Issue 37: May 2007, page 5

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News From PSD Congregations

Congratulations to the people of Shawnee Mission UU Church (Overland Park, KS), who are celebrating their 40th anniversary on May 20, with a picnic after church. Recently, their newsletter has featured “news” from previous decades, and a gathering of past Presidents earlier in the year brought many people together.

The UU Fellowship of Winona (MN) observed their 20th anniversary with a special dinner on April 28. Many past and present members of the fellowship were present.

The UU Society of Iowa City (IA) is celebrating its 10th anniversary as a Welcoming Congregation and as an Interweave Chapter on May 18. They have been involved in advocacy work, service projects, and education to raise people’s awareness on the issue of equal rights for all. One example: Interweave donated twenty books on LBGTQ issues, including books for children, youth, and adults, to the church library.

Beyond Guilt or Anger

Over 150 people at First Universalist Church in Minneapolis attended a three-session series in March on the topic of Beyond Guilt or Anger: Why Care about Racial Justice.

Debra Rodgers, Social Justice Coordinator for First Universalist, said the congregation created this opportunity to study the issue in part because of the UUA General Assembly resolution in 2006, urging every UU congregation to address race or class issues.

Partnering with a local leader in racial justice work, the Organizing Apprenticeship Project (OAP), which receives some funds from the First Universalist Foundation, the planners created a three-session series. The workshops included a session on a publication by OAP, the Minnesota Legislative Report Card on Racial Equity of 2005, which gave the Minnesota State Legislature an F grade overall, and the Minnesota Governor a grade of C–. The report stated, “The hard truth is that in Minnesota, one’s real access to opportunity, one’s real ability to build a strong and healthy family and community, is strongly limited by the color of one’s skin and the homeland of one’s ancestors. No matter how hard you work. No matter what your dreams. (And no matter what most of us would like to believe.)” At another session, the congregation hosted a panel examining the impact of race on the public education system in the Twin Cities.

The choice of the title Beyond Guilt or Anger was intentional, said Deb. “Generally when you talk about race, guilt and anger are the feelings that emerge or erupt first. But we wanted to go beyond that — beyond an anti-racism training — to a deeper exploration of the impact of race on policies, on people and on our future.”

What were some of the lessons learned by participants? One was a beginning understanding of the tools and long term commitment needed to challenge racist behaviors and attitudes in institutions. Other key lessons included:

• Good intentions are not enough. We must stand for what we believe in.
• Ambitious policy solutions must promote accountability.
• The notion of “color blindness” — ignoring race and racism — is increasingly used to discredit and dismantle race-conscious remedies for persistent social problems.
• Each of us has the choice to either reveal or conceal racism, by naming it, framing it, and explaining it.

The congregation is exploring how to continue this work.

Midwest Leadership School

Experience a whole new level
of Unitarian Universalism!

Leadership School is an intensive week of workshops, discussion groups, interactions, and fun with UU peers.

July 21–28, 2007
Beloit, Wisconsin
See http://www.psduua.org/mwls

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