On July 5, Affiliate Minister Judy Long delivered a powerful sermon on racial justice “Justice for Whom?”.  In discussions following the service, suggestions included proposals for a “Black Lives Matter” sign on the UUFH grounds.  To help the Fellowship define its response to the issues of Black Lives Matter, the Board and Social Justice Outreach Team hosted a Zoom discussion on Saturday, July 18.  More than 30 friends, members and staff contributed their thoughts on the sign and beyond during this lively Zoom session. 

Thanks are due to all participants for their contributions to the Fellowship community – 29 computers/devices were logged in,several represented couples .

Michael Yates, Board President Charlotte Corrigan, SJOT Chair

The following text summarizes the suggestions and comments made in the Zoom session – these are organized by topic and are not in strict order of occurrence.

Suggested activities/actions

Erect a Black Lives Matter sign in view of passing traffic on Kanuga Road.

• Sign should be erected ASAP within range of security camera(s) and have a simple message – not softened with extra verbiage.
• We could also use the “Wayside Pulpit” (our existing flexible lettering sign) which is not announcing sermons during the pandemic closure.  Instead, it could be used for additional messaging and refreshed periodically with new messages including some that reach out to those not already sympathetic with the message of a BLM sign. 
• One possibility proposed was a statement of our first Principle:  “we affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person”.
• We need to put up a temporary simple Wayside Pulpit message in memoriam for John Lewis and C.T. Vivian – two titans of the civil rights movement (“Good Trouble”).

Meeting consensus (per M. Yates):

(1) the majority favors posting a BLM sign asap.

(2) the participants generally agreed with the idea of using the Wayside Pulpit to help share more of our values with the broader community.

• Susan Grider will investigate sources and types of BLM signs for quick action upon formal Board approval (purchase was approved at special Board meeting on July 21).
• Board discussion will include emails received from members not attending today’s session and also note that Rev. Don Rollins independently raised the idea to post a BLM sign at UUFH.

Express the congregation’s openness to have a hired minister of color, but maintain adherence to UUA guidelines for the process.

Sign up for the Richmond (VA) virtual Living the Pledge Workshop:  details and registration at https://richmondpledge.org/event/virtual-living-the-pledge-workshop-august-12-september-23-2020/

At richmondpledge.org website, you can sign the pledge independently of workshop attendance and read much more about this endeavor.

Watch the recentMud Creek Baptist Church Sunday Service with Rev. Eric Gash, Speak Life Community Church founder, as their guest speaker – now on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mudcreekchurch/videos/408884600028663/

• Need to establish dialog with this congregation and with Black congregations and other liberal congregations in the larger community.
• Invite Rev. Gash and Mud Creek Pastor Greg Mathis to UUFH.

Move forward with offer from Rev. Judy Long and Rev. Michael Carter for a virtual Racism Workshop here.

• Invite other groups/congregations to participate.
• Schedule on Zoom.

Create a reading list for racial justice-BLM issues.

• Nora Smith created a list for Family Ministry participants–Nora’s list included books for children and youth.
• Recommendations made at Zoom session: 
• White Fragility, the Warmth of Other Sons by Isabel Wilkerson,
• How to be an Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi

Watch or rewatch the recent sermons by Rev. Judy Long (07-05, Justice for Whom) and Rev. Mark Mullinax (07-12, The Questions of Reparations and What These Might Look Like) on the UUFH website.

• Study possible forms of reparations for Fellowship and community action.

Communicate widely to share today’s discussion with entire congregation.

• Via eblast – include posting of the recording of the Zoom session.
• In upcoming Board President’s message.

Recognize that The Climate Justice Congregational Project is compatible with Racial Justice and should not be pushed aside by BLM actions.

Resources for Learning to Talk about Race

compiled by Nora Smith, UUFH Coordinator of Family Ministries

For Adults:

For Kids: