On Thursday June 9th at 6:30pm, on Zoom, we will have a special called Social Justice Call to Action Meeting to vote on two separate position statements.
Click here to register for the zoom event.
In accordance with our bylaws these position statements have been approved by the Board to be considered by the congregation in a Social Justice Call to Action Meeting, and is being announced early enough that "all members have the opportunity to plan to attend or submit a written statement of their position to be read at the meeting if they are not able to attend. The written statement will consist of not more than 300 words and will not constitute a vote."
The bylaws also say "It is the responsibility of members who agree or disagree with a position either to attend the meeting or submit a written statement of their position because our action or inaction as a congregation on any ethical, social, or justice issue should not be dictated by lack of interest in attending a meeting."
These Statements will be considered and voted on separately, and are as follows:
HVUUC Statement in Support of Reproductive Freedom and Sexual health
Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church affirms and promotes:
• The wholeness and inherent worth and dignity of every person.
• The freedom of all people to access the knowledge and support they need to make—and act on—informed decisions about their own bodies and healthcare.
• Bodily autonomy.
Sexual and reproductive freedom is intrinsically linked with racial justice, economic justice, environmental justice, and LGBTQ+ justice. HVUUC works to actively and intentionally build a world in which all people make decisions about their own bodies and their own health in safe, just, compassionate community. This includes:
• Supporting every person’s freedom to begin, prevent, or terminate a pregnancy,
• Promoting access to facts—and affirmation—around bodies, orientations, gender, and relationships.
• Gender-equity and anti oppression work.
HVUUC supports the right of conscience, non-violent civil disobedience, and the use of the democratic process to create a more just world.
[UUA statement on reproductive justice as a reference: https://www.uua.org/reproductive]
HVUUC Statement in Support of Economic Justice
The continuing escalation of economic inequity and institutional racism are at the foundation of injustices ranging from climate change to homelessness and hunger, from worker exploitation to scarcity of affordable mental and medical healthcare.
These issues touch on our Unitarian Universalist Principles and call us to journey toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions
Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church pledges to work together as a church to dismantle these systems of injustice and affirm and promote the rights of all people to lead healthy lives with economic stability, housing and food security, and racial equity. More than temporary help, this involves supporting fundamental changes to “the way we have always done it.”
HVUUC supports the right of conscience, non-violent civil disobedience, and the use of the democratic process to create a more just world.
[UUA statement on Economic Justice as a reference: https://www.uua.org/economic]