Social Action Council

The Social Action Council, in support of the principles and purposes of the Unitarian Universalist Association, actively works on issues of social change of community, national and international concern.

This Council meets quarterly to review the progress of task forces and to support social action projects of the Fellowship, including children's religious education. We also review social concerns of our members and take appropriate actions.

The Council presently consists of the following task forces:

• Green Sanctuary Task Force
• Habitat for Humanity Task Force
• Homeless Service Task Force
• Opposition to war in Iraq
• Welcoming Congregation Task Force

Each task force is responsible to educate not only its own members, but also the Fellowship as a whole, and to take appropriate actions in keeping with the policies of the Fellowship. The Social Action Council is open to all members, and especially encourages those supportive of the current task forces, as well as those desirous of organizing other social change task forces.

Read the Social Action Council's Annual Report. (The Homeless Service and Welcoming Task Forces have their own annual reports, linked in their blurbs.)

Green Sanctuary Task Force:
Builds awareness of societal environmental issues among UU's, generates commitment for personal lifestyle changes, motivates UU's to community action on environmental issues, builds a connection between spiritual practice and environmental consciousness and builds awareness of and rectify environmental injustices.

Habitat for Humanity Task Force:
Our members work on the first Saturday of each month at a Habitat for Humanity home site. Some of us swing hammers, some of us make sandwiches. We all do what we can.

The Homeless Service Task Force
organizes a variety of programs to help assist our local homeless community. Annual Report

We prepare dinner for about 100 people in the Winter Shelter once a month (the second Monday) for six months, November to April. You can help. We can always use extra people to help prepare the meals in the afternoon, or to serve the meals that evening. We need contributions of cash or food. Call Bill Greer and Aynslie Frederickson for details. If you are not a member, call our office at (209) 545-1837, 9 a.m. to noon. Tracy will give you their number.

We collect winter items for families in the winter shelter. UUFSC volunteers sort and organize these items, and deliver them to the shelter on a weekly basis during the winter operating season. You can help there, too. We need donations of warm clothing, socks, underwear, and personal care products - toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, etc.

The task force sponsors one or two raffles a year to fund the food service project.

We support the Church of the Brethren throughout the year when they host homeless families through the "Family Promise" program.

Opposition to War in Iraq Task Force:
Seeks a just and lasting peace in Iraq and an end to the war. Some of us join a peace vigil every Friday in Merced from 4:30 to 5:30 at the old County Courthouse, corner of 21st and M Streets. The UUFSC Social Action Council supports them. The Merced County sponsors are Central Valley Hopefuls, a local spinoff of Move On and MAD, Merced Associated Democrats.

Welcoming Congregation Task Force:
Works to make sure our congregation is welcoming to gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gendered people.

Press Releases
The Social Action Council issues press releases on occasion. You may read:

17 November 2005 A report on our screening the movie "Wal-Mart - the High Cost of Low Prices".

12 February 2005 Social Justice for El Campo.

17 October 2004 Amici Curiae (Friends of the Court) in support of same-sex marriage.