The Unitarian Universalist Association’s SOCIAL JUSTICE EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM HANDBOOK ...supporting congregational action for transformational social change 10/2011 Creating Community “We regard our living together not as an unfortunate mishap Warranting endless competition among us But as a deliberate act of God To make us a community of brothers and sisters Jointly involved in the quest for a composite answer To the varied problems of life.” -Steven Biko Biko is known for fighting South African apartheid in the late 60s and 70s. His death while in police custody became a worldwide symbol of the oppressive regime. Dismantling Oppression “We are a gentle and generous people. But let us not forget our anger. May it fuel not only our commitment to compassion but also our commitment to make fundamental changes. Our vision of the Beloved Community must stand against a vision that would allow the privilege of the few to be accepted as just and even holy. Our religious vision must again and again ask the Gospel question "Who is my neighbor" and strive always to include more and more of us as we intone the words that gave birth to this nation, "We the people..." We are, and we should be, both a gentle, and an angry people.” -The Rev. William G. Sinkford, "Faith in the Face of Disaster: UU Response to Hurricane Katrina - A Gentle, Angry People," 9/6/2005 Social Justice “The challenge of social justice is to evoke a sense of community that we need to make our nation a better place, just as we make it a safer place. It's a time for greatness--not for greed. It's a time for idealism -- not ideology. It is a time not just for compassionate words, but compassionate action.” -Marian Wright Edelman, President, Children’s Defense Fund Honoring Earth "Let every individual and institution now think and act as a responsible trustee of Earth, seeking choices in ecology, economics and ethics that will provide a sustainable future, eliminate pollution, poverty and violence, awaken the wonder of life and foster peaceful progress in the human adventure." -John McConnell, founder of International Earth Day The Prophetic Liberal Church “This much we can say. A church that does not concern itself with the struggle in history for human decency and justice, a church that does not show concern for the shape of things to come, a church that does not attempt to interpret the signs of the times, is not a prophetic church. The prophetic liberal church is not a church where the prophetic function is assigned merely to the few. The prophetic liberal church is the church in which persons think and work together to interpret the signs of the times in light of their faith, to make explicit through discussion the epochal thinking that the times demand. The prophetic liberal church is the church in which all members share the common responsibility to foresee the consequences of human behavior (both individual and institutional), with the intention of making history in place of being merely pushed around by it.” -James Luther Adams, "Taking Time Seriously," The Prophethood of All Believers Introduction The Social Justice Empowerment Program was launched in 1992. In that time, over 200 congregations have participated in the workshops and many others have used the materials. Congregational leaders report that the program has helped them to focus, strengthen, and grow their social justice programs. It has helped them to balance their program with a mix of service, education, organizing, advocacy, and public witness activities. It has made them more aware of how to draw on UUA resources and to join in national organizing and advocacy campaigns. Most of all, ministers and others tell us that the program has helped bring social justice into the heart of the spiritual life of the congregation. Since 1992, our association of congregations has continued to develop our effective- ness in working for social justice and to broaden our understandings of what social justice means. The increased effectiveness can be seen in the fact that close to twelve percent of our congregations are now involved in congregation-based community organizations, and many more than that are working in interfaith coalitions. Thousands of Unitarian Universalists have joined in interfaith and national advocacy efforts that the UUA has initiated and joined. Our broader (and deeper) understanding of justice is reflected in the fact that over half of our congregations are recognized as Welcoming Congregations (to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals and families). In 1997, we embarked on an association-wide anti-racism initiative, and since then we have started to work on issues affecting people with disabilities. Youth empowerment is on the rise and social justice activities that include the whole family are being organized. Our Statement of Conscience on global warming, passed in 2006 at General Assembly, represents our deeper commitment to the earth. A new engaged spirituality has taken hold in our faith, and we are beginning to understand that to work for social justice is in itself a spiritual practice. This updated handbook reflects these new understandings. It is designed to help social justice leaders and advocates be more strategic, to develop collective decision-making, to make good use of congregational resources, and to put our UU faith into action. It incorporates materials from Inspired Faith—Effective Action (UUA), Facilitating Circles of Change (Spirit of Action), the JUUST Change Consultancy (UUA), Rev. Richard Gilbert, and other sources. Our thanks to the Social Justice Empowerment facilitators who have lovingly taken this program across the country to small fellowships, mid-sized congregations, and large churches; and to Rev. William Gardiner who established the program. Special thanks are owed to the Rev. Carole Ann Cole who revised much of the materials and shepherded this project. To Rev. Cynthia Prescott who formatted the handbook. To Rev. Art McDonald who provided a new social justice bibliography. To Pam Kelly and Charles Zoeller for their contributions. Thanks to Rev. Kathy Huff, Carl McCargo, Rev. Ralph Galen, Tom Esch, and Barb Greve for their review and comments. We hope you will find this resource useful for your congregation’s contribution to justice. In faith, Susan Leslie Director of Congregational Advocacy & Witness Office of Multicultural Growth & Witness Unitarian Universalist Association 2007 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Foundations of Social Justice in the Congregation Theological/Philosophical Foundations: Transformative Social Justice...........................1 Congregational Social Justice Identity and the Mission Statement .................................5 Visioning the Congregation’s Social Justice Commitment .............................................6 Healing from Divisions and Acting with Accountability in the Community.....................7 Social Justice: A Congregational Ministry ......................................................................8 Integrating Social Justice Into the Whole of Congregational Life..................................10 Creating A Balanced Social Justice Program: Five Main Approaches to Taking Action...13 II. Social Justice Congregational Identity and Community Outreach Congregational Identity and Social Justice Programs...................................................17 Organizing the Congregation: History, Resources, and Relationships .........................18 Stakeholder Analysis ..................................................................................................20 Out of the Congregation and into the Community ......................................................21 Choosing an Issue: Determining Grounding, Accountability, Fit, and Opportunity.......22 Assessing the Congregation’s Social Justice Impact on the Greater Community ..........24 Suggestions for Meeting the Challenges of Working in Coalitions ...............................25 Congregation-Based Community Organizing ..............................................................26 Guidelines for Legislative Advocacy............................................................................27 Public Witness and Using the Media............................................................................30 III. Social Justice Program Structure in the Congregation Structuring Social Justice in the Congregation – Size & Capacity .................................34 Structuring the Social Justice Program in Small Congregations and Fellowships ..........36 Social Justice Committee Job Description: A Working Model........................................40 Structuring the Social Justice Program in Mid-Size and Large Congregations...............42 Examples of Social Justice Councils ............................................................................46 Guidelines for Effective Councils, Committees, and Action Groups .............................56 Social Justice Staff ......................................................................................................59 Social Justice Project Forms ........................................................................................62 IV. Congregational Decision-Making and Public Witness Positions Role of the Congregation, Leaders, and the Minister in Social Justice..........................68 A Note on Policy Governance………………………………………… ...................................72 Congregation-Wide Projects and Decision-Making.......................................................73 Examples