Social Justice, RE Create Meaning for Many at JUC
March 15, 2008
Many people seek out a church in order to do social justice work with others. Jefferson Unitarian Church (JUC; Golden, CO) has always been involved in the community and that took on added importance five years ago when a $100,000 gift from a congregant enabled the congregation to bring the Rev. Nathan Woodliff-Stanley on staff as minister of social responsibility. After the Rev. Richard Gilbert served as interim minister in 2002-03, JUC adopted his model of social action task forces and currently has eight. Woodliff-Stanley also coordinates the adult education program at JUC. For more on JUC’s social justice ministry see InterConnections, Fall 2007.JUC sent two delegations to Guatemala for work programs through the Unitarian Universalist (UU) Service Committee. Last year more than 400 JUC members and children participated in a weekend of service projects as part of the annual stewardship drive. JUC is also a Green Sanctuary congregation certified through the UU Ministry for Earth.
The program of religious education for children and youth at JUC is called Youth Religious Education. It operates on a trimester system and has a summer program. Children are not in the adult worship services at JUC except for occasional intergenerational services. Instead they spend 15 minutes in Children’s Chapel, then 45 minutes in their classrooms. The congregation is conducting a search for a new director of religious education.
In addition to an RE Committee, JUC has the Committee of Unitarians Raising Kids (CURK). “While the RE Committee might focus mostly on Sunday morning, CURK thinks more broadly about what families need at JUC,” says volunteer coordinator Sue Parilla. “It helps coordinate social justice activities involving children, recommends adult education classes for parents, and organizes social events.”
For more information contact interconnections @ uua.org.
Last updated on Friday, April 18, 2008.
