The Religious Exploration classes will be assembling Winter Care Kits for The Homeless on Sunday, December 16. The following items are needed:

 

Hats (100) 

Gloves (100) 

Protein bars (100) 

Chap Stick (100)  

Travel size tissue packs (200) 

Wipe packs  (100)

Socks (100)

 

Kathleen Hogue writes “During the pageant on the 23rd of December, instead of gold, frankincense and myrrh we will be having the wise ones bring up these gifts to the Holy Family (practical gifts). The plan is to donate the kits after the second service.”

 

 

What the heck is happening in Israel/Palestine? Why has the conflict been going on for seven decades with no resolution in sight?

 

The Peace and Social Justice Committee invites you to watch and discuss Occupation of the American Mind: Israel’s Public Relations War in the United States, screening Sunday, September 9, at 7:30 pm in the sanctuary—after Second Sunday Supper. We are fortunate to have Estee Chandler introduce the documentary and lead a question and answer period. Estee is the Jewish American daughter of an Israeli father and an American mother. She launched a Los Angeles chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) in 2010 and was recently elected to its National Board of Directors. She is the co-host of the weekly KPFK radio show Middle East in Focus.

 

According to Robert Jensen, Professor of Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin, “In the conflict over the land of Palestine, Israel’s overpowering military superiority has produced decisive battlefield victories. But just as crucial to Israeli dominance in that region is its supremacy in the U.S. news media… The film’s analysis is crucial to understanding why—given the longstanding international consensus for a peaceful settlement that would give both Israelis and Palestinians a secure national homeland—the conflict drags on in its seventh decade. Whatever one’s position on how to resolve the conflict, it is uncontroversial that Israel could not continue occupying Palestinian territory without U.S. diplomatic, military, and economic support, and it’s unlikely that support could continue without the backing—or, at least, acquiescence—of the U.S. public.”

 

Because the film has been repeatedly attacked and misrepresented by right-wing pressure groups and ignored by virtually all corporate media outlets and North American film festivals, its publisher Media Education Foundation is making the film available for streaming at no cost.

 

— Roberta Frye

 

 

On Sunday, June 3, church members and friends (including children) came together and assembled 100 care packages for homeless people in our area. Each care package (drawstring bag) was filled with more than 25 useful and essential items, such as blankets, socks, towels, underwear, and an assortment of toiletries. To assemble the bags, people formed an assembly line and moved seamlessly to efficiently fill the bags. Afterward, a truck was loaded, and on the following Monday, the supplies were delivered to two homeless centers.

 

Our appreciations go to Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services and church member Cassie Winters, and to The People Concern (formerly OPCC) for accepting and distributing the bags. We also thank members, friends, and children who volunteered their time to assemble the bags. Finally, our heartfelt gratitude goes to people who contributed a monetary gift and/or who took the time to collect and bring care items for this project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adults and children assemble bags for our neighbors who are homeless. We are grateful that the weather was kind while we assembled them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Church members Roberta Frye, Cathie Gentile, and Audrey Lyness traveled to Sacramento to participate as “moral witnesses” in conjunction with members of Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE) as part of California’s Poor People’s Campaign (PPC). The PPC is a national call for moral revival in response to the new and unsettling force distorting the narrative in our current society. Several hundred people from northern to southern California, including UUs from Orange County, San Diego and Davis, marched and sang with organizers. The Reverend Eddie Anderson from McCarty Memorial Church in Los Angeles is co-chair of California’s PPC. The National PPC is led by the Revs. Dr. William Barber and Liz Theoharis. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the original Poor People’s March on Washington, D.C. This year’s campaign began on Monday, May 14 in over 20 states and will conclude Monday, June 18. A national gathering will take place in Washington D.C. on June 23.

July 1 Craft Fair to Benefit Faith In Action

 

On Saturday, April 14, Unitarian Universalists from Los Angeles, Ventura, and Riverside Counties gathered at the

UU Church of Studio City to participate in the Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry of California’s Regional Justice Training. The theme of the all-day training session was “Love Resists.” It was led by the triad of UUJM executive director Evan Junker, UU Refugee and Immigrant Services and Education (UURISE)’s CEO Katia Hansen, and Reverend Paul Lawngston-Daley of the UU Service Committee. UUJM is a grassroots-led organization advancing justice in California through education, organizing and advocacy for environmental, economic and immigrant justice as well as equity ministry. Advocacy has included work on the Truth and Trust Bills, the Human Right to Water Act, California Senate bills SB 54 (Sanctuary), SB 10 (Bail Reform), SB 562 (Healthy California Act) and the Racial Identity Profiling Act.

 

The morning started with a reading of Side with Love staff member Rev. Elizabeth Nguyen’s beautiful “Prayer for When You Reach Out to a Potential Partner,” beginning with the words “I am doing this for liberation” (the prayer may be found on the Love Resists website). Rev. Paul exhorted the group to ground our justice work in collective liberation, the premise that none of us are free until we all are free, bolstered by our First and Seventh Principles. In so doing, we seek the same protections for impacted immigrant communities as we do for our friends and families. Paul referenced the story of the Bodhisattva Warrior who, not satisfied with achieving his own enlightenment, stayed to work towards liberation for all. The parable of the Good Samaritan teaches that we should not question, like the priest and the Levite, what will happen to me if I stop to help, but rather what will happen to the traveler if I fail to stop and help. We ask ourselves, who is my neighbor?

 

Evan explained that the Love Resists campaign is directed to ending the harm caused by criminalization of people for being rather than doing – a structure that stereotypes communities as a whole for a collective trait, versus responding to actions people take as individuals. Examples include criminalizing street vending, sleeping in cars and sitting on sidewalks, bathroom bills, over-policing communities of color, and disproportionate school discipline of very young students of color.

 

UURISE’s Katia discussed the issues of Expanded Sanctuary and Justice Accompaniment. Whereas many congregations are unable to offer physical sanctuary, they may be able to participate in the expanded concept and protective intent of sanctuary through Know Your Rights trainings, Rapid Response, sanctuary in the streets, safe harbor/ landing or court accompaniment. The Accompaniment Model builds on the thesis that we will treat  impacted communities as we would our friends and family – centering their dignity, and assuming mutual  reciprocity. We do not approach justice work from a savior paradigm, but rather with the understanding that we all need help at various times, and while on this occasion I will leverage my privilege to provide you support, you may help me next time.  Accompaniment may include being present during court hearings or ICE check-ins, providing a meeting space, offering financial support for fees and bonds, or giving child care during meetings. Katia reiterated that we seek to develop accountable relationships and learn when to stand beside, behind or between the  immigrant and law enforcement – never in front of or over.

 

An activity anchored by Audre Lorde’s quote: “There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live singleissue lives,” demonstrated the intersectionality of many social justice issues and organizations. For   example, it was evident that the person who held the sign for “homelessness” intersected with those who held the  signs for “low wages” and “non-representative government.” More subtle was the connection with “climate justice” or “Sierra Club” (someone who experienced forced migration owing to a climactic disruption in their home country becomes homeless) or “Islamophobia,” or when person who has resources is red-lined from renting by a bigot. Viewing immigration through multiple lenses opens up the work; a person who advocates for climate justice need not redirect their energies to immigration, but they may develop insight about how their advocacy and interventions affect immigrants as well as the local residents.

 

One of the most powerful sessions addressed Covenanted Relationships, emphasizing that how we are with each other is as important as what we do together. Through collective liberation and mutual reciprocity, we are  privileged, rather than burdened, to engage in justice work. Our time, needs and education are not more important than the lived experience of impacted communities. Attitudes that “just showing up should be enough” and “they should be grateful for my efforts” constitute the violence of white privilege, as destructive as assault. But as we are learning through our right relations process, we enter into covenants to plan for the occasions when we fail, so that we can continue our relationships notwithstanding our mistakes. If we are ashamed when we err, we may attack ourselves or others, withdraw or avoid; Paul remarked that in the face of conflict, UUs tend to leave rather than  engage. To reduce shame’s toxicity, we must bring our errors into the “light of day” and communicate. Inherent in  covenanted, accountable relationships is the willingness to accept feedback, including about how we have erred.  In so doing, we may progress from shame to openness and curiosity.

 

Paul closed the afternoon with the same prayer by Rev. Nguyen, asking us to consider if we heard it differently – if it was more meaningful following this training. I did and it was.

 

For more information about the Justice Ministry, please see uujmca.org. For further discussion about justice work in the field of immigration, please see uua.org/loveresists, LoveResistsCA.org and UURISE.

 

— Audrey Lyness

UUSM at Children’s March in Washington DC