Getting Ready for GA with Standing on the Side of Love

Lisa and I caught an early morning flight from National Airport to Salt Lake City, Utah for the annual business meeting of the UUA. I am really excited to be here. If memory serves me correctly, this is my 10th GA (yeow!).

But I don't ever remember being as excited for a GA as much as this one. Not only are there three history setting votes (including edits to the Principles and Purposes of the UUA, the Peacemaking Statement of Conscience, and the election of a new UUA President), but I am really excited about the launch of the UUA's new outreach campaign, Standing on the Side of Love.

Standing on the Side of Love is a way UUs can act upon their faith by working along side marginalized and oppressed people in American society.

Adam Gerhardstein (former Legislative Assistant for International Issues and former Acting Director of the Washington Office for Advocacy) is now the campaign director for Standing on the Side of Love. In the video below, you can see Adam overseeing the hanging of our Standing on the Side of Love banners in the Salt Palace Convention Center.

We will be posting videos like this all week long. You can see these videos and receive more updates by going to our companion blog for Standing on the Side of Love at http://www.standingonthesideoflove.org/ or at youtube by subscribing to our feed.

You can also follow the Standing on the Side of love campaign through many different ways.

If you want text messages from GA sent to your cell phone from GA, just text STAND to 41411.

You can follow us on Twitter @SideofLove

And you can become a fan of Standing on the Side of Love on facebook

UU Rev witnesses on immigration at DC vigil

Yesterday, faith leaders and people of faith gathered at the Episcopalian Church of the Epiphany in Washington, D.C.--just a few blocks west of the UUA Washington Office for Advocacy, and a few blocks east of the White House--to pray and witness for comprehensive immigration reform.

The interfaith press conference and vigil had originally been scheduled to coincide with a White House summit on immigration with Administration and Congressional leaders. But late last week, the date of the summit was pushed back--for the second time. The bipartisan summit was scheduled initially for June 8th, then rescheduled for Wed. June 17th. Now, there’s no certainty about the new date. Organizers of yesterday's vigil, who included Reform Immigration For America and the Interfaith Immigration Coalition, decided to continue as planned, in spite of the summit's shifting date.

Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Unitarian Universalist faith leaders lead vigil attendees in reflection and prayers for President Obama and Congress to have the courage to move legislation forward this year. Speakers included: Rabbi Darryl Crystal, KAM Isaiah Israel, Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, Chicago, IL; Rev. Simon Bautista, Latino Missioner for the Episcopal Diocese of Washington; Fr. Robert Wotjek, Archdiocese of Baltimore, MD; Rev. Nancy McDonald Ladd, Bull Run Unitarian Universalist in Manassas, VA; and Rabbi Noam Marans, Associate Director of Interreligious Affairs, American Jewish Committee.

After the vigil's conclusion, faith leaders and attendees proceeded to the White House for further prayer and witness. Watch the video above to see reflections on immigration reform from Unitarian Universalist minister Rev. Nancy McDonald Ladd, who has been involved in immigrant justice work in Manassas, Virginia.

Our Whole Lives Featured in "O, the Oprah Magazine"

Look for the July 2009 issue of "O, the Oprah Magazine" on newsstands now, which features a cover story on the Our Whole Lives (OWL) adult sex ed curriculum. Amanda Robb, who wrote the article, attended a session of the Adult OWL class at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin, and interviewed participants as well as the course facilitator Barbara Tuttle. Also quoted are Unitarian Universalist OWL trainer Jane Detwiler, Rev. Dr. Michael Tino, who co-authored the OWL Young Adult curriculum, and UUA Public Relations Director Janet Hayes.

Comprehensive sex education is important and meaningful to people of all ages and must address the changing needs of participants from childhood into adulthood. That's why OWL is designed not as one curriculum, but as several age appropriate programs based on the experiences and needs of young people and adults across the lifespan.

To learn more about "Our Whole Lives," check out UUA.org or visit your local Unitarian Universalist or United Church of Christ congregation.

Celebrate Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Pride!

Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender (BGLT) communities in Washington, DC and around the world are holding Pride Celebrations this month and throughout the Summer and Fall. On June 9th, members of over 20 different religious communities and faith-based organizations came together for the annual Pride Week Interfaith Service organized by the Celebration of the Spirit Coalition. The gathering included beautiful and heartfelt expressions of the love and inclusiveness inherent in many diverse religious traditions. Participants were identified as Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Bapitist, Buddhist and Wiccan, to name just a few. UU representatives included ministers and members from All Souls Church, Unitarian; Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church and the Universalist National Memorial Church. Capital Pride activities continue in DC this weekend with a parade on Saturday evening and a festival on Sunday.

The theme of the interfaith service this year examined the past, present and future of the struggle for rights and recognition for people whose gender identities and/or expressions or sexual orientations do not follow the heterosexual norm in this country. Participants honored our ancestors and those who did this work before us while we looked to the next generation for renewed strength and spiritual activism that will carry us into the next century.

The modern BGLT rights movement has roots in the work of activists in the 1950s and 60s, but is most often traced back to the Stonewall riots in New York in June 1969, where protesters confronted police who were conducting unconstitutional raids in bars. The yearly parade that commemorated this incident sparked a national grassroots movement, and Pride is now celebrated in many countries around the world. The celebrations aim to increase the visibility of BGLT people in their communities and to give all who participate a chance to come together in solidarity to combat oppression.

Last week, President Barack Obama released a proclamation declaring June "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month" in the United States of America. This marks the first occaision that the White House has officially commemorated Gay Pride since the Clinton administration.

We salute President Obama's efforts to further civil rights gains for BGLT persons internationally as well as within the United States. We hope sincerely that he works closely with Congress to keep his promises of finding a way to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," to eliminate workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and to recognize and protect same sex couples and their rights.

The Unitarian Universalist Association will continue to express our vision of a society where no one is terrorized, excluded or marginalized based on their identity or its expression. The UUA Washington Office for Advocacy and its staff will keep working to ensure that the laws and policies of this land are crafted in the spirit of respect for the inherent worth and dignity of every person.

Dr. Seuss and Social Justice

Yesterday, Lisa sent me an email she had received from one of her immigration listservs. The note links to a blog post called RI4A: Finding the right Dr. Seuss metaphor for our movement. The author of the post, who goes by the "Nom de Blog" Sneetch posed the question: "What is the best Dr. Seuss metaphor for the immigration movement?" The author of the note first proposed Horton Hears a Who!. Lisa excitedly sent me the note because she knows that "Horton..." is my all time favorite book I have ever read.

Yes, my all time favorite book...ever. Not just my favorite children's book. Not just my favorite Dr. Seuss book. Not just my favorite book about anthropomorphic elephants. My favorite book ever. So much so, that when my peers in my high school Advanced Placement Literature class wrote reports about Dostoevsky, Austen, and Steinbeck, I wrote a report about Horton Hears a Who!

I love Horton... because I really do believe it is a wonderful story about strength, faith, courage, and justice. It is about doing what you think is right even when it is difficult or when you face ridicule or no one believes you.

It has become a staple for UU Religious Educators and it is taught all over the world. I have seen it published in no fewer than four languages. Plus it is a really fun story.

It tells the tale of Horton, a loveable and gentle elephant, who finds a speck of dust while splashing in a jungle pool. As the speck of dust falls through the air, his powerful ears are able to hear the tiny cries of the people who live in the speck of dust--the Whos. Hearing their calls, Horton catches the speck of dust on a clover and swears to protect them. "After all," says Horton, "a person's a person, no matter how small."

As Horton travels around the jungle carrying a speck of dust on a clover, he attracts the attention of other jungle creatures. They don't believe Horton when he says tiny people live in the speck of dust. They are threatened by his faith. They call him crazy. They ridicule him and put him through many dangerous feats of strength and courage to test his faith and commitment.

Finally, the jungle creatures threaten to drop the speck of dust into a cauldron of boiling oil. Horton insists that every Who in Whoville must lift up their voices and make a great sound to let everyone know that the Whos exist. While every Who does make a sound, it is not until the smallest Who of all adds her voice that the jungle creatures finally hear the Whos and believe Horton. It is then that every creature in the jungle commits to join Horton in protecting the Whos.

It is a very good story that touches on all the themes of social justice--especially from a UU perspective. It shows the inherent worth and dignity of every person (no matter how small). It shows that we should work for justice and equal rights. It shows the importance of every hand and voice being raised for the good of others. And it shows the power of faith and commitment to sustain the long and grueling movement toward justice. And how we can soften the hardest hearts through the power of love.

I love this book. I keep of a copy of it on my desk and read it when I am feeling discouraged. I give it away for birthday, coming of age and transition celebrations. I like reading it to kids using silly voices and encouraging kids to say with me the refrain, "A person's a person, no matter how small."

To return to the letter Lisa sent me, Sneetch critiques the Horton frame as being patronizing toward recent immigrants. If we are to follow the Horton theme of the non-profit world as Horton and the immigrants as the Who's, it shows how non-profits have taken on the role of the protectors of the helpless immigrants. Yet, I believe this is a flawed analysis of the book as it ignores the fact that Horton helps the Whos become moral agents who are able to raise their own voices for justice.

The blog writer Sneetch offers The Sneetches instead. The Sneetches is a great allegory for racism and white supremacy of Dr. Seuss's time. But I feel that Sneetch missed the point of The Sneeches by focusing on the dangers of materialism that is inherent to the Sneetches story. She compares the modern non-profit sphere to the scam artist McBean in The Sneetches. McBean profits off the pain of those who look for his help. Much as, the author claims, the non-profit world profits from the pain of recent immigrants. But that saddens me. By reading the blogpost, I am sorry to hear the hurt and pain in Sneetch's words. I know the long journey of justice can be difficult and exhausting. But that is why we need stories like "Horton Hears a Who!" to refresh and inspire us.

Which stories inspire you to keep on the long road to justice? What are your favorite social justice stories, Dr. Seuss or otherwise? Please share in the comments below.

Lessons Learned from Climate Change Legislation

Almost one year ago at the Ft. Lauderdale General Assembly, Van Jones challenged us in his prophetic Ware Lecture, "Prepare to Govern." The presidential elections had not yet happened, but Van predicted that change was in the air, and that we who have been outside protesters would suddenly find ourselves as inside leaders. Prepare to govern, instead of protest. What adjustments would we have to make, not just procedurally but also mentally, in order to take up the task of creating a more perfect union, rather than just critiquing what was wrong with the current one?

A case in point could easily be climate change legislation. Last year, when the Lieberman-Warner "America's Climate Security Act" was coming to the Senate floor, a few in the environmental community were tempted to support the bill. It's hard to stand against a climate change bill when one is so desperately needed. But the bill did not cut emissions of greenhouse gases sufficiently (according to the recommendations of the scientific community) AND it gave billions of dollars worth of pollution credits to industries while providing very little assistance to low to middle income families. With a president in the White House that, up until recently, had denied that global climate change was an issue and the bill having been introduced by senators with no credentials in economic and racial justice, it was easy to be the "protester" and say that we likely could have a better, more just bill after the elections. Instead of supporting the bill, the UUA, along with the UU State Advocacy Networks, decided to put our energy behind a "climate change principles" letter being circulated by Representatives Waxman (CA), Markey (MA), and Inslee (WA). We encouraged representatives to sign on, thereby setting the groundwork for strong and just climate change legislation in the near future.

The Lieberman-Warner bill died in the Senate, victim of a filibuster. In November, Barack Obama was elected president of the United States. In December, Representative Waxman staged a "coup" of sorts, replacing Dingle (MI) as chair of committee on energy and commerce. Because Dingle's constituency is heavily dependent upon the fossil fuel industries, he has historically been hostile to climate change legislation, whereas Waxman has been a proven advocate for both environmental and economic issues. In February, the new president's stimulus package was passed with billions of dollars going into green jobs. Obama picked Van Jones to be the person in charge of overseeing the funding. Suddenly, we had several government officials who seemed to know that environmentalism must go hand in hand with racial and economic justice. It seemed like a tide had changed and the right people were in key positions in order to make effective and just climate change legislation a reality.

In March, Waxman and Markey introduced their own bill, the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACESA). It had many good things about it. But there were also things that were less than perfect. At coalition meetings we were told that even though Waxman was now chair of energy and commerce, the committee itself still leaned to the right of the House of Representatives in general in the matter of climate change. So, we were told, the strategy would be to make concessions now in order to get the bill out of committee and then improve the bill later with amendments to strengthen it. The outside protester would have been... protesting, but we were part of the "in" crowd now. It was our allies who were in power and they were sharing their reasoning with us, reasoning that made sense. So.. we praised representatives Waxman and Markey (rightfully so) for an ambitious bill, spread the word that a good comprehensive climate change bill was coming, and waited.

In the mean time, the fossil fuel industries spent tens of millions of dollars to make changes in their favor. When the bill did leave the committee last week, it was even weaker than originally written.

This week, we've been told that complex negotiations were made in order to get a version of the bill that had the votes to pass in the House, and the bill's sponsors (Waxman and Markey) and Speaker of the House (Pelosi) were afraid that any substantive efforts to improve the bill would cause the compromise to collapse. Therefore, no substantive amendments will be allowed on the floor of the House. Moreover, as it stands no representative is willing to attach their name to a substantive amendment AND no members of the progressive caucus are willing to vote against the bill. No one wants to be the person to derail the only climate change bill on the table, so there is no bargaining power to renegotiate. As I met with an interfaith "envirojustice" working group yesterday, almost everyone around the table was stunned. "So...," I said, "last year I asked UUs to refrain from supporting Lieberman-Warner because it wasn't effective enough and it wasn't just. Am I supposed to one year later ask them to support a bill that is not much better (and even worse in some respects)? Just because Waxman and Markey are the sponsors?"

Many around the table were wrestling with similar questions. The facts were that Waxman and Markey said that this was the best bill that they could deliver, and we have no reason to believe otherwise. Last year, we had many reasons to believe that we might be able to get a stronger bill this year. This year, we have no reason to believe that conditions will be more favorable next year. If anything, with midterm elections coming up, there is the danger of the reverse. And every moment of delay means more greenhouse gas pollution being released into the atmosphere. As we continued to discuss, different voices kept coming back to one thing - that representatives had not heard from many constituents telling them they needed to strengthen the bill as it was being considered, so they thought that the bill was ok. (Whereas they were getting plenty of pressure to weaken it.) The conclusion was inevitable: we had failed to mobilize our grass roots.

When Barack Obama won the presidential election last November, we at the Washington Office had told ourselves that while things would definitely be different with someone in the White House whose socio-political views are more closely aligned with ours, there would still be a lot of work to do. Just because we elect a leader whose vision we like doesn't make it a given that the vision will be realized. But when it came to climate change legislation, many colleagues and I in the environmental justice community - both religious and secular - had made this mistake. Because we had allies in charge of the legislation, we had trusted them to come through for us with strong legislation. But they could not give us strong legislation if we did not have people telling the other representatives that they need to agree. In the absence of that collaborative effort, the bill we have now is the best that they could give us.

Prepare to govern. It was relatively easy to understand that governing meant that we were no longer outside protesters. But in retrospect, it was not so easy to identify what to do in its place. It was not so easy to understand that there was still just as much a need for activism, for grassroots mobilizing, for vigilance in holding our elected leaders accountable. But as Van Jones has said, there needs to be "holding" in holding our leaders accountable. Instead of just telling them what we think is wrong, we need to put forth the vision of what would be right and to make space for it to happen.

In that light, we're not giving up just yet on the American Clean Energy and Security Act. Please contact your representative; acknowledge that a climate change bill is desperately needed this year, but it also needs to be a strong, just bill. Urge them to:

1. Ensure more clean energy by increasing the renewable electricity standard (RES) to 30 percent by 2020.

2. Hold polluters accountable by giving the EPA authority to regulate carbon emmisions.

3. Reduce free pollution permits to fossil fuel industries (worth billions of dollars) and use the revenue gained to create more domestic green jobs in America and help both domestic and international communities adapt to the global climate changes.

The House of Representatives switchboard number is: 202-224-3121. OR you can fax your representative through 1Sky's website.

Interfaith Service Honors the Life of Dr. George Tiller

Reflections by Orelia Busch

Abortion is not a cerebral or a reproductive issue. Abortion is a matter of the heart: for until one understands the heart of a woman, nothing else about abortion makes any sense at all.

- Dr. George Tiller

I learned more than I could have expected about Dr. George Tiller last night at his memorial service at the National City Christian Church in Washington, DC. From his eyes in the photo at the front of the sanctuary, I could tell that he lived as a shining light into a broken world and into the lives of women in the greatest need of compassion. His philosophy was governed by five words: kindness, courtesy, love, justice and respect, and he served as a fine example of a physician and a human being throughout his career. He trusted women and their moral authority to make choices about their reproductive health, and he cared for his patients as whole and sacred beings physically, emotionally and spiritually. He will be deeply missed by friends, family and colleagues.

The words “This Do in Remembrance of Me,” engraved on the table on which Dr. Tiller’s photo rested, seemed to hold so much meaning. I am privileged to be among those who honor Dr. Tiller’s life by working to ensure that every woman is free to make her own fully informed choices about her reproductive life and health. May his light shine on our continued struggle and may his contributions never be forgotten.

Many thanks to the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice for organizing this beautiful service.

One Youth's Experience With Sexuality Education Advocacy Training

Sexuality Education Advocacy Training Participant Nicole Jurceka (far right) has written a guest blog post for Dr. Karen Rayne's blog, "Adolescent Sexuality." We salute Nicole's efforts to spread the word about SEAT and teach others about becoming advocates for age appropriate, medically accurate, comprehensive sex education in their communities and nationwide.

Get Ready to Vote for the Statement of Conscience for Peacemaking

General Assembly (GA), the annual business meeting for the Unitarian Universalist Association is quickly approaching.

At GA, we have a full docket of things to discuss and vote upon. But what I am most excited about is the Statement of Conscience on Peacemaking. This statement is the culmination of three years of study, action and reflection. If passed, this document will help the UUA, congregations and individuals discern future peacemaking opportunities. It will also help with spiritual discernment on peace matters for years to come.

The Statement of Conscience was written by the Commission on Social Witness (CSW) and aims to be a prophetic and dynamic statement on the role of peace in the UU community and our role as peacemakers. It is the result of three years of work of hundreds of UU activists, theologians and ministers. Congregations had a total of four opportunities to give feedback to the CSW on the topic of peacemaking. The resposes we received were varied and complex. It was the goal of the CSW to reflect the diverse opinions held by members of the larger UU community.

At GA, there will be two mini-assemblies on Thursday for delegates to propose ammendments and edits. Ultimately, there will be a vote on whether or not to pass the statement made by the delegates of the GA. The statements requires a 2/3 majority vote to pass.

In preparation of the mini-assemblies and the final vote, we recommend that congregations discuss the Statement of Conscience with their delegates. To find the final draft of the Statement of Conscience on Peacemaking, please visit our website. For ideas on how to collect feedback, please see this resource from an earlier feedback period. For more information on UUA peacemaking, please visit uua.org/peacemaking.

Thank you for your time and efforts before the event. By coming prepared, we can have a productive and helpful conversation on the statement.

Marriage Equality in New Hampshire!

Yesterday afternoon, Governor John Lynch of New Hampshire signed into law a bill legalizing civil marriage for same sex couples. Unitarian Universalists in New Hampshire and neighboring Massachusetts have worked tirelessly towards this victory, and we applaud their efforts. New Hampshire became the sixth state in the union that recognizes civil marraiges for same sex couples. Following the passage and signing of the bill in New Hampshire, a state Senator introduced legislation that could bring marriage equality to Pennsylvania.

Read UUA President, William G. Sinkford's remarks on the New Hampshire marriage law, and watch the video of Governor John Lynch on this historic occasion.

Click here to send a letter thanking Governor Lynch and the courageous lawmakers who made marriage equality possible in New Hampshire.

DC Clergy United for Marriage Equality

Below are the remarks of Rev. Rob Hardies to his congregation, All Souls Church, Unitarian, upon the unprecedented gathering of Washington, DC clergy today in support of marriage equality. It was truly a blessed and spirit-filled gathering. Leaders from all three UUA affiliated congregations in the District of Columbia have reached out to bring clergy together from within and outside of the denomination for this important work. The fruits of their labor of love - the text of the new coalition's declaration of religious support for marriage equality - is reproduced below. Over 100 clergy and religious leaders, including the ministerial staff at All Souls, the Washington Ethical Society, and the Universalist National Memorial Church and other UU ministers residing in DC have signed the declaration.

Dear Friends,

An historic and spirit-filled event took place today deep in the heart of Anacostia.

At 11:00 am, a multiracial group of over 50 clergy gathered at Covenant Baptist Church to declare our religious support for marriage equality for same-gender couples. In addition, we were able to announce that in the last 7 days alone, more than 150 DC religious leaders--of all faiths and denominations, and representing every ward in the city--have signed our declaration.

The event was covered by all the local television stations, as well as the Post and other print media. Be on the look for coverage this evening and tomorrow.

Afterward, the clergy who gathered said they'd never seen such a religiously, racially and ethnically diverse gathering of clergy in this city. And we all were amazed that it was THIS issue that brought us all together. Each of us felt as though we'd experienced a special and holy moment.

That holy moment was a gift to this city from our church. Many, many people played a role in making today happen, but All Souls played the leading role in organizing this coalition. As I said in church on Sunday, everything in our history as a congregation has brought us to this leadership role: our legacy of prophetic justice-making, our identity as a congregation that is diverse both racially and in terms of sexual orientation, our location at the crossroads of the city, and, most importantly, the store of "solidarity capital" that we have built up over years of working side-by-side with others for justice.

I believe that the cause of equality for gays and lesbians is, along with the struggle for immigrant justice and the on-going struggle for racial equality, one of the defining civil rights struggles of our generation. As in previous generations, dating back almost two centuries, All Souls will take a leadership role.

I'm grateful--and I know you are too--to be part of a church that has repeatedly stood up for justice, and never failed to stand on the side of love. Thank you for making our ministry possible.

Declaration of Religious Support for Marriage Equality

We are District of Columbia clergy and religious leaders of many faiths, races, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. We represent religious institutions in every ward in the District. We have worked together over many years for peace and justice and now join our voices again to speak a faithful word for freedom and equality.

We declare that our faith calls us to affirm marriage equality for loving same-sex couples.

Our religious traditions and scriptures teach us that wherever love is present, God is also present. One of God’s greatest gifts to us is our human capacity to love one another. The ability of two people to enter into relationships and form families of love and care is one expression of this gift. It is holy and good. We therefore affirm the right of loving same-gender couples to enter into such relationships on an equal basis with loving heterosexual couples.

We recognize that there are principled differences on this issue within the religious community. We affirm that the state should not require any religious group to officiate at, or bless, same-gender marriages. However, the state also should not favor the convictions of one religious group over another by denying individuals their fundamental civil right to marry whom they love.

Recognizing that there is heartfelt disagreement on this issue, we call on all people of the District of Columbia to engage in a respectful and loving dialogue on marriage equality. As religious leaders, we commit ourselves to such a dialogue and encourage our colleagues on all sides of this issue to do the same.

God is love and love is for everyone. In this spirit we raise our voices in the struggle for the right and freedom to marry.

You can read more about this story in local press coverage, and on npr.org.

Federal Trial against UU who provides humanitarian aid to immigrants begins today

"I am moved by my faith as a Unitarian Universalist to be engaged in this work along the border. It’s an important social justice issue to be in solidarity with the courageous people who leave so much behind to try and build a more dignified life for themselves and their families." --Walt Staton

Today marks the beginning of the federal trial of Walter Staton, a Unitarian Universalist who provides humanitarian aid to migrant border crossers as a volunteer with No More Deaths, an official ministry of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tucson. Staton is being charged with knowingly littering after putting out jugs of water intended for migrants crossing remote areas of the Sonoran desert last December on Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge.

Dehydration is often a factor in deaths that occur along the border. Approximately 20 bodies of migrants have been recovered from Buenos Aires since 2002, with many more deaths occurring just outside the refuge’s boundary. No More Deaths volunteers distribute water jugs throughout the refuge in order to prevent deaths by dehydration, and they routinely pick up trash they find on the refuge. When Staton received his citation for littering, the group of volunteers he was with was carrying out empty water jugs and other trash.

The trial is expected to last most of the week.

• Read No More Death's official Press Release on Walt's trial
• Walt Staton and No More Deaths were featured in a February UUA.org article entitled Awakening Compassion at the Border
• See an April 2009 video interview with No More Deaths volunteer Dan Millis, who also received a citation for littering, and Amy Goodman of Democracy Now.

Unitarian Universalism in Africa

In this month's UU World, guest columnist Scott Kraft reports on the growth of Unitarian Universalism in Africa.

Originally introduced in 1857, Unitarian Universalism existed as a handful of UU congregations in South Africa and Nigeria; within the last ten years, numerous congregations have emerged in Uganda, Burundi, the Republic of the Congo, and Kenya.

As the availability and accessibility of technology (namely the internet and cell phones) is booming across the African continent, so, too, is the availability of and interest in information regarding Unitarian Universalism.

Kraft's article chronicles his visit to Kenya in November 2008, where he meets UU congregational leaders and learns about the political, social and spiritual background of the move towards progressive spirituality throughout the African continent.

The UU World article, "One Tribe, One People," is available here.

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In November 2008, President Sinkford embarked on a 19-day pilgrimage through Africa, visiting UU congregations in South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria. Reports, photos, slideshows, blog reflections and video documenting the journey are available online at www.uua.org/sinkfordafrica.

A Prayer in Memoriam of Dr George Tiller

Yesterday, Dr. George Tiller was brutally murdered in his house of worship, the Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita, Kansas. Dr. Tiller was a person of conscience and faith who provided abortion services for women facing some of the most difficult medical circumstances imaginable. He continued to do so despite frequent threats, lawsuits and violence. He was one of the very few doctors providing medically indicated late-term abortion services, and he did not waver from the provision of this service, although he was well aware he was never far from danger.

Our thoughts and prayers of deepest sympathy and solidarity are with his family, friends, and co-workers. We offer this prayer, an excerpt from the resources of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. May peace be with all those who mourn his loss.

We pray for an end to the rhetoric and violent acts that target health care providers, and pray for the day when health care providers, women and their families, can exercise their rights to reproductive choice in security and peace. Let us pause now for a moment of silence to remember all who have lost their lives, and for those who have been injured in attacks all across our country.

Help us, Gracious God, to stand together with these courageous and caring people who continue to do your holy work.

Amen.