing special collection for the Sharon/Stoughton Food Pantry (and now including the Community Food Pantry managed by the Congregational Church of Sharon), plus 4 other local pantries in adjacent towns, has raised over $58,000 in the 2 ½ years since the economic impact of Covid began to take hold. As the pandemic evolves, the needs at our local food pantries continue, and they are grateful for our support. Donations by check to the church are converted to Shopping for Justice grocery cards (and that means that we can increase your donation by the 5% discount that we get from the stores, equaling more than a $2,680 boost to date), which the pantries then distribute to their guests. And we of course continue to accept canned and other staple food items in the collection bins at church: kid snacks, canned soups and ready-to-eat cereal are especially requested. As we endure the 3rd year of the Covid pandemic and related economic uncertainty, this ongoing effort by our community is making a real difference in the lives of our neighbors. Thank you for your generosity!
For social justice updates between June 2021-September 2022), see past issues of The Chalice.
May 2021
advocacy work has continued and we were also able to grow as
an organization. We believe that inner healing allows us to do the work of transferring
knowledge, equipping others to in:luence advocacy and engage in activism that builds
the foundation to transform the way society responds to homicide.” The Louis D. Brown Institute for Peace
Transforming Society’s Response to Homicide through: Services: That are consistent and compassionate for families of murdered loved ones and families of incarcerated loved ones to prevent cycles of retaliatory violence.
Training: That instills the value of peace and equips Institutional stakeholders to respond equitably and effectively to families dealing with murder, trauma, grief and loss.
Advocacy: That promotes dignity and compassion for all families impacted by murder.
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The Other King: The Radical Call to Genuine Equality, a MLK Day program sponsored by the Anti-Racism Working Group: if you missed this provocative event, view the program here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1CWSAVTZXF5GbQh7w75b3KO1j7ymjtnaU?usp=sharing
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EATING TO SAVE THE PLANET
INTRODUCTION: This excerpt from the book Drawdown, explains why it’s necessary to change our eating habits if we are committed to addressing global warming and saving our planet.
Plant-rich diets reduce emissions and also tend to be healthier, leading to lower rates of chronic disease. According to a 2016 study, business-as-usual emissions could be reduced by as much as 70 percent through adopting a vegan diet and 63 percent for a vegetarian diet, which includes cheese, milk, and eggs. $1 trillion in annual health-care costs and lost productivity would be saved.
As Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh has said, making the transition to a plant-based diet may be the most effective way an individual can stop climate change.
For more information, check out the Project Drawdown website: https://drawdown.org/solutions/plant-rich-diets
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY RECIPES
Cinnamon Buns to make ahead of time
Reubens start ahead of time but oh so worth it. I use caramelized red cabbage and onions instead of sauerkraut
Guacamole Salad (not exactly in season but quick and easy)
Magic Squares to satisfy a sweet tooth
Blueberry Scones with our without the glaze
Black Bean Tacos vegan sour cream is available in most grocery stores now or make your own
Easy Vegan Lunches you can make in 15 minutes or less
Moroccan Stew easy, yummy and satisfying
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