SOCIAL ACTION

The Unitarian commitment to social action is contained in three principles:

• The inherent worth and dignity of every person
• Justice, equity and compassion in human relations
• The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all

Action based on these principles starts at home and then spreads outwards.

Pastoral Care

During every service there is a time for people to express joys and concerns. The congregation is informed about new concerns and challenges at this time. The congregation has two pastoral care co-ordinators, Jenny Leach and John Berry, who contact church members who are in the hospital or who have restricted mobility. Please contact Jenny at 905-684-0841 or John at 905-327-3051.

Social Responsibility

The second aspect of Unitarian social action is captutred is under the area of Social Responsibility where Unitarians modify their own behavior or take direct action in a socially responsible way.

Sexual and Gender Diversity Committee

The Sexual and Gender Diversity Committee seeks to uphold Unitarian Universalist principles in order to assist and support the safe and equitable inclusion of sexual and gender minorities and their supporters in the Unitarian Congregation of Niagara by offering education, representation and community outreach.

For more information of the current initiatives and past achievements see the Sexual and Gender Diversity web pages §.

Please contact Joan Wiley at 905-685-3692.

Out of the Cold

The Unitarian Congregation of Niagara is at it again. Next winter we are planning to expand our commitment and participation in the Out of the Cold program in St. Catharines. For more information contact Hilde Wheeler. If you are unfamiliar with the Out of the Cold program, read below.

Background on Out of the Cold

Background of UCN and Out of the Cold

On January 30, 2009, volunteers from our congregation provided and served a meal for approximately 80 people. We repeated this on January 22, 2010, with about 140 people served this time. We are grateful that our congregation is able to provide, in a small way, for those less fortunate individuals.

Social Justice

The third aspect of Unitarian social action is the Canadian Unitarians for Social Justice organization. The Canadian Unitarians for Social Justice attempts to change the behavior of government bodies. It is affiiated with but distinct from the CUC. This allows the Canadian Unitarians for Social Justice to lobby governments without jeopardizing the CUC's charitable status. Marie Belliveau is the CUSJ co-ordinator. Please contact Marie at 905-704-0189.

Social Action Issues

Freshwater Preservation

The Victoria Times Colonist reports that, "RAVEN (Respecting Aboriginal Values and Environmental Needs) is a charitable organization that provides financial resources to assist Aboriginal Nations within Canada in lawfully forcing industrial development to be reconciled with their traditional ways of life..."

"(They have) produced a documentary film, Blue Gold, the Tsilhqot'in Fight for Teztan Biny (Fish Lake)... The film looks at Taseko Mines Ltd.'s proposed 'Prosperity' mine that would see Fish Lake (Teztan Biny), Little Fish Lake (Naba) and the surrounding area destroyed as they gain access to the gold and copper reserves in the earth."

"Recent changes in the Fisheries Act allow for the destruction of freshwater bodies in Canada. Once added to Schedule 2, lakes and rivers lose the protections of the Fisheries Act and are allowed to be used as toxic dumpsites for metal mining corporations."

To watch the 40-minute video 'Blue Gold, the Tsilhqot'in Fight for Teztan Biny (Fish Lake)' on-line, go to this link § .

The Victoria Times Colonist article is at this link § .

The Council of Canadians encourages you to sign the on-line petition § to defend Teztan Biny.

Federal Budget

This is a budget summary § by the Union CUPE and as such could be biased towards the present budget. The Social Action Chair is providing this because it does give a comprehensive picture of what the budget will mean to the average Canadian. There is no intention to sway anyone's opinions toward the CUPE point of view and the only intent is to distribute information.

Environmental Stewardship

The seventh Unitarian article is "Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part". Respect for the enviroment and our ecological connectedness starts at the church and our homes and extends to ecologocical communities that we impact.

Climate Change Day of Action October 24, 2009

The Unitarian Congregation of Niagara participated in Climate Change Day. The congregation has experimented with paperless services. Also the congregation has an electronic newsletter system in place.

The congregation has registered with 350.org and is now proudly diplayed on the world map showing projects around the word. Clicking on the following link to the 350.org website will bring up initatives in the Niagara area §. Please be patient while the orange circles are drawn as the orange circles correspond to initiatives. Zooming down to the St. Catharine's area will display our congregation. Zooming out will display eastern Canada then the world. Over 140 countries participated in this event.

Gardeners' Group

The Gardener's group is inactive now and will rise again next spring.

In 2009 the congregation developed a cross-over program combining ecological action and social action. In the "Gardeners-Helping-Gardners" iniative the congregation members volunteered to help gardners with their spring garden cleanup and preparation. The idea was to help garden lovers who were physically unable to perform the physically demanding spring garden work. In the past, the St. Catharines Horticultural Society had helped the Unitarian Congregation of Niagara with its garden. This year the Horticultural Society identified gardners with special circumstances who had gardens that were beyond their physical means. The pilot project targeted five experienced and knowlegdable gardeners in St. Catharines who need help.