Different people. Different beliefs. One faith.

Social Justice

Commitment to social justice is one of our deeply held principles. The Advocates for Social Justice connects the concerns of our congregation to the larger community, and educates our members about important issues — locally, nationally and globally. We coordinate the overall justice-making activities of the congregation, using the Unitarian Universalist (UU) Principles as our guide to action. We also support the UU Service Committee, UUs for a Just Economic Community, -->and additional programs and projects adopted by the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA).

Focus Activities

Each year, the Advocates for Social Justice Steering Committee chooses three areas in which to focus our congregation's energies. Recently these have been:

Homelessness

Our commitment to the homeless includes:

  • Serving a nutritious Saturday Breakfast to on average of 200 people each week
  • Participating in The Circle of Support, an interfaith effort to assist The Living Room, the only daytime drop-in center for homeless women and children in Santa Rosa
  • Serving as a host site for the biannual county-wide Homeless Count [PDF] required by the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development to ascertain the amount of money each county will get to provide services to those without homes

In addition we have a member on the Sonoma County Task Force for the Homeless, and we lobby local governments on issues effecting this population.

Civil Rights

More than 200 UUCSR members crowded in front of the church on October 26th to support marriage equality with signs and banners urging 'No on Proposition 8: Unfair and Wrong'.

Our efforts in the arena of civil rights include:

  • Being a Welcoming Congregation, in which all people regardless of sexual orientation are invited to share their gifts and join us in the search for truth and meaning
  • Participating in countless local gay pride events
  • Supporting marriage equality legislation, and opposing regressive measures such as Proposition 8
  • Opposing discrimination in housing, employment and any other place it occurs

Our minister also performs weddings for members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered (GLBT) community.


As the intensity of scapegoating minority communities increases, we are working to develop a Civilian Review Board of Law Enforcement actions, and to become a County of Refuge for immigrants being victimized by local and national government agencies.

Adrienne Swenson Award

The Adrienne Swenson Award is given annually to a local high school student, who is active in peace and social justice activities and intends to continue being an activist and is planning to pursue further education or training, either in college, trade school or university. Contact Phyllis Clement at 707-823-0925 or for further information.

Hurricane Katrina Recovery

UUCSR maintains a formal partnership with the First Unitarian Universalist Church of New Orleans (FUUNO) and aids in the UU Service Committee's Hurricane Katrina/Gulf Coast recovery work. Work crews of UUCSR volunteers and Americorps volunteers worked in the Gulf Coast community of Kiln, Mississippi to restore a private home and its outbuildings. An even larger group of volunteers returned later to do more recovery work, this time in New Orleans.

We also sponsor events to raise awareness of the ongoing struggles in the region and to directly support FUUNO with money, letters and goods. We were privileged to participate in the production of, and as an audience for, a dramatic reading of the play "Katrina/Ultreya" which is based on the writings of those caught in that maelstrom.

North Bay Sponsoring Committee (NBSC)

The North Bay Sponsoring Committee (NBSC) is under the umbrella of the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF). It is a national coalition with the NBSC as a local member organization. The NBSC is currently working on:

  • Immigration Reform
  • Police Community Relations
  • Mental Health
  • Education
  • Jobs
  • Transportation

Family Fun Night

Family Fun Night is a program held at the Catholic Charities Family Support Center, the only shelter is Santa Rosa that serves whole families. Every Friday evening from 6 pm to 7:30 pm UUC volunteers either play with the younger children or run a bingo game for older children and adults. If you are interested in participating please contact Jeanie Bates at 707-824-0530 or jeaniebmft-at-gmail.com for more information.

Share The Basket

The congregation shares half the Sunday collection basket twice each month with organizations or programs recommended by the congregation to the Advocates (A4SJ).

Additional Activities

In addition to the focused activities, the Advocates for Social Justice:

  • Choose a local organization or program to receive one half of the collection basket on the first Sunday of each month
  • Circulate petitions and assist in letter writing about current political issues
  • Encourage voter registration and hold an educational forum on ballot initiatives before each election
  • Lobby local governments on issues relating to our principles
  • Work with the Unitarian Universality Legislative Ministry, California, our lobbying arm in Sacramento
  • Send delegates to justice workshops at the UU General Assemblies and UU Pacific Central District Assemblies
  • Support fair trade and economic justice
  • Collaborate with other faith communities in the Network of Spiritual Progressives
  • Advocate for sustainable agriculture and efforts to combat global climate change

Join the Advocates for Social Justice

Participation in the Advocates for Social Justice is open to the public. We meet the first Monday of the month at the UUCSR from 10am to 11:30am. We invite you to join us! For more information, visit our table any Sunday.

Economic Justice • Unitarian Universalist Association
www.uua.org/economic/index.shtml
Marriage Equality • Unitarian Universality Legislative Ministry, California
www.uulmca.org/programs/me.html
Racial Justice • Unitarian Universalist Association
www.uua.org/multiculturalism/index.shtml
Hurricane Katrina articles • UU World Magazine
www.uuworld.org/news/topics/hurricanekatrina.shtml
Standing on the Side of Love • sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Association
www.standingonthesideoflove.org
UULegislative Ministry of California • one of the UU Statewide Advocacy Networks
www.uulmca.org
TerraCycle • creating national recycling systems for previously non-recyclable or hard-to-recycle waste
www.terracycle.net