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Social Concerns |
The Unitarian and Universalist traditions call us to see spiritual practice and social responsibility as being very closely related. Spiritual practice (such as meditation) and pragmatic functional action are equally important. We see ourselves as part of an "interconnected web", having functional and spiritual connections to people, the earth, and the systems and structures that affect the people and ecology of the earth. Concern for education, freedom, economic justice, intercultural dialogue, basic necessities, peace work, and environmental work are all part of the interconnected steps in working towards the goal of a more just, sustainable and spiritually balanced world.
Each Sunday, the congregation (church) takes a single collection during the service and gives it to a non-profit educational or social change agency. To find out which group is receiving the offering this month please check the calendar.
The congregation has formed connections with like-minded groups working within this inter-connected web, including The New Haven Children's Preschool, The New Haven/Leon Sister City Project, New Haven Bioregional Committee, and The Connecticut Coalition to end the Death Penalty.
There are clusters of members within the congregation who are also involved in fundraising and activism for various causes, including AIDS, hunger, peace, environmentalism and justice. Some members contribute their money and/or time to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC), a service agency that promotes self-determination and grass-roots activism around the world.
Many people get depressed around the holidays. We have learned that roasting turkeys and baking pies for the Community Thanksgiving Dinner sponsored by the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen puts the "holy" in holiday.
Please come and visit with us on Sunday and ask us about spirituality and social concern. You will find that each individual will have their own perspective and their own answer to your question.
You may also want to visit these outside links:
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
UU Global AIDS Coalition - Home
UU Ministry for Earth - What's New
Unitarian Universalists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Unitarian Universalists for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
UUs for a Just Economic Community http://www.uujec.org/
Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office
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