Working for Justice
We have a lively social justice program at the Unitarian Church of Sharon. Our work is constantly evolving and deepening. Everyone is invited to get involved in our social justice work and programming. Here are some of our current and past initiatives:
LGBTQIAP+ Welcoming and Equality: We are fully and enthusiastically committed to full rights for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Throughout the year we support the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, and we have participated in Pride celebrations in Boston and Sharon.
Food and Housing Insecurity: We have an ongoing commitment to help our local food pantries, particularly the one closest to us in Stoughton. We collect non-perishable food and deliver it to the pantry weekly. We also provide financial support.
Father Bill’s & MainSpring in Brockton is both a homeless shelter and a place for people be be resettled into permanent housing. We have an ongoing commitment to provide them with 100 bag lunches monthly (which we put together ourselves following a church service on one Sunday each month). We also collect toiletry items (shampoo, toothpaste, etc.) for guests to use and we provide financial support through donations of supermarket gift cards in January each year.
Partner Church: The Unitarian Church in Romania began in the year 1568. The Unitarians there have survived centuries of persecution and attempts at ethnic cleansing. In the 20th century they were driven into desparate poverty under the Communist regime. We are partnered with a Unitarian Church in the Transylvanian area of Romania. We correspond and exchange visits. We provide financial assistance on a yearly basis. Our Partner Church connects us to our long and proud Unitarian history.
Immigration and Prison Reform: We have actively supported the work of Centro Presente in Somerville, a center of education, support, and advocacy for the rights of immigrants in Massachusetts, MIRA (Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition), and La Colaborativa (formerly known as Chelsea Collaborative). We work with UU Mass Action and other organizations on criminal justice and prison reform. We have worked to end mandatory minimums, offer alternatives to incarceration, combat racism in the criminal justice system, and visit people in prison.
Climate and Environmental Justice: We are all increasingly aware of how we humans have polluted the earth and now threaten it further through greenhouse gases and global warming. We identify environmental groups to support financially and we lobby for important legislation as it arises.
Racial Justice: We are committed to engaging in racial justice work through learning, relationship-building, action, and reflection.
Funding for Social Justice: Our major fundraising vehicle is our “brown envelope” collection each Sunday morning during worship services. We also raise funds through our Equal Exchange fair trade sales and our Shopping for Justice supermarket gift card sales.
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