Service and Social Justice Committee

The Letter Carriers Food Drive 2009

2009-05-13T12:52:00.005-04:00

A Food Drive for Troubled Times

It's a great feeling when a group of people get together to support an event that has such a positive impact on the local community.

This year more than ever, with a rising number of people out of work, organizations like the Cooperative Feeding Program of Broward County act as a lifeline for homeless men and women, as well as local families who are struggling to keep food on their tables.

On Saturday, May 9th, our teams sorted, boxed, stacked and wrapped more than 6 pallets at the Inverrary Post Office - processing over 8 thousand pounds of food donations!

My Mom always told me that "Success comes in CANS". If that is true, we can be sure that the hungry will be well fed because of the combined efforts of the United States Postal Workers, food donations from our local community, and our own River of Grass members' willingness to pitch in and work together for the greater good. I am proud to share this world with such an incredible group of people!

Annual Food Drive

2009-04-10T10:00:00.032-04:00

The Letter Carriers’ Annual Food Drive is on Saturday, May 9th!

The annual NALC National Food Drive to “Stamp Out Hunger” is the largest one-day food drive in the nation. It is time for River of Grass volunteers to gear up and sign up for one of our biggest social justice events of the year.

Last year River of Grass volunteers processed
12,160 pounds of food!

How is the food collected?
On Saturday, May 9th, as letter carriers deliver mail along their route, they will collect bags of food donated by residents and load them into their mail trucks. When their route is done, they will drop off the food collected at their post office.

Then what happens?
While the letter carriers are collecting donated food, volunteers (that's us) set up sorting tables, tape boxes and get pallets ready for sorting and packing the donated items.

Once the mail trucks start arriving, it is our job to unload the mail trucks. We place the bags of food in mail carts, bring them into the mail room, and start the sorting and stacking.

The Fun Continues!
Standing at tables, the "sorters" remove the food from the bins, check expiration dates, and sort everything into categories. The "boxers" take the sorted items, fill the boxes, and tape them up. The "stackers" will place them on pallets.

Why sort and stack?
Sorting serves two purposes. It filters the expired goods, and organizes the food into storage categories.

How is this scheduled?

Volunteers will sign up for a shift below.

Shift 1: 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Shift 2: 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Shift 3: 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

What should I bring?
You might want to bring a pair of light work or gardening gloves and make sure that you wear comfortable shoes - not open toed shoes or sandals... cans that roll off tables often look for toes to land on!

We will provide water and snack bars.

From Our Hearts to Our Hands to Their Tables

2009-03-07T21:13:00.024-05:00

River of Grass is using both our hands and our hearts to help feed the hungry in our local community by participating in the national Empty Bowls Program.

This March you will find our members, both young and old, hand molding, carving, and etching their clay soup bowls on Sunday, March 15th. They will return to paint them on March 22nd, and will then join us to serve home made soup on Sunday, March 29th when we host our annual "Stone Soup Sunday" fundraiser.

The Empty Bowls Project is a national program to raise money to feed the hungry and raise awareness of the pervasive nature of hunger in America.

All are welcome to join us beginning on March 15th for the making of the "Stone Soup" bowls.

Not feeling creative? That's OK too.

You can still contribute to the Empty Bowls program by joining us on March 29th and purchasing a hot bowl of home made soup. Yum!

As always, all are welcome at our River of Grass table.

Proceeds of this event will go to the Cooperative Feeding Program of Broward County.

To sign up of for more information, contact: emptybowls@riverofgrass.org

Holiday Magic for Foster Children and Homeless Teens

2008-12-16T19:59:00.007-05:00

Another holiday season is here, and in that special River of Grass spirit we have stepped up once again to show more love, more hope and more joy to the children and teens in our community who will spend the holidays in shelters and in foster care.

Together, our loving hearts provided holiday gifts for 49 children and teens whose ages range from 10 months to 17 years. During such harsh economic times, it is truly a miracle to see our holiday tree surrounded by so many special gifts. Thank you for all you do.

A special thanks to Tom and Mary Robinson who volunteered to help deliver the gifts on Monday morning, and to all those who helped fill Tom and Mary’s van and my little Prius with this holiday cheer!

May the joy that you give to others find its way back to you and your loved ones this holiday season!

Happy Holidays!

The Victory of What We Have Not Lost

2008-11-11T09:38:00.003-05:00

The River of Grass Service and Social Justice Committee would like to report a victory.

No, not the victory of defeating the hurtful Amendment 2 legislation, but, rather, the victory of coming together as a community and working together in trying to put an end to discrimination. We were victorious in sending a message of hope and love to our GLBT members and youth - a message that tells them we believe in them, we believe in their rights, and that we will never stop fighting for them.

Even though we were outnumbered at the polls and lost the battle against the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment, there is so much we have not lost:

We have not lost our voices, our vision, our connection, or our commitment to one another.
We have not lost our belief that if we continue to live openly and proudly by our Unitarian Universalist principles, our children will be loved and affirmed as human beings.
We have not lost our capacity to be mentors, teachers, and human rights’ leaders. UU churches all around the world will continue to honor and affirm the unions of same sex couples.
We have not lost if just one gay youth among us watched as we worked for their rights and feels affirmed, supported, and loved because even as the government fails them, they have an entire community that will continue to stand up for them.
We have not lost because we are a community that will never stop believing that change can and will happen – all it will take is that we hold firm to our commitment of creating awareness, sharing our vision, and taking action.

Thank you, River of Grass, for the victory of what we have not lost.

Marjorie Loring Chair, Service and Social Justice Committee

2008-10-17T14:09:00.010-04:00

The big news this month is the huge success of the Standing on the Side of Love Concert held on October 4th.

As a result of a matching grant from a Florida Red and Blue supporter, we raised more than $7,200.

The evening was a delightful blend of great music, wonderful food, and loving camaraderie. But, let us not forget that we owe the concert’s great success to the many volunteers that stood on the side of love and donated their time and talent to this cause. River of Grass members truly walked the walk in supporting the defeat of Amendment 2 – an amendment that will write discrimination into the Florida constitution if it passes.

Looking ahead to November activities, the Service and Social Justice committee will kick off the Holiday Gift Project on Sunday, November 30th.

As in year’s past, we will collect toys for two Broward county agencies – ChildNet (works with abused, neglected, and abandoned children) – and the ACTS Teen Shelter (provides emergency housing/shelter for homeless teens and adolescents).

Each child/teen will be asked by their agency to indicate three items for their holiday wish list. Their wish list will be written on paper stockings that will be hung on a holiday tree during Sunday services starting in November.

Just pick a stocking (or two) and take it with you, buy one of the gifts listed and bring it back in on any Sunday.

Any SSJC committee member can collect your gifts, and all gifts will be delivered to the organizations by the SSJC committee on a predetermined date in December.

Since economic challenges are being experienced by many this holiday season, it is important to note that participation in this project does not imply the need to buy all three gifts for the child listed on your chosen stocking(s). It is far more important that each child receive at least one gift for the holidays – and that you participate in this community event rather than turn away due to financial implications.

We need to remember that no one is affected more by this than the abused or abandoned in our local community. Let’s purchase a gift for a child this season and help make a difference in their lives by showing them that someone out there does care for them.

Marjie Loring,
Chair, Service and Social Justice Committee

Standing on the Side of Love Concert

2008-09-15T21:03:00.020-04:00

On Saturday, October 4th, the River of Grass UU Congregation is teaming up with the UU Church of Ft. Lauderdale to sponsor a fundraising concert to help defeat the Florida Marriage Amendment #2.

In November of 2008, Florida voters will decide whether or not to add an amendment to the Florida constitution that says the following:

"Inasmuch as a marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized."

What we need to ask ourselves is this:

Just how exclusive is this amendment, and who will it really affect?

How does this proposed amendment align with our own Unitarian Universalist message for creating More Hope, More Love, and More Joy for all people?

Does this amendment affirm the inherent worth and dignity of all people?

Because of the wording "substantial equivalent thereof", what this amendment will do is take away important health benefits from Florida couples who are registered as domestic partners in our state - gay or straight. What is even more disturbing, is that the largest group affected will be the widowed elderly who choose not to remarry a new partner in order to maintain their Social Security benefits and pensions.

Ticket sales will be donated to Florida Red and Blue, a non partisan organization working to defeat Amendment 2, to help cover the cost of the printed materials, mailings, and advertising necessary to educate the public on the real damage this amendment can cause Florida families both gay and straight. Unitarian Universalists do not support adding discrimination into Florida's Constitution. Because of this, we are recommending that the people of Florida to Say NO to the Florida Marriage Amendment #2.

Learn more about Amendment 2 and Florida Red and Blue by visiting their web site:

http://www.sayno2.org/

Concert Information:

Date: Saturday, October 4th @ 7:00 pm

Location:
UU Church of Fort Lauderdale
3970 NW 21st Ave
Oakland park, FL 33309

Tickets: $25.00 each or $40.00 family (2 Adults, or 2 Adults and Children)

To purchase tickets, contact: ssjc@riverofgrass.org

Payment should be made to “Florida Red and Blue, Inc.” a political action committee organized to defeat Amendment 2. Payments are not tax-deductible.

UUA Blog Survey

2008-09-04T20:16:00.011-04:00

The UUA has launched a survey on Unitarian Universalist blogging. I would like to share how I responded to the survey questions:

Survey Questions

1. Why do you blog? What goals do you have for your blog?

As the Chair of the River of Grass Service and Social Justice Committee, I feel that in order to increase support and participation in our service and social justice action activities, it is critical for us to provide ways for increasing awareness of the issue(s) and provide information and suggestions on how volunteers can take action.

In the past, we relied on announcements at Sunday Services but this has time contraints, discussions at hospitality time after service but this is only effective for the number of people you can have a conversation with over a cup of coffee, and having a table set up with flyers and signup sheets that folks can visit after service for more information.

What was missing was a way to have information readily available for those interested in volunteering - no matter where they were. Ideally, they should be able to access the information on volunteer opportunities when they had more time to read about the issues, check their calendars, and fully explore the options. The SSJC Blog fit this need perfectly. While we still offer the information through the other avenues mentioned above, I find that when members and visitors feel the urge to get involved, they can go to the SSJC Blog and read about the opportunities that are available, including all the details on how they can participate and sign up.

2. Who is your intended audience?

My intended audience is, primarily, the River of Grass community. However, we also want to reach out to those visitors and potential visitors who are interested in seeing how our congregation lives out its service and social justice values in the larger community.

3. Who owns your blog? Does it belong to you as individual or to your congregation or other organization?

While the recommendation for the blog was submitted by me to our Board of Trustees for their approval, since the content represents the congregation and not just an individual, I would say that even though I am the blog author, the blog belongs to River of Grass.

4. How frequently do you post?

This varies. The postings follow our call to action items.

5. What is the tone of your blog?

The blog provides critical information and key facts about the issues adopted by the SSJC and how they fit into our Unitarian Universalist principles. I try to be thought provoking, and usually end with a call to action that includes ways people can get involved. Finally, I provide links to resources and/or information about the issue.

6. What steps do you take to make sure that your blog is a safe space, both for you and for other participants? Do you have a code of conduct?

Postings are developed to follow the standards found in the teachings of our 7 principles. It is important to keep in mind that there are many sides to some issues, and therefore, I make every effort to balance forthrightness with sensitivity in how issues are addressed. Comments are moderated and held to the same standards as the postings.

7. What kinds of boundaries do you observe around confidentiality?

Written permissions are kept on file for any person whose name, photo, story, or quote is used on the blog.

8. How do you respond to comments and email from readers?

The blog is not a debating platform, therefore, reader comments (if approved) are simply listed with the post. If specific questions are asked, I reply. If additional information is provided regarding an issue, I add it.

9. What are the most challenging aspects of blogging in your experience?

Being a voice for the congregation is the most challenging aspect. There are times when I want to get up on my own soap box over an issue I am passionate about and have my say. But I have to remember that this blog is a voice for the congregation, so I have to make sure that I understand where the congregation stands as a whole on an issue so I can be an authentic voice.

10. What are the most rewarding aspects of blogging in your experience?

It's very rewarding to be able to post a blog describing success with an issue that the congregation has addressed. It makes me proud to see how willing we are to step up when called upon, either to donate money, show up for a rally or march, donate food to the food bank, or donate school supplies to homeless teens.

11. What advice would you give to Unitarian Universalists who are new to blogging and want to get started?

If you are going to be a voice for your congregation, and/or for Unitarian Universalism, do your homework. Understand our faith tradition, and know the heartbeat of your congregation. It is a huge responsibility when you are asked to be a voice for something bigger than yourself. Make sure that voice is authentic. People go to blogs for a variety of reasons. Give them something to think about, and a way to connect with our principles, our values and our actions. But most of all, have a purpose. Finally, it helps a lot to have a willing and competent editor to oversee the quality of your writing and help keep you to your intended message.

12. How do you evaluate the success of your blog? What have been your most successful blog posts or series?

Success is difficult to measure but feedback and participation are two measures. We do a "Back to School" backpack project every year for teens in a homeless shelter. The participation in this program has seen a huge increase from last year to this one. I posted info about the shelter and the list of supplies needed to fill a backpack. When people were ready to shop, they went to the blog, printed the list, and bought the items needed. When the project was over, I posted a success blog that showed a photo of all the packs and supplies that were donated by our congregation. Seeing this success blog energized people who told me that they want to participate next time around.

13. What do you wish you had done differently in your blogging?

I wish I had started this sooner!

14. What other online tools do you use to promote your blog? (i.e. social networking sites, Twitter, social bookmarking tools, etc.)

At the present time, the only online tool that I use is a link to the blog from the congregation's website.

15. Do you use a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed? How many subscribers do you have?

No, although I am designing a new web site for our congregation’s 10th anniversary which will use these features.

16. Do you track site traffic? How many unique visitors do you have per day (on average)?

Not on the blog, although once we release the new web site (see above), it will track traffic/visitors.

17. Do you find Unitarian Universalist Association resources helpful to you as a blogger? What additional resources could we provide to Unitarian Universalist bloggers?

It would be great to have a list of all the UU congregations that are blogging - and a link to them. At times, it's difficult to find out what other UUs are up to. I am more interested in congregational blogs than individual blogs.

18. Please write any additional comments or suggestions.

I think that this technology is a great way to reach out and show the world who we are and how we are in this world. It is not a difficult technology to learn, and the audience you can reach will open a lot of doors for others to enter into our world faith community. Thanks to the UUA for the opportunity to participate in this survey.

Marjorie Loring

Chair, Service and Social Justice Committee

email: ssjc@riverofgrass.org

River of Grass Unitarian Universalist Congregation

Plantation, Florida

Backpack Project Update

2008-06-22T13:52:00.016-04:00

(Where's Waldo? See if you can find the backpack that YOU donated!)

Thanks to the generosity of our River of Grass members, we collected 14 backpacks - each filled with school supplies - for the teen girls in Broward County's A.E.S.H.A. (ACTS Emergency Shelter Home for Adolescents) and A.R.R.I.S. (Accountability-Respect-Responsibility-Integrity-Self-Esteem) Programs. This is the first year that we participated in this back-to-school project and our congregation's response was amazing!

A special thank you to all who participated in this project. Your generosity will be felt as these teens head back to school in August. Recently, a teacher shared with me that many students attend the first day of school with a pencil and a composition book in a plastic grocery bag. Sometimes it's easy to forget the hardships that are faced by so many in our community - in all facets of their lives.

Also, as a result of your feedback, next year, while we will continue to roll-out this program in June, we will set the deadline for a date after school supplies go on sale throughout south Florida (usually in mid-July). My understanding is that the organization requests an early deadline to ensure that they have enough supplies for the start of school in August. If they realize that they will be short, they have over a month to secure additional donations. However, if we can commit beforehand to a certain number of backpacks, perhaps we will be able to drop them off a few weeks past this year's deadline. Since this was our first year, we weren't sure of the response. But, as always, our River of Grass family came through to share "more hope, more love, and more joy" in our local community.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

(Please note that the blog writer will be on vacation during the month of July. Please check back in August for new, upcoming SSJC events.)

Wanted: A #2 pencil and a calculator

2008-05-29T21:48:00.005-04:00

It's that time of year when we are called upon to help collect the school supplies for all the girls at the ACTS shelter. Last year, we had limited involvement with this project as we found out about it too late. This year, we have a bit more lead time. Hopefully, we can attract more participation.

You can help out these homeless teens, by making sure they go back to school with the supplies they need to be prepared for their coursework.

Each girl (there are 33 of them) will need a book bag/backpack filled with the following supplies:

3x5 index cards ruled
black , blue and red pens
#2 lead pencils
colored pencils
calculator (able to do algebraic functions)
composition notebook
spiral bound notebook
loose leaf paper – college
3 ring binders – 1 and 2 inch
highlighters
pocket folders in different colors
post it notes
ruler
graph paper
stapler with staples
book covers
glue sticks
page dividers

Also, any of the above supplies can be donated in bulk for the shelter to keep on hand if some backpacks don't come in with everything, or if the girls run out of supplies during the school year.

If you are willing to commit to buying and filling a backpack, please let me know so I can get an idea on how many we will be donating to the shelter.

Just send me an email at ssjc@riverofgrass.org to let me know if you will be participating in this call to action.

I would like to collect them all by Sunday June 22nd. This may seem early, but the shelter needs time to organize and plan their distribution, so the sooner we get the supplies to them, the better prepared they will be when school starts up again in August.

Once you have purchased your backpack and supplies, just bring them to River of Grass on any Sunday between now and June 22nd. Give them to either Marjie or Esther.

Thanks for all you do!

A penny for your thoughts... I mean, for your labor.

2008-05-27T16:58:00.015-04:00

There is nothing like the feeling you get when you look back on a day when you joined hundreds of activists, and walked for 9 miles in the hot Miami sun, to bring attention to the horrible working conditions and the sub-standard pay of Florida farm workers, not knowing whether or not it would make a difference, but hoping that it would, and then being able to say, "Wow! We did it!"

Well, the time for that feeling is here and it is time for a long overdue celebration!

Burger King has finally agreed to pay "a penny a pound" more for tomatoes to the Immokolee farm workers in Florida.

A penny may not seem like much, but these farm workers have been fighting for this penny for over 4 years.

First they asked Taco Bell. Initially, Taco Bell refused; the farm workers took a stand, walked off the fields, and an agreement was reached. Next on the list was McDonald’s – and they too eventually reached an agreement.

Then they asked Burger King, but Burger King resisted... and resisted... and resisted.

But, this time the Immokolee workers did not take their stand on this alone. The UUA along with many other organizations and groups stood with them.

Finally, on May 23rd, Burger King agreed that the Immokolee workers deserved both better working conditions and to be paid a fair wage and together they reached the "penny more a pound" agreement.

Burger King said it would pay an increase in tomato prices in order to give workers a wage increase of 1.5 cents a pound. A penny a pound will go into the workers’ pockets, and the extra half-cent will cover additional payroll taxes and administrative costs for tomato growers.

What does 1 cent really mean to the tomato pickers?

It means that for every 32-pound bucket of tomatoes they pick, the workers will earn 77 cents, instead of 45 cents. At the old wage, pickers typically earned $10,000 to $12,000 a year - you do the math!

What this shows us is that, even against the odds, even when it doesn't feel at the time that what we are doing is really going to initiate change, it can – and it does. We can make a difference by showing up, standing up for the rights of all people, and believing that through awareness, vision, and action we can help build a more just world.

Read more about this amazing victory! : http://www.ciw-online.org/

Got Signatures?

2008-05-17T12:56:00.007-04:00

If you are planning on going to GA 2008, this is an important call to action from your Service and Social Justice Committee.

On Wednesday, June 25th, from 4:45 - 6:00 pm, there will be a Florida District Ingathering at GA (Room - Floridian D) to discuss the adoption of an Action of Immediate Witness [AIW] against the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment.

Since River of Grass members voted as a congregation to make this our social justice issue for 2008, it is important that we step forward together and establish a strong presence at this important ingathering.

Our task will be to gather signatures from GA delegates who are attending GA from all over the country. Simply carry a clipboard with the AIW petition and gather the signatures at any of the sessions you choose to attend on Thursday the 26th and Friday the 27th.

If we collect enough signatures, the AIW may be adopted and become an official proclamation of our denomination.

This is an important time to step forward, take up a clipboard, and do your part to support our congregational message of “More Hope, More Love, More Joy” by taking an active role in defeating the Florida Marriage Amendment in November.

There’s no better time to organize our support than at GA!

Please Contact me at: mlorpol@comcast.net to let me know you'll be there! I'd like to organize our River of Grass Teams before the Ingathering session.

For more information about the Florida Marriage Amendment, click "Show more Posts on Topic" and scroll down through previous Blog posts, or visit the SayNo2 website.

The Florida Tourist

2008-05-06T15:41:00.013-04:00

A significant portion of Florida’s revenue is dependent on tourism. We have the traditional “snowbirds”, as well as yearly visitors and our businesses benefit tremendously throughout the year as these visitors spend their time, and money, in the Sunshine State – as tourism goes, so goes our economy. Florida has some of the hottest vacation spots in the country: Miami Beach, Disney World, Cape Canaveral, St. Augustine, Sanibel Island, Busch Gardens, and Everglades National Park to name just a few. We have art districts, amusement parks, and wonderful beaches.

In addition, a large portion of the Florida population of full time residents is made up of people who have moved here from somewhere else. We represent pieces of families from all around the country, and those family members we left behind visit us regularly to reconnect and take in some of our wonderful Florida sunshine.

I think it would be fair to say that a large percentage of the people who are in Florida at any given time are visiting from somewhere else for a variety of reasons. They are travelers.

I recently read a story of a couple who was visiting Florida with their two children when one of the parents had a brain aneurism and was taken to a South Florida hospital. Although the woman didn’t die immediately, she did die, and she died alone. Her family was not allowed in to see her: not her children, not her partner of 18 years. Why? Sadly, it was because their relationship was not recognized as “immediate family” by the hospital’s administrator. You see, they were lesbians in a committed relationship raising two children and they happened to be on vacation in our state. Even when the surviving woman provided proof of their legal relationship in another state, they were simply told that Florida is an anti-gay state and their relationship would not be recognized here. Because of this attitude, the woman died without seeing her partner or her children one last time. Did this happen at a small community hospital? No, it occurred at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami-Dade County. (Read about it here.)

Esther and I travel a lot, so this story has weighed heavily on us. What would we do in this circumstance? What would we do if we were traveling through a state that had no protections in place for gays and lesbians? We talked about it. “Let’s just plan on saying we are sisters; a sister is considered immediate family, and I don’t think anyone would ask for proof.” It seemed like a good plan, so we both agreed that’s what we would do. But even though being a sister would get us in to see the other, it would not be enough for life and death decision making on each other’s behalf. So we decided that we needed to travel with legal papers (including our Domestic Partnership papers from Broward county) that designate us as each other’s healthcare surrogate. (See Sample Form)

We discussed options including changing our last names and then we realized that the same scenario experienced by the couple in the story above could happen to us right here – in Broward county – if the Florida Marriage Amendment (Item #2) on the ballot in November secures enough votes to pass.

But, isn’t this amendment to make sure that gays and lesbians cannot be legally married in Florida, and that marriage will be defined and recognized as between one man and one woman only? Wouldn’t our Domestic Partnership supersede this amendment?

Unfortunately, no. It cuts much deeper than a simple definition of marriage. Because of the wording that is included at the end of the statement (highlighted in green):

"Inasmuch as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized."

A Domestic Partnership would be the substantial equivalent. The amendment would demonstrate Florida’s unwillingness to recognize any relationship that doesn’t fall under the traditional heterosexual marriage.

Many Florida municipalities, universities, and private businesses offer “Domestic Partner” benefits that provide healthcare, pensions, hospital visitation rights and more to couples who are in committed relationships but are not married. Same-sex and opposite sex couples (including seniors) rely on the benefits that Domestic Partnership recognition provides. Unfortunately, Domestic Partnerships fall under the “substantial equivalent thereof,” and would be negated by this amendments. This would leave many without things like healthcare coverage, hospital visitation rights and rights of survivorship. Thousands of registered domestic partners will lose these benefits if this amendment passes.

The irony is that it is already illegal for gays to marry in Florida. The purpose of this amendment is to put a double lock security on marriage, but before it does, it wants to take away the few benefits that Domestic Partners have.

OK, back to traveling - and tourism. If Florida is willing to take away healthcare benefits from its own residents, it is certainly not going to extend recognition to tourists and visitors.

Do you have gay or lesbian children, cousins, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, or friends in committed relationships who live in other states? When they come to Florida to visit you, if something should happen to one of them, do you want them to be treated the same way as the women in my earlier story?

Florida cannot build an atmosphere of hospitality by building a local government foundation based on discrimination and intolerance of diversity.

This amendment is mean spirited, divisive to our community, and inhospitable to our visitors.

As a religious community, we affirm standing on the side of love.

We believe in justice, equity and compassion for all human relations.

Please VOTE NO on Amendment #2

– and spread the message !

For more information:
http://www.sayno2.org/

Help Stamp Out Hunger on May 10th

2008-04-24T22:29:00.008-04:00

Our River of Grass community is generous and dedicated when it comes to helping feed the hungry. We contribute 50% of our plate donation each week to the Cooperative Feeding Program; we offer countless volunteer hours in their warehouse and in their soup kitchen. On Sundays, we bring bags of food to donate to their food inventory and a few volunteers use their own vehicles, gas, and time to deliver the food. We make a difference each and every week.

Could feeding the hungry be any easier? Yes!

Every year, the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) sponsors and participates in a national food drive to help stock the shelves of soup kitchens and feeding programs all over the country. On May 10th, not only will these letter carriers be delivering mail, but they will be picking up, from every household that participates, bags of food donations.

According to Chris, the volunteer manager at the Cooperative Feeding Program of Broward, “This food drive usually allows us to provide food to families and the homeless for 6 – 7 weeks, but last year so many households participated that the food stock lasted 3 months!”

Talk about success stories!

So, how does all this food get to the feeding programs around the country?

This is where the magic happens:

The postal workers will have done their part already by picking up the food donations, one household at a time as they deliver mail. Then, at the end of their rounds, they bringit all back to their post offices. At each of these post offices, people come together to unload, sort, box, label, and stack the food onto palettes. These sorters and packers are volunteers, and true to form, the River of Grass community proudly steps forward year after year to help handle this important part of the process.

It is just one more way that we use Action to support our Vision, and one more way that we bring "More hope, More love, and More joy" into our world.

On Saturday, May 10th, River of Grass volunteers will meet at:

Inverrary Post Office
(6240 West Oakland Park Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale)

(Click for Directions)

Volunteers will work one of two shifts:
Shift 1 is from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm Shift 2 is from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Look for the sign up sheet on Sunday and add your name. You can make a difference!

Or -

Click the link below to send an email to let me know which shift I can expect you and how many volunteers you'll be bringing along!

Sign me up!

Coffee Talk

2008-04-08T15:14:00.005-04:00

How far can you reach? Stretch your hand out in front of you as far as you can.

Our bodies provide us with this nifty and flexible shoulder, arm, elbow, hand, and fingers, and together they can do lots of things as long as the things they do are within our reach. For me it is just about 25 inches.

But what if I want to do more? Well, that little problem is solved by these nifty legs, feet and toes that can move me around so that I can reach even more things - pretty ingenious, huh?

Of course, we also have this control center that helps us decide what things we should move toward and what things we should reach for – you’ve probably guessed it… the brain, right?

Nope... it’s the heart.

Can the heart really extend your reach? Absolutely. The brain can help you think of what you want to do, but it is the heart that moves you to do it.

At River of Grass, we do it every Sunday during coffee hour. Many of you reach into your pocket or purse to pay for coffee or hot tea, and because we have committed to serve only Equal Exchange “Fair Trade” products, we are extending our reach across the miles and miles of earth that separate us from the families and farms that fill our coffee cups each Sunday. By doing this, we can help farmers better meet their families' basic needs, such as food, education, and health care, and we don’t even have to walk any further than across the room.

According to the UUSC:

“Unitarian Universalists value the interdependent web of all existence, and acknowledge that the choices in our daily lives affect thousands of people across the United States and internationally. In our lives, our work and our congregations, we strive to make choices that help others and contribute to a better world.”

I’m sure that there are many of you who continue to drink coffee and tea at home or at your workplace. When you reach out to pay for it, who are you paying and what kind of farming practices are you supporting?

Here’s a thought: Instead of adding coffee, tea, and cocoa to your grocery store list, why not purchase it from your own River of Grass Service and Social Justice Committee on Sunday? What a great opportunity to extend your reach from home in the same way we do on Sunday.

This is how you can help the Equal Exchange program provide technical assistance to cooperatives, and encourage environmentally sustainable practices as well as healthy and safe working conditions for farm workers around the world.

Come on… reach out with me, and let that next cup warm your heart.

Join the SSJC Hands-on Activity for May

2008-04-06T16:04:00.005-04:00

Will you meet me over the rainbow?

No, not the one in the familiar Wizard of Oz movie, nor is that a reference to the new popular Broadway show, Wicked. That’s yesterday’s rainbow.

I’m talking about Tomorrow’s Rainbow, and it’s not in OZ, it’s in Coconut Creek, Florida.

According to Volunteer Broward:

“Tomorrow's Rainbow is committed to guiding children that do not have the benefits or resources for traditional mental health therapy through the grief process after the loss of a loved one. By combining miniature horse interactions with camaraderie, compassion and guidance, they will begin healing and will be led toward a more joyful future.”

On Saturday, May 3rd, Volunteer Broward needs our help. They are calling it a day of miracles. I see this as an opportunity to let our message of “More Hope, More Love, More Joy” resonate out in the larger community.

Our Service and Social Justice Mission statement calls for Awareness, Vision, and Action because we believe that all three are necessary to effect positive change in our communities and in the world in which we live. There are times when many hands are needed to fulfill a vision.

This is one of them. Volunteer Broward is looking for over 300 volunteers to participate in this project, and River of Grass can help them reach that goal. There are many tasks to choose from; they range from simple tasks to complex ones: from gardening, to cleaning, to painting and carpentry and there is enough work to be done to keep over 300 volunteers busy for an entire day. Here’s the volunteer work list:

Prep and Setup
Set up tents, organize and distribute supplies to appropriate areas and prepare the site for the day’s events as well assisting with traffic flow, parking and serving meals.
Barn Detail
Clean, paint and build shelves in the barn.
Role Playing Area
Assemble miniature household furniture, build a sandbox, renovate the theatre, build a pig house and lay pavers.
Shed Assembly Crew
Build two sheds on the grounds.
Garden Variety
Work in the garden, install an outdoor sink, clear rocks and shovel manure.
More Fun Stuff
Bathe the horses and clean toys.

Let’s add our River of Grass handprints and heartprints to Tomorrow’s Rainbow!

…and don’t forget to wear your new T-shirts!

To join the River of Grass volunteer group, send an email to: SSJC@riverofgrass.org

Location:
Tomorrow's Rainbow
4341 NW 39th Ave
Coconut Creek, FL 33073

The Florida Marriage Amendment #2 - Just say No

2008-03-27T16:13:00.021-04:00

In November of 2008, Florida voters will decide whether or not to add an amendment to the Florida constitution that says the following:

"Inasmuch as a marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized."

At first glance, this just looks like more legislation to prevent gay and lesbian couples from getting legally married, thus reserving this status for only heterosexual couples.

But, look again - this amendment can and will cut deeper than it first appears - all because of this one phrase: "or the substantial equivalent thereof ".

What we need to ask ourselves is this:

Just how exclusive is this amendment, and who will it really affect?

How does this proposed amendment align with our own River of Grass message for creating More Hope, More Love, and More Joy for all people?

Does this amendment affirm the inherent worth and dignity of all people?

I see an opportunity for creating Awareness.
I see an opportunity for taking Action.

But first, let’s not get pulled into a religious or a gay rights conflict. This is not about religion, and the discriminatory reach of this amendment extends beyond gay marriage rights by affecting any couple that has registered as domestic partners, including the elderly.

This issue is about being fully human; it is about affirming or denying the recognition of loving couples. It is about affirming or denying More Love in this world.

It is about whether or not we should include discrimination in the Florida constitution.

Domestic Partnerships are the intended target in the wording “or the substantial equivalent thereof”.

Thousands of couples are registered as Domestic Partners in the state of Florida. For those couples who either can’t legally marry (gays), or those who don’t want to marry or re-marry (elderly widowed and committed opposite sex partners), Domestic Partnerships provide a legal mechanism that documents a couple's commitment to each other and extends important benefits such as hospital visitation, health insurance (in some cases), end of life decision making, and inheritance rights.

Listen to the Fairness for All Families - Nadine Smith Speech.

Vote NO to:

prevent the limiting of human rights that can minimize our potential to live full lives without prejudice or discrimination.
prevent having benefits taken away that provide healthcare coverage, hospital visitation, and inheritance rights.
spread our UU values and bring more hope, more love and more joy into this world.

Here are some Action items:

Do some research – gather the facts and identify the myths that surround this issue so that you can get your message out to others in an informed and confident way.
Raise awareness – you will be surprised how many don’t understand this issue. Talk about this issue every chance you get. Share your conviction with family, friends, and strangers.
Share your stories – bring this issue to life by making it personal. This is not about politics; it’s about people.
Attend events – participation energizes people. Bring your passion and your enthusiasm. The River of Grass SSJC committee will continue to notify you throughout the year of upcoming events and opportunities to participate.
Make a donation – Advertising and materials distribution cost money. Every little bit helps. Give what you can, whenever you can. (See links below.)
Collaborate – We are not alone. There are many groups and organizations dedicated to this cause. Let’s find ways to work together. Host an event or a party to raise money and awareness.
Affirm and support those who take the initiative. Sign petitions and send letters and emails to politicians and community leaders to show support for our stand and thank them for representing us.

As we work together for a fair and just world, let’s share our message of more hope, more love, and more joy for all people.

In upcoming blogs, I will be sharing stories of people who will be affected by this amendment if it passes in November.

For more information, I encourage you to visit and support these sites:
http://www.votenoflorida.org
http://www.sayno2.com

The Meaning of Peacemaking in our Lives

2008-03-19T16:10:00.003-04:00

A River of Grass SSJC Discussion Workshop

The purpose:
The share in a personal exploration of peace and violence, and to discuss how we can grow peace in our lives: personally, in our families, and in our congregation

The check-in:
Each person shared a time when s/he felt peace. For some, peace was linked to moments of happiness, for others it was found during a meditative state, and for others it was found in time spent with family or with pets. Some found it difficult to identify peace in their lives because of the state of our world.

The discussion:
Our discussion on Peacemaking last night began with this Koan:

Abba Joseph said to Abba Pastor: “Tell me how I can become a Monk.” The elder replied, “If you want to have peace in this life and also in the next, in every conflict with another one say, ‘Who am I?’ and judge no one.”

Many reflected on the meaning of the question: “Who am I?” For some, it meant to look at how others see and define you, or to ask yourself ‘Who am I to the world?’, and for others it meant a more introspective look at ‘How do I define myself - and what is the role I play in either creating or feeding conflict?”

When we analyzed the words “judge no one”, many felt that judging is a part of every day life, and that it takes on many forms, some destructive and some benign. (For example, to judge in a courtroom is different from judging in an art contest.) We discussed how judgments can become labels used for discrimination and/or unfair or cruel treatment. The nuances between opinion and judgments were also discussed. Some members asked how it is possible to not judge the terrorists of 911, or those that strap bombs to their bodies, or those that commit atrocities to women for “disgracing” the family.

This led to more discussion on how we should separate the person from the culture, and how judgment should not be aimed at the person, but at the culture and the attitudes, and the environment that molded this person.

When we talked about conflict, many felt that we will always have conflict at many levels. It may be over something as simple as how to arrange the living room furniture or whose turn it is to use the play station, but it can also be over a differing view of morality, right and wrong, or beliefs and God.

But, it is how we handle conflict that either nourishes or suppresses peace. Perhaps we should separate ‘peace’ from ‘conflict’ and look at them individually.

So, how do we find peace in our lives?

Communicating became a key point in resolving conflict for the group. Suggestions included separating the person from the situation, stepping away to calm emotions before dealing with the situation, and not gossiping about the conflict but, to talk with the offender directly using I statements, “I was deeply hurt by what was said or done.”

We discussed self esteem and the ability to establish boundaries, thus becoming less of a target for victimization. Many agreed that, “just being listened to”, can often prevent a conflict from escalating. Some shared that children need to be mentored on developing social skills to counteract the effect of violent video games and movies which skew a young child’s view of the real world. Some expressed that hope for a peaceful world is possible by working with younger generations, our children.

This brings up the violence that is too often associated with handling conflict. If we could end all violence, would we have peace?

Violence is not the only thing that prevents peace. We could end all violence in the world and still not have peace because there are people that are suffering (hunger, homelessness, lack of medical care, discrimination, lack of water, etc.)

Next steps:
Where is peace found? Here are some thoughts:

· Peace is the absence of violence (emotional or physical abuse)
Action: If we learn to handle personal conflict without violence, we will have more peace in our world. If we mentor others to handle personal conflict without violence, we will have more peace in our world.

· Peace is the absence of suffering (the fulfillment of basic human needs)
Action: If we learn to help feed our local community, we will have more peace in our world.

· Peace is the absence of resentment (imbalance of resources)
Action: If we avoid personal misuse of our natural resources and teach others to do the same, we will have more peace in our world.

· Peace is the absence of hate (discrimination based on differences)
Action: If we live by the guideline, “judge no one” and open communication into awareness and understanding, we will have more peace in our world.

Peace is the absence of … What do you think?
Action: What can you do?