SEJC’s Ministry Action Teams Looking For New Members
Frustrated? Angry? Despairing? Put your heart and soul into being the solution! Don’t withdraw! The times we are living in demand a greater outpouring of activism in order to defend against, mitigate, restore and heal the damage that is being done. BUF’s Social and Environmental Justice Committee (SEJC) is looking to update ministry action team charters and this means confirming team membership. Please look carefully over the existing and proposed new teams and let Deb Cruz (dwcruz@comcast.net) know what team you would like to participate in. Think what we could accomplish if each BUFster agreed to participate on just one justice team! We NEED people engaged in all the teams!
Environmental Justice: We commit to continually recognizing and actively assuming and exercising our spiritual and moral obligations and our shared responsibility to the Earth and to the diverse communities that rely on the Earth’s gifts. We strive to restore, protect and preserve the land, air and water and the human and natural communities that make up a delicate and intricate web of existence that is currently under siege and well underway to catastrophic changes because of human behavior. We center the needs and perspectives of impacted communities, understanding that they bear the brunt of environmental damage and degradation, and thus, drawing upon their wisdom and leadership to create needed change and bringing our individual and collective powers to support them in creating equity in a viable and honored environment. We raise awareness on the complex intersection of the environment with other social justice issues that create the inequities that threaten the fabric of our existence. We promote sustainable and responsible development and consumption that provides for the needs of today without robbing the coming generations of their future of beauty and well-being.
Black Lives Matter: The BUF Black Lives Matter Ministry Action team supports the SEJC mission by seeking to nurture the social, spiritual and personal development of congregation members in the exploration of how racism and privilege affect our congregation, and our nation. We acknowledge the targeted violence which impacts black people disproportionately. We work to end racial discrimination and injustice, starting within ourselves and moving out into the world around us. We support anti-racist congregations and advocate for stopping racist policies like mass imprisonment and attacks on voting rights. We are committed to harnessing the power of love to dismantle racism and white supremacy across our communities and to creating spaces inclusive of people of all races, ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. We work with many partners in support of the Black Lives Matter movements.
Humanitas: Our mission is to provide support and limited emergency financial assistance in a safe, warm and non-judgmental atmosphere, to local people in need. We work in cooperation with other Bellingham communities of faith and charitable agencies to actively and directly help the struggling and marginalized people in our midst.
Native American Connections: Working to support, honor, appreciate, and work compassionately with, and for, Indigenous peoples locally, nationally, and internationally
Refugee Action: To establish a team of committed BUF volunteers that will partner with the local Whatcom County resettlement agency World Relief and other social service groups, in order to welcome and provide support to new refugee families. This will include: helping the families to find stable housing and employment, access to medical care, school enrollment, language training, literacy tutoring, and more.
Immigrant Rights: The Immigrant Rights Team mission is to affirm and promote peace, justice, fairness, and equality through action, education and raising awareness within our community and the wider world, specifically around immigrant human rights issues. The team works to support and collaborate with organizations in our community that advocate for immigrants.
NEW!Gender Equity and Justice: If things proceed as planned in the 2027 federal budget, the 2SLGBTQAI+ community will be identified and targeted as “domestic terrorists.” The tentative mission of the Gender Equity and Justice team is to actively oppose anti-2SLGBTQAI+ legislation, advocate for the repeal of discriminatory laws, and support coalition campaigns for bodily autonomy. It also works with coalitions in removing barriers to and grow community defense systems, mutual-aid resources, and alternative systems of care and support for gender diverse peoplein the larger community. This is not to be confused with the Community Within BUF Uplift team, which focus on the community environment within BUF. There will; however, be areas of overlap and opportunities for collaboration between the two groups.
NEW!Democracy Team: If things proceed as planned with the goals of the current administration, voting rights and democracy itself are being aggressively dismantled. This team will align heavily with the UU the Vote movement under the UUA’s Side with Love program of civic engagement and will move beyond just writing postcards. It will continue work to support voter engagement locally, statewide, regionally and nationally. However, it will be expanding this year to include combatting voter suppression and intimidation, creating a new community safety initiative state & regional gatherings that deepen relationships, build skills, and strengthen our collective capacity for action. There is also the potential for BUF to become certified as a “Good Trouble Congregation” much like a Welcoming Congregation or a Green Sanctuary Congregation.