Council for Faith in Action

Council for Faith in Action

Every one of us knows what it is like to bleed. Every one of us has experienced pain. If that were not a fact of human existence, we might not notice the suffering of the world. Because it is, we do.

– Rev. William F. Schulz

What the elders taught me, and teach us is that we have to participate, and we have to be active, and we have to nurture the community for the well being of not only our community, but all the rest of the world. We have that big responsibility to maintain balance within the world.

– Brian Vallo, Acoma Pueblo, 2004

The future is not settled. The right word at the right moment, the right witness in the right place, the right action at the right time, may redeem the worst injustice, may redress the greatest harm, may result in meaningful change. It is this that calls us to put our faith into action for social justice.

THE MISSION of the Council for Faith in Action is to facilitate and support the commitment of the Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing to be a force for justice, equity and compassion. We seek not to be the conscience of this faith community but rather to be the medium that engages and encourages that conscience to manifest change through education, directed giving, social witness, advocacy, and direct action in our communities.

The Council for Faith in Action evaluates social justice project proposals, and requests for funds for organizations and causes that the church elects to support, using criteria that encompass UUCWC’s mission and vision statements, and our UU principles and values. It also tries to find synergy between projects and groups. The CFA manages the funds that UUCWC dedicates to this aspect of its ministry – 50% of the plate, beyond pledges, collected each Sunday.

The CFA does not organize people to participate in a rally, join a letter-writing campaign, or take similar direct actions. CFA encourages and supports everyone’s participation in social justice, but does not create or directly manage those opportunities. Rather, the committees, small groups that form around projects, and individuals, champion projects and giving requests, and directly engage the community to seek their participation.

The Council for Faith in Action is a relatively new group, and as such we are continuing to evolve. We want everyone to have opportunities to participate in social justice initiatives through UUCWC at whatever level is appropriate for them, so that we may truly put our faith in action.

This chart outlines some of the many ways in which you can participate in social justice through UUCWC. The committees and initiatives would welcome your participation. And we would welcome new members to the Council for Faith in Action! Please contact any CFA member if you are interested, and join us in our journey.

Council for Faith in Action blog

Council for Faith In Action Annual Report 2010-2011

Living Our Principles Project Report 2010-2011

 
Social justice actions come under two general categories:

  • Social Justice Directed Giving, i.e. financial contributions to an organization or cause. An example would be UUCWC’s contribution to support the Coalition for Peace Action or the Doylestown Friends Meeting to assist them in supporting an Iraqi refugee family.
  • Social Justice Projects or opportunities for “hands-on” involvement in an activity or project. An example of a project would be the HomeFront Tutoring Program or arranging for representatives of the Latin American Legal Defense Fund to speak at UUCWC with members of the church and the larger community in attendance. Projects often have a budget as well, so this should be taken into account when requesting project funds.


How to submit social justice project proposals and directed giving requests for funding