Unitarians Help Katrina Victims
Rev. Kent Matthies and five people in the USG community are spending a week in New Orleans participating in hurricane relief work. Our six people are working with 65 UUs from around the country. Their tasks include gutting houses that were destroyed by Katrina and the subsequent flooding. They are also painting, putting up housing siding, taking care of orphaned pets and planting flowers.
Rev. Matthies says, "This is a transformational experience. Before our arrival we had seen pictures and learned about the damage. But seeing the damage in person shakes you up. People's lives were hurt and changed in so many ways. The economic health of the New Orleans area has truly suffered. However, we see the people have a resiliency. Hope is starting to flow and the cultural heritage of New Orleans is being nurtured back to strength. We are glad to be here and give any assistance we can. We are committed to bringing back what we have learned and sharing it with our communities in Philadelphia. Hopefully our nation can do more to help in the coming months and years."
We will share more about the work of this important delegation in the coming days and weeks. View images of the USG Katrina Relief task force at work!
Social Justice
Social justice infuses almost all of the work of Unitarian Universalists in some way. Staff, committees, affiliate organizations and members all contribute to our collective efforts for justice. We are committed to work for justice in ways that are inclusive, anti-oppressive, anti-racist, and multicultural.
Unitarian and Universalist Social Witness began when the faiths began-hundreds of years ago. It is both impossible and undesirable to separate Unitarian and Universalist history from the social and political movements of the years. When the Unitarians and the Universalists merged in 1961, the resulting Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations inherited a proud legacy of social justice activism.
Here are some of our activities.
Social Action Committee
The mission of the Social Action Committee is to mobilize our congregation's talents to carry out our UU commitments to social justice, the value of each individual, and the interconnectedness of all life.
"SAC" does outreach, education, direct action, and social service. It provides information on social justice concerns through programs and a social action table; supports programs of the UUSC and the UU United Nations Office, as well as those of local groups such as the Northwest Interfaith Movement and Good Schools Pennsylvania. It collaborates with Ending Racism throughout the year. It encourages hands-on participation in the Lingelbach Elementary School, which the Society has adopted, the Annual Martin Luther King Day of Service, and the Northwest Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network (NPIHN), a program for people who are homeless.
Lingelbach Tutoring Program
Fourteen years ago, USG member Fran Emery initiated a tutoring program for students of the Lingelbach Elementary School at Wayne Avenue and Johnston Street, nearby the church. Since then dozens of students have been tutored in reading and math by members of the congregation, enabling students to improve grades and, in some cases, pass courses they would otherwise have failed. We do many things for our community but nothing is more important than the education of our children. All of the tutors would agree that not only is tutoring important for the students, it also gives us an enormous appreciation for what our teachers do day in and day out. But truth be told, there is another reason why tutors do what they do. We like it. It's a great feeling to have one of your kids say "You helped me a lot, thanks" Each spring, USG puts on a dinner at the church to honor the most improved students. If you are interested in becoming a tutor, contact Wanda Will at 215-247-2230 or billandwanda1@verizon.net.
Ending Racism Committee
This committee is dedicated to eradicating racism and privilege in our church, our community and our world. Anyone and everyone is welcome to attend the monthly meetings.
The committee has written a brochure about white privilege and has put together a reading list of anti-racist books:
- George Lipsitz. The Possessive Investment in Whiteness: How White People Profit from Identity Politics. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1998.
- James W. Loewen. Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995.
- Toni Morrison. Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1992.
- David R. Roediger, ed. Black on White: Black Writers on What It Means to Be White. New York: Schocken, 1999.
Just Neighbors
USG is currently involved in a one-year all-church homelessness Ministry in collaboration with Northwest Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network (NPIHN). The project will allow our church community to learn more about and participate in activities regarding homelessness and poverty.
Just Neighbors Adult RE Class: The Church held a Just Neighbors class for five sessions this summer. The curriculum explored various aspects about who our neighbors are and the realities of being homeless or low-income in the U.S. through a variety of exercises and discussions.
Summer Hosting of NPIHN Guests: As we do almost every year, our church community provided summer hosting for NPIHN guests this summer. NPIHN is an interfaith program whereby volunteers from different member congregations provide dinner and overnight hosting for a group of homeless families. Most guests are working hard on improving their educational and work situations to be able to move to permanent housing again.
Mentoring: USG is collaborating with NPIHN through the all church homeless ministry project by starting to provide mentoring to homeless families, led by Ayoka Quinones. Mentoring is a wonderful way to provide service, insights and resources to families.
Just Neighbors Activities This Fall include:
- a social action event to help our children learn more about and appreciate the reality of being homeless in our community;
- an "Empty Bowl" NPIHN fundraising event;
- a forum featuring speakers on homelessness and the affordable housing crisis;
- and a special holiday drive to help brighten the holiday season for NPIHN guests.
