Greetings from the Social Justice Committee! We hope your year is looking up so far. Ours has certainly been exciting. For example, at the time of this writing, we’ve collected $326.08 for the Guest at your Table collection. That amount will go up, because we were just handed another box chock full of change to count. As noted previously, this collection benefits the UU Service Committee which works with grassroots groups around the globe serving issues of social justice and fighting poverty.

Our Angel Tree drive, meanwhile, brought in $1002.00, totaling a whopping 9 tons of food for local families just when the need is greatest. Reverend Henry will deliver the check to a very grateful Crisis Center of Reisterstown. Once again, we were overwhelmed by the generosity of our congregation, including the children who so cheerfully helped create the angels for the tree and donated whatever they could.

Due to the success of the Angel Tree drive and the on-going need for food in our community, the Social Justice Committee is working the with Cedarhurst’s board of directors to allocate a day each month for a Social Justice luncheon after service. Your donation of $5.00 to partake in the luncheon will benefit the Crisis Center of Reisterstown so that we can “feed the community while feeding ourselves.” Our first Social Justice Committee luncheon will be held after service on February 14.

The Social Justice Committee is proud to announce that Cedarhurst will participate in the “Standing on the Side of Love” campaign, which is a project of the UUA to “mobilize UUs and allies in response to identity-based violence, exclusion and oppression.” In keeping with this celebration of love, the Social Justice Committee is working with Reverend Henry and the Cedarhurst choir to produce a very special Valentines Day (2/14) service. We hope you all can join us for this unique and universal celebration of love.

We also hope you can join us for our next Social Justice Committee meeting, which is scheduled to take place after the Social Justice Luncheon on February 14.

S.J. Calendar:

Jan. 8-10: Living Wage Days
Jan. 10: SJ Committee Meeting
Jan. 18: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Jan. 22: Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

2/12: Freedom to Marry Day
2/14: Standing on the Side of Love Service/Social Justice luncheon ($5)
2/16: Presidents Day