Other Actions

Members of our congregation will stand up for social justice issues, either from the pulpit or at events in our local area. Here are just a few of those actions:

Climate Ribbon Art Ritual

Social Justice and the Worship Committee worked together to bring the Climate Ribbon Art Ritual to SFUU during the April 14th, 2019 Sunday Service, the Some Kind of Earth Day celebration in School Park Preserve in 2019, and again during the Earth Day Service in 2023. This was a participatory are ritual for climate healing and hope that was originally created for the 2014 People’s Climate March in New York City. It has since appeared in communities around the world, including SFUU!

June 11, 2022: March for Our Lives

SFUU members Barb Munn, Harriet Stephens, and Patty Campbell joined the March for Our Lives protest in favor of Gun Safety sponsored by local chapters of Moms Demand Action for gun sense in America and Indivisible Auburn.

November 28, 2021: A Reflection on Generosity

The Social Justice Committee is so grateful for the continued generosity of this congregation, which has stepped up to every Social Justice challenge with active participation and big-hearted donations. This reflection on generosity by Joan Lacktis from the Nov 28, 2021 Sunday Service beautifully captures the spirit of generosity of many in our congregation. Thank you for sharing Joan!

October 17, 2021: Crop Hunger Walk

34 members of SFUU gathered to walk a 1.5 mile loop through Auburn to raise money to fight food insecurity both locally and around the world. We were joined by members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church and Pioneer United Methodist Church, building community and working to end hunger, one step at a time. Our congregation raised over $1500 in this effort and our thanks to everyone who participated and/or donated to this event. A special shout out to Children and Youth Religious Education who co-sponsored this intergenerational activity with Social Justice.

Living in a Time of Chaos Seminars

The third Living in a Time of Climate Chaos seminar was held on February 1st, 2020. We discussed our desire to make changes in order to live a just life, despite the lack of larger scale action by government, and our need to let go of outcome driven action to just do the right thing. Proposed keys to getting individuals to make necessary lifestyle changes to reduce their personal climate footprints included simple belief in a personal moral ‘obligation’ to the Earth, and the need for community to make positive change. Many of us are hungry for how to get to lower carbon life-style changes. Allen Edwards presented some scenarios that he worked out using the Cool Climate Calculator for an average couple living in Auburn. When you first do a climate footprint calculation, the ‘calculator ‘ will present you with some options for improving your footprint. All of the options offered are technological solutions and will reduce the footprint, but not enough to bring it down to the levels needed to attain the UN-recommended levels. Using the cool climate calculator, Allen was able to reduce the levels most by giving the imaginary Auburn couple lifestyle changes, including some of the following (contact Allen for more details):

  • living on 1/4 of the space (best done through group living)

  • cutting down driving distances to 2000-3000mi/year (best done by sharing a car, and errands, with a group)

  • no air travel

  • using 100% renewable electricity

  • cutting way down in goods and services (if you live in a group, then you can share goods, and have community with each other - dining together, game nights, etc.)

  • cut carbon emissions from food by 90% (this includes driving to the store to get your food, which is a large part of the food footprint)

If you are interested in reading Allen Edward’s essays about living in a time of climate chaos, then go to the Climate Chaos page.

The second Living in a Time of Climate Chaos seminar was held on December 7th, 2019. Attendees continued to discuss our moral and ethical obligations related to our carbon footprints. Our next seminar will workshop ideas for re-imagining our lifestyles by considering what we truly value in our lives and how we might still achieve our dream life with lower carbon emissions. If you are interested in reading Allen Edward’s essays about living in a time of climate chaos, then go to the Climate Chaos page.

Our first Living in a Time of Climate Chaos seminar was held on October 26th, 2019. Attendees held a spirited discussion regarding our moral and ethical obligations related to our carbon emissions. More seminars are expected as we grapple with climate activism and our response to climate chaos. If you are interested in reading Allen Edward’s essays on this topic, go to the Climate Chaos page.

Youth Climate Strike

On September 20th, 2019 SFUU members carpooled down to the capital to support the Youth Climate Strike. Here are some photos from that event.