The committee merged the Social Justice Network and Social Action Committees into one Committee. The focus for the Committee for 2022 was to restructure the committee, reinstitute monthly Special Collections, and offer monthly opportunities for the congregation to gather around social justice causes.
Members of Social Action Committee: Carol Ann Davidson, Jane Martin, Patricia Erdmann, Alison Stokes, Hugh Handeyside, Mike Cox, and Jeff Philip. Rev. Zackrie and Archer Philip also attend Committee meetings.
2022 Initiatives
For 2022 we organized activities into three areas.
- Special Collections
- Activities
- Sermons
We highlight the outcome for each of these areas below.
Special Collections
We collected almost $6000 from our special collections this year. The entities we collected were Seattle Clemency Project; Youth Care; CARE Ukraine Crisis Fund; Children’s Climate Trust; Peaceful Morning Farm; Kingston LGBTQ+?; Cedars UU Church/Super Suppers; Helpline House Project Backpack; Crop Walk; Earth Justice; Fishline Christmas Child Campaign; and YWCA Alive Shelter
Activities
Social Justice Charter: The committee completed a new Social Action Charter for the Organizational Handbook. Carol Ann Davidson drafted the Charter. The Charter combines the Social Action and Social Justice Network Committees. The new charter was approved by the Board in July 2022.
Super Suppers: We participated the last Tuesday each month withCongregation Kol Shalom to offer a free meal at Eagle Harbor Congregational Church to all comers. Each month there are about 30 meals served. Penny Brewer organized the events.
Kingston LGBTQ+ Middle/High School groups: Patricia Erdmann organized the event which collected a variety of craft materials for group meetings at Kingston Middle School.
Fishline: Participated in food sorting at Fishline in Poulsbo. Hugh Handeyside organized the event.
Bainbridge Youth Services: Participated in the Bainbridge Youth Services Hope Glows event by handing out glow sticks to highlight the importance of youth mental health.
Earth Day Bainbridge Island Parks and Recreation Celebration: Rev. Zackrie held an abbreviated worship service under a canopy tent at Rotary Park. Afterwards Cedars volunteers assisted with BI Parks activities such as weeding and planting wildflowers. Refreshments were served. Michael Cox and Alison Stokes organized the event.
Japanese Exclusion Memorial Parks and Recreation Work Party: Participated in a work party at the Exclusion Memorial arranged by Alison Stokes. There were about 15 members who participated.
Youth vs Gov documentary: Rev. Zackrie and Archer Philip organized and hosted the showing of the film Youth vs Gov which tells the story of the 12 youth who sued the federal government for a future livable climate. Approximately 10 people attended.
Gay Pride Celebration: We participated in the Bainbridge Island Gay Pride event at the waterfront. Alison Stokes and Archer Philip organized a booth where there was storytelling and refreshments.
Alive Shelter: Collected several bags of children and women’s clothes for the shelter in Bremerton. Carol Ann Davidson organized.
Mask Recycling Box: Carol Ann Davidson initiated a program to recycle masks with assistance from Jane Martin and Herb Hethcote. We purchased a box for the Cedars Center and provided one at Sunday services. We also advertised on the Zero Waste Bainbridge website for community collection as well. We are now on our second box.
Food Donation: Archer Philip organized a food drive for Helpline and Fishline House that collected over 60 pounds of food.
T-Shirts: Carol Ann Davidson initiated making the t-shirts and Carolyn Kempkes created the design. The t-shirts were sold as Cedars Serving Justice with Compassion T-shirts to wear during community events.
Get out the vote: Wrote over 100 postcards encouraging people to vote in Arizona.
Community Loaves: Baked over 100 cookies and three loaves of bread for Helpline house.
Suquamish Museum: Sunday service was at the Suquamish Museum. We received a tour of the museum and then had a coffee hour. About 30 people attended.
Climate Smart Challenge: 18 families joined the Climate Smart Challenge. Each family determined their carbon footprint and identified actions they could take to reduce their footprint. Mike Cox led the effort.
Interfaith Council: Several Cedar members (Penny Brewer, Fran Korten, and Mike Cox) helped form an Interfaith Council Climate Circle. The Climate Circle wrote an article for the BI review and is working on developing a climate pledge. There are 14 members of the Circle from various congregations and organizations. The group participated in IFC Thanksgiving Service. Johanna Munson is the co-chair of the IFC.
Sermons
Embracing the Interdependent Web of Life: Fran Korten and Mike Cox led a service discussing the UU’s 7th principle. The service looked at how our 7th principle relates to ourselves, our culture, our Earth, and our future.
A Case for Pride: Rev. Zackrie discussed how pride is more than a parade or a party, it’s a chance to fight shame, social stigma, and violence–all while having a good time. The service explored the important role that Pride events play in society at large.
Let’s Get Out the Vote: Johanna Munson lead a service where we prepared letters for mailing to Nevada voters in the fall.
Buddhist Approaches to Nuclear Issues: Rev. Senji Kanaeda & Rev. Gilberto Z. Perez from Nippozan Myohoji Buddhist Temple shared their commitment to nuclear disarmament and how this commitment is rooted in their Buddhist faith.
Sharing our Call to Climate Action: John Kydd along with Fran Korten, Penny Brewer, and Mike Cox lead the service. The service explored actions we feel called to take, small or large, all are important.
Sharing Our Sustenance: Archer Philip led the service that featured a food drive for those who are struggling to feed families or themselves.
2023 Plans
The Board of Trustees has indicated Social Action/Justice is one of their top priorities for 2023. To that end, the Committee will continue to emphasize the three areas indicated above: special collection, activities, and sermons. We will continue to contribute to local community events and to increase our collaboration with other UU groups and with the Interfaith Council.