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2020-21 Annual Team & Group Report (June 2021)

What we’ve been working on over the past year

After 15 months closure of our building we have finally reopened our doors! Despite the pandemic, the building closure and social distancing requirements, we’ve continued our important work of outreach and inclusion to Work for Justice, Create Community and Find Meaning. UUCS is standing strong and standing in support of those in our community who need it the most. Here’s what our church has been working on the past year:

Social Justice Projects:

This year our Social Justice Team has worked on coordinating special collections for many local charities including Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery, Second Harvest Food Bank, Bite to Go Program at Balboa Elementary, Transitions, NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness), SIRC (Spokane Immigrant Rights Coalition) and the Legal Defense Funds, victims of the Colville wildfires, homelessness support for Shalom Center, Hope House and Crosswalk, Odyssey Youth Center, our Partner Church, the NAACP and Meals on Wheels. Our Social Justice team also collected donations for specific items to help out Colville wildfire affected families in the Inchelium area, and the Transitions Women’s Hearth and homeless outreach programs.

We held a special, special collection for Morning Star Baptist church, raising over $4,000 in support of diversity in our faith community. We also continue to support the work of Sandra Williams as a friend of the Black Lens News and as supporters of the local chapter of the NAACP.

In August we joined Spokane Arm in Arm and Extinction Rebellion Spokane to host their rally in support of our Native American community and changing the name of Ft. George Wright Drive. This proposal was approved by city government and our street name was officially changed to W Whistalks Way in February 2021. We continue to support UUCS member Jacob Johns in his activist efforts to protect native lands and to support our native community.

Members of our Pride Team are working with the UUCS office staff and members of the Spokane transgender community to put together a list of emergency resources to help in times of need and crisis. There is a growing need for support to our transgender community in the Spokane area. As we are a welcoming congregation, UUCS often comes up when LBGTQ+ people search for assistance. Therefore, we are working with several community leaders to develop much needed assistance. As our building reopens, we will continue to provide a safe place for social and support groups of the LGBTQ+ community to meet.

Last fall we started an antiracism book club to encourage education and informed discussions of our society and positive change to make our world more inclusive and equal for all. We shared a joint service with guest speaker Irshad Manji. We co-hosted a book study and workshop with UU Salem to continue to exploring her important work on inclusion and equality. In March we hosted guest speaker Kiantha Duncan from the NAACP to provide insight on inclusion and equality issues in our area.

Sustainability projects:

This fall we began the UUCS Seed Project to preserve food and nature by collecting garden seeds from members.  We will host annual seed exchanges during spring and fall and will house a seed library here at UUCS for drop off and pick up of seeds anytime. We have two categories: Edible and Decorative. Edible includes vegetables, fruits, grains, and herbs. Decorative includes flowers, ground covers, and other decorative plants. 

On our opening day we held a plant sale. Using plants donated by UUCS members and volunteer plants harvested from our own UUCS flower beds we raised over $150 and helped supply our raised beds with many left over vegetable starts to help feed our community this harvest season.

Our Green Team will be starting up again soon to review sustainability practices here at UUCS and to evaluate and maintain our status as a green sanctuary.

These are just a few of the things we have been working on this year. Keep connected with our weekly SUUN e-newsletter to find out everything happening at UUCS!