President Pam McIntire’s Report to the Board & Congregation, February 2025

I find that I am increasingly turning to our congregation to stay grounded in the belief that love is powerful and what we do is important. When I feel the care we give to each other and the community, I am reminded that we make a difference.

I wish that we could bring our understanding and action to the whole country to help everyone know that caring for each other is caring for ourselves, that turning our backs on others damages our own humanity, and that loving others enriches everyone’s lives.

I believe the world desperately needs us and I wonder how we can bring Love in Action even more forward. I want to begin with these questions:

What is UUCville doing to resist the attacks on marginalized groups and the erosion of our democracy?

What are each of us doing that would be helpful for us all to know about?

What additional advocacy efforts should we join?

UUCville has an excellent Long Range Plan that calls on us all to

Cultivate a safe and welcoming place for all.
Nurture mind, heart, body, and spirit.
And work for equity, justice, and peace for all people and the planet.

We are making excellent progress on all these goals and our board is working hard to keep us moving forward. In these times, we need to make sure we especially put our efforts into our third goal. We have plans and actions in place on behalf of our congregational community, the larger Charlottesville community and our planet. We want to expand these actions to address the ongoing national assault on democracy, equity, justice, and peace.

To address this national crisis, we will increase our advocacy and justice work beyond what we are already doing. We hope to add funds for this effort to our budget with support from our pledge drive.

So many in our congregation are already working hard through our congregation, with other organizations and as individuals. We would like to know what each of us are doing. We will have an Action Table in the social hall after the service so we can find out what all of us are doing. Also, we would like to hear your ideas about what additional actions UUCville could join in.

We hope that sharing this information will remind us that we are a part of a Love in Action community and will inspire us to additional action. Please stop by the Action Table.

What is UUCville doing now to resist the threats to our communities?

1. We are offering safer space to marginalized groups. We are making our space available rent free to local groups working on behalf of marginalized communities. Out of respect for their privacy, we do not make public the names of groups we are supporting.

2. We are partnering with local organizations at work in our community. We currently have partnerships with Sin Barreras (providing preschool classes that encourage English language learning and rides to appointments for immigrants) and City of Promise (in their Nurturing Neighborhood program that forms “extended family” support for families).

We are pursuing other community partnerships with Charlottesville Public Housing Association of Residents (PHAR), Equality Virginia and Blue Ridge Abortion Fund.

3. We are continuing the social justice actions we have maintained for many years. These include:

PACEM (People and Congregations Engaged in Ministry) in which UUCville helps provide shelter for people in our community
The HAVEN where UUCville groups provide lunch every Sunday.
IMPACT (Interfaith Movement Promoting Action by Congregations Together) where we advocate for action by our local elected representatives.

4. Each month we have a Social Action Collection for local groups. This year, we are supporting Blue Ridge Abortion Fund, Inc, Central Virginia Community Justice, PHAR, City of Promise, LilyPads Housing, PACEM, Partner for Mental Health, RISE Foundation, Sin Barreras / Without Barriers and The BUCK Squad.

5. In the last year, we have made 828 Meal Packets for hungry families who have loved ones in the UVA hospital.

6. We wrote and sent 1,500 post cards to voters this year. Writing post cards to voters in swing states is a continuing effort at UUCville.

7. We offered an Adult Faith Development Lobbying 101 class this fall and we have an ongoing Israel-Palestine Learning Circle.

8. Our Ministry for Earth group is very active researching upcoming environmental legislation, organizing letter writing events, writing letters to the editor to local papers, meeting with local legislators, partnering with other local environmental groups, tabling to get signatures, and volunteering with UU The Vote to reach voters.

9. UUCville supports UUA national efforts such as the UUA acting as a plaintiff in the sensitive locations policy lawsuit. This lawsuit is a multifaith coalition effort to challenge ICE’s policy, and oppose any interpretation of law which would allow immigration raids in houses of worship and religious ceremonies.

Perhaps one of the most important things we do at UUCville is working as a community to hold space for healing, growth, spiritual connections, and pastoral support for all who come. I am grateful that we have such a strong commitment to love and our other UU values. Sometimes when I feel overwhelmed and lost, I remind myself of the wisdom and kindness I have found at UUCville and I feel less alone.

Please come by the Action Table in the social hall after the service and let us know what you are doing and what other action we can all take together.