“Justice is what LOVE looks like in public.” ~ Cornel West

Serve the Community

At the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville we help one another, we help others in our community, and we work towards righting injustice in the world. Volunteering in the broader Gainesville community is an important part of our ministry, and we are active in a wide range of programs. From helping children in Alachua County schools, to working for affordable housing, there is much we do to try and make Gainesville and the larger world a better place.

Social Justice in Action at UUFG

Taking a stand as a Congregation on a social justice issue requires a vote of the membership, and we currently hold a Congregational Meeting each winter to debate and decide on such issues. These meetings have resulted in Proclamations, Statements of Conscience, and specific actions by the Congregation.

In addition, many individual UUFG members choose to make personal commitments to social justice work which they do with others in the congregation or in other groups or on their own. This year, congregation members will be asked to make personal covenants about social justice actions which we will undertake.

The several Social Justice Teams of UUFG engage in ongoing study and action all year long, and always welcome your input, support, and help.

The Social Justice Council, Action Teams and Liaisons, and the Social Justice Circle facilitate the work of the congregation. The four focus areas for 2022 are:

Environmental Justice — Alice Gridley
Democracy — Nancy Parkinson
Economic Justice — Lisa Renner and Joy Avery
Racial Justice — Zoharah Simmons

Upcoming at UUFG

It Can’t Happen Here,
A Play about Democracy
October 7th, 14th, and November 4th
It Can’t Happen Here is a Radio Play based on the 1935 book by Sinclair Lewis. It is produced by Actors’ Warehouse and sponsored by the Social Justice Council of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville (UUFG).

Performances: October 7th ,14th , November 4th, at 7:30 pm

In UUFG’s Sanctuary
4225 NW 34th Street, Gainesville, Florida

Purchase tickets by donating at the door – sliding scale from 10 – 30+ dollars. Proceeds fund the work of Actors’ Warehouse and the UUFG Social Justice Council. Reserve tickets: https://www.actorswarehouse.org/

Described by Actors’ Warehouse as “a cautionary dark satire about the fragility of democracy and how fascism can take hold even in the land of liberty,” It Can’t Happen Here follows the ascent of a demagogue who becomes president of the United States by promising to return the country to greatness.

Volunteer in Our Community

Our Social Justice Circle is facilitating work at two locations for our 2024-2025 church year. We’ll gather at the locations on a monthly basis from September 2024 through May 2025. For more information or if you’d like to help, contact Judi Oltmans at rjmsoltmans@yahoo.com.

Grace Marketplace UUFG Volunteer Days
3055 NE 28th Dr, Gainesville, FL 32609
Saturday, September 28: 10:00-12:00
Saturday, November 23: 10:00-12:00
Saturday, December 28: 10:00-12:00
Saturday, January 25: 10:00-12:00
Saturday, February 22: 10:00-12:00
Saturday, March 22: 10:00-12:00
Saturday, May 24: 10:00-12:00

Food4Kids UUFG Volunteer Day
350 NW 39th Ave Suite D, Gainesville, FL 32609
Saturday, October 19: 10:00-12:00
Saturday, April 5: 10:00-12:00

The Social Justice Circle meets most months on the third Sunday at 1:30 p.m. for anyone interested in Social Justice, to share ideas and plans, and support each other’s work. For information about Social Justice activities at our Fellowship, contact Mary Bahr, at kmlisle.mary@gmail.com.