Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of DeKalb

Social Justice

After moving into our new building, the Social Justice Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of DeKalb (UUFD) has increased membership and experienced a rejuvenation of spirit. The committee seeks to educate members and the community regarding issues of social justice and to provide a vehicle for action to the congregation. There are several ways the committee works to achieve these goals. A speaker series presented information on the Middle East in anticipation of US intervention, outlined the nutritional realities a researcher found in Africa, detailed a veteran’s experience of going to war and provides an ongoing forum for the committee to address other current topics. The committee also drafted a Resolution of Social Justice, presented it to the Fellowship and in April of 2003 the congregation adopted the resolution. Ongoing presentations on Project Vote Smart provide opportunities for the community to learn about the premier nonpartisan source for information on candidates for public office. Each year members of the congregation join the community wide support for Bread for the World and participate in the Crop Walk which provides funds to fight hunger locally and worldwide. Sunday morning services also provide opportunities for the committee to present various issues and organizations to the Fellowship. Annually there is a Guest at Your Table Sunday which helps our members understand the work of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee and teaches them about our partners around the globe. This very special annual contribution program occurs in November of each year. The committee also sells Fair Trade coffee, tea and cocoa from Equal Exchange which is a worker-owned co-op that offers consumers fairly traded gourmet coffee direct from small-scale farmer co-ops in Latin America, Africa and Asia. The UUFD Board of Trustees has instituted a policy that only Fair Trade coffee be purchased to meet the needs of the Fellowship. Through membership in the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office (UU-UNO) the congregation is educated about the structure, function, and actions of the United Nations. The congregational UU-UNO Envoy assists the committee in promoting awareness of the UU-UNO’s yearly program, helps sponsor UN Sunday, and encourages congregational participation in the UU-UNO. Justice Sunday focuses attention on the yearly theme for the UU-UNO and generally occurs in March. The School of the Americas Watch (SOAW) is another activity which receives the support of the Social Justice Committee. SOA Watch is an independent organization that seeks to close the US Army School of the Americas, (now referred to as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation), through vigils and fasts, demonstrations and nonviolent protest, as well as media and legislative work.

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of DeKalb
158 N. Fourth Street
DeKalb, IL 60115
815-756-7089
uufdchurchoffice@aol.com

9:00 a.m. - Church opens for Coffee & Conversation
9:45-11:00 a.m. Worship Service - Note: Children (age 4+ stay with us through the entire service)
11:00-11:15 a.m. - Coffee quick break
11:15-12:15 p.m. - Faith Development programming for all ages.

Child care services available. Our church is handicapped accessible. For directions to our church, please click [map]