Co-Chairs: Lucy Lewis, Lori Hoyt, and Miriam Thompson
Mission Statement
The mission of the Charles M. Jones Peace and Justice
Committee of the Community Church of Chapel Hill
Unitarian Universalist is to lead and engage all ages
of the congregation in working for peace and justice
through study, action and financial support. The
Committee focuses on challenging systems and
addressing the root causes and effects of injustice,
inequality, war and oppression locally, nationally and
internationally, and uniting our efforts with other
Unitarian Universalist and activist organizations
where possible. The Committee strives to carry on the
activist tradition of the Community Church both within
and beyond our church walls in the spirit of Charles
M. Jones.
MEETINGS
Meeting time: First Tuesday of every month at 7:00 PM
Meeting Place: The Kirby Room
New folks invited!
ONGOING ACTIVITIES
Summer Straley Series Lecture/Discussions: lectures
and discussions on major policy issues, featuring
prominent local leaders. activists, and scholars.
Topics in 2007, for example, included: Legislating
Social Justice, Addressing Education Achievement Gaps
in our Public Schools, and a trip to a migrant farm
worker camp led by Farmworker Support Action Team from
ERUUF
Working on UUA Study/Action Issues, for example:
2006-2007: "Peacemaking"
Informing the Congregations of opportunities to engage
in world and local issues through tabling, "Beyond
these Wall" (pulpit editorials) letter writing,
petitions, lectures and forums and organizing action
groups. Example: On Sept. 1st, P&J is sponsoring a
special dialogue with Dr. Morgan at 4PM at the First
Baptist Church, Rosemary and Roberson Streets.
Recommending to the Board of Directors of outreach
support to social justice groups with whom committee
and church members work in solidarity.
Community Groups to which P+J sends a representative:
Orange County Peace Coalition - meets bi-monthly, 2nd
Monday at 7:30 PM at Chapel Hill Friends Meeting.
P&J Representative: Chris Lillie
Community Group which meets regularly at the Church:
Balance and Accuracy in Journalism (BAJ) - meets 2nd
Wednesday at 7:30 pm in Commons at the Community
Church
Community Groups which sometimes meet at the Church:
Coalition for Peace with Justice
Carolina Interfaith Task Force on Central America (CITCA).
Witness of Peace
RECENT ACTIVITIES
Major Demonstration at Smithfield Foods Shareholder Meeting - Wed, Aug. 29th
Participants stood with Smithfield workers in protest at Smithfield's Annual Shareholders Meeting, which took place in Williamsburg, VA.
Special Labor Day Meeting
Labor Day Saturday, September 1st, 4 p. m. at First
Baptist Church, on Roberson St. between Franklin and
Rosemary: Rev. Dr. Marvin Morgan, Minister of Pastoral
Care, First Congregational Church in Atlanta Georgia,
and the Faith Community Coordinator of the Smithfield
Justice Campaign, discussed how and why we can help
insure the Smithfield workers gain justice and union
recognition. Rev. J. R. Manley, Minister of First
Baptist Church of Chapel Hill for 60 years, graciously offered the Fellowship Hall at First
Baptist for this meeting.
ARRANGED BY the Charles M. Jones Peace and Justice
Committee in conjuction with the local NAACP, Fred
Battle, President.
Annual Labor Day Service: Sunday, September 2, 2007, 10:30
"Which Side Are You On: Building Faith, Community and
Labor alliances - The Smithfield Justice Campaign
Special guest, Rev. Dr. Marvin Morgan, Minister of
Pastoral Care, First Congregational UCC, Atlanta
Georgia.
Civil Rights Remembrance
The Community Church banner (held by Susan Spalt, Morris Hudgins, and Peggy Misch) (Mayor Kevin Foy stands in front of it), was prominent in a recent celebration of an event in the early days of the civil rights struggle in Chapel Hill. For a report of the event, click here. The photo including our banner can be expanded by clicking on it.
Triangle UU Social Justice Empowerment Workshop
Saturday, March 8, 2008, 8:30 - 4:00
All members of the congregations of The Community
Church of Chapel HIll, Eno River Unitarian
Universalist Fellowship, and The Unitarian
Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh were invited to the
Triangle Unitarian Universalist Social Justice
Empowerment Workshop. This event was held at Eno
River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 4907 Garrett
Road, Durham, NC, on Saturday, March 8, 2008, 8:30 -
4:00. Lunch and childcare were provided. Leaders
of the three congregations also met Friday
evening March 7, 2008, a unique time to network with
Triangle UU Church!
This was an opportunity to improve the way we impact the world beyond our walls,
to develop diverse, church-wide goals, and to plan with
the other UU congregations of the Triangle.
Workshop Facilitators:
The Reverend Carole Ann Cole is a 1986 graduate of
Starr KingSeminary. Since that time she has lived in
Santa Barbara, California, and has served as part-time
Assistant Minister at the Santa Barbara Unitarian
Society, and part-time Consulting Minister at the Ojai
Fellowship. As a Community Minister she has served as
Multicultural Community Organizer for the
Multicultural Community Partnership, Co-Director of
the Unitarian Society multicultural community building
Rainbow Bridge Project, and Public Affairs Director
for the environmental group Get Oil Out. She has also
been a Facilitator for the UUA Social Justice
Empowerment Workshop Program since 1992, and is
currently a Consultant for the UUA Dept. of
Congregational Advocacy and Witness, and a part-time
Chaplain at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
The Rev. Cynthia Prescott is the Minister of the
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Clemson, South
Carolina. She has served that congregation since 2000.
Cynthia is a graduate of Starr King School for the
Ministry. She has been a Facilitator in the
Empowerment Program since 1992.
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For more information about Peace and Justice activities see the current Community Church newsletter (available here) or contact Co-chairs Lucy Lewis, Lori Hoyt, and Miriam Thompson.