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May 15, 2012
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Welcome to the May 15th edition of Justice Calls, 2012! This month affords lots of new opportunities to be informed and get involved. Learn about "Our Friends Place," an agency for underserved girls and women, at this month's social action monthly forum. Or come to the Interfaith Healthcare Forum to learn about the Dallas healthcare situation and what you can do about it. Note also that Faith Voices on Justice this month will showcase topics on Food Hunger and Justice, and Frances Moore Lappe, author of "Diet for a Small Planet," will speak at First Jefferson UU Church in June.
Our Voter Participation Drive continues, and you still have a chance to help "our" refugee family. Or check out the opportunity to be part of the "Get your Golf on" fundraising drive for the Dallas Durable Medical Equipment Exchange.
For those of you who feel called to engage more deeply with social justice in the context of our broader movement, consider coming to this year's Justice GA, a one-time opportunity to engage in social justice work with the Unitarian Universalist Association as a whole. Don't forget to check out the menu at the left for other interesting and engaging ways to get involved.
In the spirit of deepening our understanding while making a difference, Ellen Ministerial Resident for Social Justice First Unitarian Church Dallas (214) 884 - 1232 ellen@dallasuu.org
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------------ First Church Events ------------
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 Social Action Council Monthly Meeting
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If you are curious about what the Social Action Council (SAC) does, please join us for a meeting. You'll hear what our teams are doing. Environment recently held a panel discussion on Earth Day featuring members of our congregation who have changed how they live and put their environmental beliefs into practice. Rights of Women is hosting the SAC Forum on June 10. The Democracy and Voting team has been busy registering voters and planning for a busy season of registration and education. Come see what the Social Justice and International Outreach teams are planning.
Sunday, May 20 9 am Room 213, Hallman Bldg. Return |
 Immigration - Taking Action!
| | | DREAM Act and Voter Participation
As we move forward with our immigration project we are focusing on two critical areas:
- Advocacy for the Dream Act - led by Gretchen Ferris
- Increasing Voter Participation - led by Jack Youngkin and Joel Wolf
Sunday, May 27
10:00 am
Room 301
Both of these groups are putting plans in place for concrete actions in 2012. Please join us to learn more and get involved, or contact Social Action Council member, David Overton (tdover3@aol.com), or Ministerial Resident, Ellen Quaadgras (ellen@dallasuu.org), to add your name to our immigration distribution list.
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"The Least of These"
| | Journey Toward Wholeness (JTW) Film of the Month
We will continue immigration stories as First Unitarian sends delegates to the UUA witness aroun immigration at General Assembly in Phoenix. On Friday June 8 Journey Toward Wholeness will show "The Least of These," the documentary of the notorious T Don Hutto Residential Center opened in 2006 to hold detained undocumented families in Texas. Its abuses were exposed by three women: an immigration attorney, an ACLU attorney and a Women's Refugee Commission member. All screenings are free and followed by lively discussion. Friday, June 8th
7pm
Room 304 in the Hallman Building
Elevator providing access to the room will run between 6:30 and 7:30
To be placed on JTW's reminder list, please contact Social Action Council member, Mary Lou Hoffman, at mlhoffman3@gmail.com.
Note: "Journey Toward Wholeness" is the name for the UUA's anti-oppression, anti-racism multicultural initiative. Taking part in any of these activities is a great way to gain a deeper awareness of what it means to be "white" or a "person of color," in our culture, and how each of us can help undo the legacy that racism has left in our society. To read more about the history of the Journey Toward Wholeness Program at the First Unitarian Church of Dallas, click here. Return |
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Social Action Council Monthly Forum
Our Friends Place
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Join us to hear Sue Thiers Hesseltine, Executive Director of "Our Friends Place." Our Friends Place is a non-profit agency dedicated to providing a foundation for girls and young women to learn a self-reliant approach to their own development by breaking the generational cycles of abuse, neglect, poverty, and homelessness, and allowing them the opportunity to reach their full potential as women. Come to learn about this wonderful organization and to see how you can help. For more information contact First Church members Gwen at sac.chair@dallasuu.org, or Susybelle at sac.womenrights@dallasuu.org.
Sunday, June 10th
10 am
Room 301, Hallman Building
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------------ Local/Community Events ------------
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Dallas Area Interfaith:
Monthly Meeting |
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Our focus this month will be health care. Join us to hear about our plans for the Asthma Health Fair on Saturday, May 19 at Our Lady of Lourdes in conjunction with "Not One More Life" and the "Interfaith Healthcare Forum." At 7 pm, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 5605 Bernal Dr, Dallas, Texas 75212.
Thursday, May 17th
7 pm
Our Lady of Lourdes Church
605 Bernal Dr
Dallas, Texas 75212
For more information please contact First Church members Gwen Lummus at 214-543-4390 or Alan Lummus at 214-926-4148.
Dallas Area Interfaith (DAI) empowers members to act in the interests of their families and communities, helping these congregations become an effective force for promoting faith values and democratic traditions.
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NDSM Fundraiser - A Night of Greek Food & Music!
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North Dallas Shared Ministries will hold its Annual Fundraiser on FRIDAY, MAY 18TH. Enjoy taste tempting Greek cuisine, a Silent Auction, and performances by the Festival Greek Dancers and the Cat Daddies.
Friday, May 18
6 p.m.
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
13555 Hillcrest
Tours of the church, whose Byzantine architecture replicates that of Saint Sophia's Basilica in Istanbul, will be offered. Silent Auction and tours begin at 6 p.m.; dinner & music start at 7:15. For reservations ($35), go to www.ndsm.org (click on Annual Gala).
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| Asthma Health Fair |
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Sponsored by Dallas Area Interfaith and Not One More Life, the Asthma Health Fair will have asthma screenings and education. For information, to sign up for a screening, or to volunteer, contact Santiago Molina at skillquest_smolina@yahoo.com.
Saturday, May 19th
10am - 3pm
Our Lady of Lourdes Church
605 Bernal Dr
Dallas, Texas 75212
Dallas Area Interfaith (DAI) empowers members to act in the interests of their families and communities, helping these congregations become an effective force for promoting faith values and democratic traditions.
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| Interfaith Healthcare Forum |
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Dallas Area Interfaith and Temple Emanu-El's Just Congregations invite you to an Interfaith Healthcare Forum. Come prepared to learn, discuss and act on these questions: What are the healthcare challenges facing families in North Texas, and what is the Affordable Care Act and how does it affect you?
Tuesday, May 22
7:30 pm
Pollman Hall, Temple Emanu-El
8500 Hillcrest at NW Hwy
RSVP to Karen Howson, Rabbinic Assistant to Rabbi Asher Knight, khowson@tedallas.org or 214-706-0026.
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Faith Voices on Justice:
Food, Hunger and Justice
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We will celebrate the end of the Spring 2012 Faith Voices on Justice series with a potluck supper focusing on local ingredients and featuring local food justice activists with theological reflection by our own Susie Marshall, director of The Gleaning Network of Texas.
The format is a presentation, plenary question and answer session, and small group discussion and networking.
May 24, 2012
7 - 8:45 p.m.
Northaven UMC Sanctuary
11211 Preston Road
Dallas, TX 75230
Co-sponsored by Northaven United Methodist Church and the Dallas Area Christian Progressive Alliance, Faith Voices on Justice addresses the foundations of social justice and its specific issues in a coherent and challenging way. Our purpose is to educate, advocate, and activate around justice to strengthen Northaven's understanding and practice of justice, the justice ministries of other participating faith communities, and our mutual efforts. Get more information.
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Frances Moore Lapp� at First Jefferson UU Church
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| On Sunday, June 24, First Jefferson will have Frances Moore Lapp� as a visiting speaker. Lapp� is the author of 18 books, including Diet for a Small Planet, which has sold over 3 million copies worldwide. Her most recent book (2011) is EcoMind: Changing the Way We Think To Create the World We Want. (See article at http://greensourcedfw.org/articles/eco-mind-noted-author-frances-moore-lappe, or http://smallplanet.org/)
Sunday, June 24
11 am
First Jefferson Church
1959 Sandy Lane
Fort Worth, TX 76112
In 2002, Lapp� founded the Small Planet Institute with her daughter, a collaborative network for research and education to bring democracy to life. She has received 17 honorary doctorates. Lappe grew up in Fort Worth, and her parents, John and Ina Moore, founded the First Unitarian Church in Fort Worth. Historian Howard Zinn wrote: "A small number of people in every generation are forerunners, in thought, action, spirit, who swerve past the barriers of greed and power to hold a torch high for the rest of us. Lapp� is one of those."
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-------------- UUA Events --------------
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Justice GA in Phoenix Arizona!
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 Learn what makes the Unitarian Universalist Association tick. Have an impact on our movement as a whole. Get engaged with Social Justice locally and nationally: Come to Justice GA, this year's General Assembly of our Unitarian Universalist Association!
While our yearly General Assemblies are always a time for learning and sharing and connection with brother and sister churches in our movement, General Assembly 2012 will, for the first time, be focused primarily on social justice work, as we protest the human rights abuses suffered under legislation such as SB1070 in Arizona.
This gathering will afford multiple ways of engaging in justice work for people of all ages. Joining with the people of Arizona, we will worship, witness, learn and work together. We will leave General Assembly grounded in our faith, energized for justice and with resources to bring this work home to our congregations. More information.
This is a historic moment.
Be part of the story.
For further details or to find out how you can become a delegate for our congregation, contact Ellen Quaadgras, Ministerial Resident for Social Justice at ellen@dallasuu.org.
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-------------- Celebrating Successes --------------
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"Make Someone Happy" Shoe Drive - THANK YOU!
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 A big "THANKS!!" goes to all of you who contributed to the shoe drive in April. Some of the donated shoes have already found their way onto the feet of patients at Terrell State Hospital. Some have been delivered to the International Rescue Committee, a Dallas based organization dedicated to providing for refugee families in the area. Some have been delivered to Hope's Door, an organization based in Plano that cares for battered women and their children. And some of the shoes will soon be delivered to Cornerstone Church for distribution to families in need in South Dallas. The shoes you gave are making a difference. Again, "thanks". For more information about the Shoe Bank, go to www.shoebank.org.
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-------------- Volunteer Opportunities --------------
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 Support "our" Bhutanese Refugee family |
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At this writing things are winding down on our work with our Bhutanese/Nepali family. We are in the final stages of budget training and working toward getting at least one family member successfully through the driver license process (2 have permits!). The parents are still working on their ESL training, the older two children are working at minimum wage, the deaf son is learning ASL and the youngest two are in high school. We have gotten most of them through basic health screenings and are working on specialized tests such as vision.
We are so grateful for the help and gifts of time, talent, money and material that so many of our congregation have shared. Special appreciation goes to Mary Koi, Nancy Bateman, Kelly Harrison, Chris Cox, Bill Maxwell, Linda Sikes, Minoru Koi and David Gray for going the distance on this program.
WORK NEEDED: If you have the ability to provide work for a mature, determined and capable man, non-English-speaking, please contact Nancy or Mary right away.
FUNDS NEEDED: We welcome financial donations to support this work. Donations can be made online through the church website (NOTE REFUGEE FAMILY in the comment box) or at the church office. All funds collected through church will be used to defray costs for special needs (medical items not covered by their short term medicaid plan) and to help with emergencies which are bound to come up as they gain their financial footing.
If you have questions or want to offer your assistance, contact either Nancy Bateman (214-342-2019) or Mary Koi (214-265-7789), members of the First Unitarian Church of Dallas' Refugee Services team.
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Voter Registration - Volunteers Needed!
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On Saturday, May 19th, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish is hosting a health fair and the Democracy and Immigration Teams will be conducting voter registration. Volunteers are needed for the 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. shift, and the 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. shift. Please email sac.democracy@dallasuu.org if you can work one of these shifts.
If you have not received your certification as a Deputy Registrar, I encourage you to do so. Please check the Dallas County Elections website at www.dalcoelections.org for information on the next one-hour training session at which you can become certified and receive you official credentials. It is just a matter of showing up at the training session and filling out the forms. No test or other requirements except you must meet the same criteria as a registered voter.
Saturday, May 19 Shifts: 10am-12:30pm, 12:30pm-3pm Our Lady of Lourdes Parish 5605 Bernal Dr. Dallas, Texas 75212 Please contact First Church member Jack at sac.democracy@dallasuu.org for more information or to sign up. Hope you will join us!
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Volunteer with the North Texas Food Bank
You Can Help!
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There were lots of "meat and potato" meals created Wednesday afternoon May 2nd, at the North Texas Food Bank. That's 21,209 to be exact! That breaks out to 9900 lbs. of meat and 15,647 lbs. of potatoes!
There were 14 of us UU's and friends plus 40 Target employee volunteers either sorting the frozen meat packages into boxes by category or bagging the loose potatoes (from VERY large bins) into 2 lb. bags and then packing them for shipment on 25 pallets out to the member agencies.
Another fun day at the Food Bank, with a different assignment every time. What stays the same, however, is the great feeling of accomplishment and gratitude, knowing you've had a part in taking care of our community.
Would you like to be a part of this UU helping hand? Our next scheduled shifts are:
Wednesdays: June 6, July 11, August 8 
12:45 to 3:30 pm
Exact location, TBD (one of the two NTFB warehouses just south of Loop 12 at Cockrell Hill Rd)
Note: children 10 years and older are also invited to volunteer, so make it a family event, and bring them with you while school is out!
Check out www.ntfb.org for more information or contact church member Susan Thrower at susan.thrower@gmail.com.
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White Rock Lake Shoreline Clean-up
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As evidenced by recent grass roots efforts to preserve White Rock Lake Park, this is indeed a special place to the people of Dallas! Join us in keeping it clean and sparkling.
Before you head to our designated shoreline you can go to the For the Love of the Lake Office in the Casa Linda Plaza (across from Doctors Hospital) for complimentary Starbucks coffee, muffins, baked goodies, juice and milk, available starting at 8 AM. You can also go directly to our shoreline on West Lawther between Fisher Road and Branch field around 8:30 AM. Water, grabbers, bags and gloves will be provided.
Saturdays: June 9th, July 14th
Starting at 8:30am
West Lawther, between Fisher and Branchfield (boat launch parking lot)
For more information call First Church members Chris or Mike Rambo at 214-232-3350 or email mcrambo2@yahoo.com.
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Support DME Exchange of Dallas and
"Get Your Golf On"! |
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American Mobility Federation and DME Exchange of Dallas are joining together to sponsor a golf tournament to raise money for DME Exchange, a non-profit dedicated to providing wheelchairs, hospital beds, walkers and other
durable medical equipment to those in need in our community.
Volunteers Are Needed To Play in the Tournament and to:
* Enlist players or sponsors
* Solicit or donate player prizes, raffle prizes or silent auction prizes
* Stuff gift bags
* Help with publicity or invitations
* Help with Website and Facebook page
* Volunteer during the event
Tuesday, June 12
Canyon Creek Country Club
625 West Lookout Drive
Richardson, TX 75080
To register to play in the tournament or volunteer or donate to the golf tournament, send an email to Linda Pomarantz, of DME Exchange, and put "GOLF" in the subject line. Her contact info is lindamari718@sbcglobal.net. Click for more information.
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SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS CALENDAR
| | Visual Calendar Link on This Page!
We've created a feature that isolates all the Social Justice events on the Church Calendar for easy review. Click the calendar link in the left column of this email to see this month's opportunities!
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If you have a volunteer opportunity or article you would like to submit to "Justice Calls," please email it to me at ellen@dallasuu.org, at least 5 business days before the publish date, which is the 15th of every month.
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Please feel free to forward this email widely. If you received this email as a forward from someone else, please sign up to receive Social Justice emails directly, so you don't miss anything! You can do that by clicking the "Join Our Mailing List" link to the left and making sure to select "Social Justice" as one of your interest areas. We also have laptops and helpers at the welcome center in Channing Hall after services to aid folks in navigating our 1st U online communications, like DU, Justice Calls Weekly and other e-newsletters, our online calendar, and our First Unitarian Church of Dallas Facebook page! Please send your fellow church members who need a little computer help our way!
Ellen QuaadgrasResident Minister for Social Justice First Unitarian Church Dallas (214) 884-1232
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