by adminuucm

Social Generosity Offering: March 2021

Prevent Hunger Campaign – Join us in fighting hunger with Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners, an organization that takes complex problems—including hunger—and tackles their root causes with a wrap-around approach proven to deliver life-changing results. UUCM has long supported this organization and its important work in the Western Suburbs. Our support is more important than ever, as this past year has pushed more families into food and housing crisis. 

How to Donate: You can donate online using a credit card at bit.ly/giveuucm. You may also mail a contribution to UUCM at 2030 Wayzata Blvd E, Wayzata MN 55391. Simply make your check out to “UUCM” with “Social Generosity” in the memo line. 

IOCP Prevent Hunger Shop and Drop Food Drive
Tuesday, March 30 from 3:00-6:30 PM
1605 County Road 101 N, Plymouth, 55447 – Parking Lot
Another donation option is to participate in IOCP’s food drive on March 30. More details are outlined below. Socially distant fun activities for the whole family at drop-off site. Very specific items are needed this year, learn more here. If you cannot drop off on March 30, donations are also accepted two days a week: Fridays and Mondays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Contact Sue Fust at drlanasue@yahoo.com or 952 406-2464 with any questions.

You can also do to any of the following to support IOCP’s work:

  • Volunteer to help tutor, stock shelves, package snacks, and more. 
  • Donate gently used clothing: drop off Mon. & Fri. 10am-5pm
  • You might also check out Outreach Development Corporation, a partner of IOCP working on affordable housing.

by adminuucm

Line 3 Pipeline Presentation Video + Next Steps

On Tuesday, March 2 Buff Grace, Solar Outreach Manager at MNIPL, and Roberta Haskins, member of the MNIPL Line 3 Interfaith Group, joined us to answer these questions and more: What is the Line 3 Pipeline?  Why is there so much objection to it?  Don’t we need the oil?  Isn’t it too late to take action? You can view a recording of this presentation by clicking here. 

NEXT STEPS:
Support Stop the Money Pipeline Coalition
The Stop the Money Pipeline coalition is over 130 organizations strong. Together they are holding the financial backers of climate chaos accountable. Their coalition organizes according this set of equity principles, ratified on March 31st, 2020. Learn more about their current work here.

Stand with Water Protectors
Water Protector Welcome Center Near Mississippi River and Line 3 Crossing
This group welcomes all water protectors and supporters to come to the Mississippi River to pray, to witness, and to resist the destruction of these public lands and waterways in Anishinaabe territory. Come north on Great River Road to Palisade, MN. Be kind to the people and pray for the water. Every day at l0:00 AM, or whenever you are able. Be sure to check their website before visiting, to read about travel guidelines and the need for extra Covid prevention measures.

by adminuucm

UUCM Members Approve a Public Statement on “Black Lives Matter”

Fred Hulting, Board President

At a Special Meeting of the Members of UUCM on Sunday February 28, the following public statement – to be accompanied by a “Black Lives Matter” banner on the exterior of the church – was approved by a vote of 87 – 0:

Black Lives Matter. Period. A sign that states Black Lives Matter is part of our racial justice work. The sign is symbolic of our congregational journey towards justice for people of color. It symbolizes the work we are doing and our commitment to future work.  A sign is a bold message to our community that we stand in solidarity with people of color and hold them in love and honor. We will not back down or turn away from oppression but fight against it. We want the world to know our congregation takes a firm stand against racism in its many forms and communicate our commitment to the journey of ensuring that Black Lives Matter. (Approved by UUCM Members on February 28, 2021 by a vote of 87 – 0)

For more background on the context of the special meeting, please see the previous articles “Announcement of UUCM Special Congregational Meeting” and “Making a Public Statement on Black Lives Matter”.

The Racial Justice team, part of the Social Justice Ministry, is now working with our Facilities team to design and place the banner on the front of our building.  If we are asked about the meaning of our banner, the statement is our answer. We will be placing this statement on the church website. 

It is important to remind ourselves that the statement and banner are only meaningful if they are supported by action. Our Racial Justice team is leading a variety of activities to facilitate that action, and I encourage you to reach out to Kate Flom, or others on the team, to learn more about how you can educate yourself about white supremacy and racial justice and engage in these activities.

The act of proposing, discussing, voting, and approving this statement is also a big step forward for our congregation and its democratic process.  It has been many years since UUCM has come together to make such a statement. I want to thank the petitioners for their passion; the congregation for their respectful engagement in robust discussions, and the Board for managing an open and transparent process.

Finding our voice and expressing our beliefs it critical to advancing our work on racial justice.  As we move forward, we will need to make additional statements, and we now have a model for how we can do that.

by adminuucm

From the Board: March 2021

Each month, a member of the board will share a reflection on the Soul Matters monthly theme and the state of the church. The theme for March is Commitment. This month’s post is offered by Shelley Buss.

There’s the old saying that if you want to know the difference between involvement and commitment, look no further than a breakfast of bacon and eggs; the chicken is involved while the pig is committed.

Commitments have substantial expectations built into them. Raising children, entering marriage, and prioritizing our health/well-being are common commitments we make in our immediate sphere. We’re constantly face to face with them every time we look in the mirror, or set the dinner table. We all start out with the best intentions, because who wants to break a commitment, right? It’s just that commitments get harder and harder to fulfill as time goes on, for as many reasons as there are days.

Using the analogy of a garden, the effort you put into watering your plot has a direct impact on what you grow. Yet you can do the work, and then a fluffle of bunnies finds your space, or lightning topples the neighbor’s tree in the middle of it all. Commitments aren’t impossible but they can be unpredictable. Commitments will be as meaningful as the basis upon which they are made. The strongest are based on the truths and values we hold closest to our hearts and minds, along with grace to allow space for our humanness. When we commit to something, we are recognizing the inherent value of it in our life and saying “yes” to it. Continue reading →