The mission of the Social Justice Team of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Middleborough is to help the congregation take actions that create positive change in people, in our communities and in the world. Unitarian Universalism is a covenantal theology of engagement. We covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of all people and to promote respect for the interdependent web of creation of which we are a part. We draw inspiration and truth from experiencing each other and the world around us. We witness both the beauty and brokenness of our world, and we choose to do social justice work to recognize the beauty and to address the brokenness.
We seek to explore and address issues of systemic privilege and oppression. We look to build partnerships with other faiths and secular groups, to build bridges across barriers of race, class, sexuality and gender, abilities and the generations. We look to strengthen coalitions for justice by working as accountable partners in local projects. Projects may include education, raising awareness about justice issues, advocacy, public witnessing and service. Accountability includes a willingness to take on supportive roles and receive leadership from marginalized groups.
How our work is done is as important as the end goal of promoting justice. We work to stay conscious of the ways that race, class and other privileges advantage one group while simultaneously disadvantaging others. We also strive to be aware that the benefits the privileged receive operate to perpetuate the status quo. If the justice work we do helps build community – rather than create division – we will move ourselves, our communities and the goals of justice forward.
