There is urgent need for blood donations right now in our community. Our partner, Blood connection, is able to offer extra incentives, and so all Donors will receive the standard $20 e- gift card, BUT ALSO a Bonus $30 e-gift card as well ($50 in rewards total, just for donating, which most beneficially saves up to three lives!), so this is really a win-win for the whole community! Help us get the word out, and if you are able to donate scan the QR code and enter your specific sponsor code (7783). Questions? Contact Rev. Claudia or Julie Ransom.
March 8 – UU Justice NC’s Friday Action Hour – 11:00 AM. Understanding the Forces of White Christian Nationalism – This Friday, we will watch and discuss the recent Laura Flanders Show episode examining the “toxic brew of patriarchal White Nationalism and messianic faith” with the creators of the new documentary, “God & Country”. Join us for this important gathering that will help us become more skilled in recognizing and combatting white christian nationalism in our communities, and during the 2024 Election. Sign up for the Zoom link & weekly Friday Action Hour promo email here.
March 8 – Justice Ministry Film Night: Union Maids, 7PM Sandburg Hall; Zoom option, Contact Charlie Wussow at mnpopi@icloud.com. Check out the trailer and find more details here. March 12 – Justice Ministry Council, Monthly meeting; 6:00-7:15 PM, Sandburg Hall. All are welcome.
March 14 – Revs. Audette & Claudia will host a “UU the Vote Launch” watch party. 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM ET We enter the work of UU the Vote 2024 grounded in the current political and spiritual conditions of our faith and national community. The work that is needed in 2024 will require us to anchor in our power and connect authentically to mobilize UUs, voters, and our local communities. You’ll learn about the electoral work of State Action Networks (like North Carolina!), their partners in key states, and more! Rev. Lisa Garcia-Sampson, Executive Director of UU Justice Ministry NC will be a featured speaker at this event. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP to Rev. Claudia faithdev@uuasheville.org
March 26 – Reproductive Justice Ministry team meeting. 6:00 PM; RSVP Contact Rev. Claudia faithdev@uuasheville.org
Community Events & Beyond
March 13 – Lunchtime Webinar: Organizing for Reproductive Freedom. Details here.
March 19 – The NC Justice Center offers its “2024 Legislative Agenda Briefing”, noon. Get details and register here for this virtual event.
March 23 – Indivisible Asheville WNC offers its monthly canvassing event, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm. Get details and register here. Planning Ahead April 13 – Clothing Swap to support Reproductive Justice. Details TBA. April 25 – This is the date for this year’s “Dining Out for Life” to support the WNC AIDS Project. Get details about this important fundraiser for WNCAP here. Learn about being an Ambassador at one of the many participating restaurants here.
Environmental, Racial, and Economic Injustice, Animal Cruelty, Corporate Greed
The Smell of Money—that’s what Big Pork calls the stench of pig waste in the air in eastern North Carolina, where much of the world’s bacon and barbecue is made. But to Elsie Herring and others who live near the state’s giant pig factories, the revolting odor is a call to battle against generations of injustice. When a corporate hog farm moves in––uninvited––on land her grandfather had purchased after claiming his freedom from slavery, Elsie Herring decides to fight back. But as her rural community becomes the epicenter of the pork industry’s explosion in America, Elsie’s struggle to save her family’s home and heritage turns into a battle against one of the world’s most powerful companies and its deadly pollution.
After decades of intimidation and defeat, Elsie and her community team up with a gutsy small- town lawyer to take the world’s largest pork company to court.An epic, nine-year legal battle ensues, and the residents risk everything to reclaim their rights to clean air, pure water, and a life free from the stench of shit.
A story about the power of love for one’s family and community to triumph over even the largest forces of injustice, The Smell of Money calls upon viewers to see the people behind what’s on our plates––and to join the fight for a better future for us all. Note: Due to technical limitations with Zoom, this film will be shown in Sandburg Hall only. If you intend to attend the film, please RSVP to Charlie Wussow at mnpopi@icloud.com. Watch the trailer here.Runtime 84 min
Justice Ministry Film Night Friday, April 12th, 7 PM Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville One Edwin Place, Asheville, NC 28801
First, a little history from UU Asheville member, Judith Kaufman. A little over two years ago the Anti-Racism & Immigration Justice Action Group agreed to welcome and settle a young Afghan family which had escaped the Taliban in the Great Airlift of 2022. From a small nucleus of UU volunteers, a Welcome Circle was formed coordinated by Katie Winchell & Sharon LeDuc.
The initial group grew to become an interdenominational team, 40 strong. These folks helped with every imaginable need from diapers to interim housing to Literacy and so much more.
An important milestone in the family’s immigration journey has recently been achieved. The US Government has granted them Asylum. Now they can remain here without fear of deportation as well as work and travel out of the country. The journey from the chaos of Kabul airport to sheltering in Germany, to months in a New Mexico military base and finally to Asheville is behind them. After an amazing amount of paperwork, many deep background checks, and three trips to Washington DC for screening interviews – Asylum at last.
Join us as we all celebrate this happy milestone with food, drink, fellowship, perhaps some distinguished guests and of course, the family, after the 11:15 service Sunday, April 14 in Sandburg Hall. Hope to see you there!
Justice Ministries Update
Two important updates from two of our justice ministry teams. We welcome your participation, and remind you that there are opportunities to engage in one or more of our top 3 justice priorities: voting rights, reproductive justice and climate justice.
The Reproductive Justice Ministry team and the Justice Ministry Council with support from Rev. Audette and myself are co-sponsoring the annual Planned Parenthood Standing Strong event on April 17 featuring Dr. Rev. Toddie Peters. She is the author of Trust Women, A Progressive Christian argument for Reproductive Justice. Toddie is a professor at Elon, and serves on the PPSAT political and advocacy board, and also on the Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s clergy advisory board. Event details and ticket information can be found here.In these times when reproductive justice and access to abortion healthcare for women and birthing people’s continue to be threatened, it is important that we support organizations that share our values of respecting their dignity, worth, and decisions. In Faith, Rev. Claudia Jiménez Minister of Faith Development
It was the best of times, it was…not quite the best of times.
If you’ve spent any time recently at UU Asheville, you can feel the palpable energy. People are returning after Covid, there are kids filling our classes, we have two services with pews filling up every week – there’s laughter and goodwill in abundance. We have people reaching out to participate in our newcomer sessions and new member classes, as we show our community how we love the hell out of this world. We are making such a difference, and it feels good to be here.
And in the background, there’s another reality – that we’re working with a deficit budget. Last year, the congregation passed a moral deficit budget, placing our trust in each other and what we are beginning to do together, in this new phase of the life of the congregation.
In his Big Ask this past “Kick Off Sunday” with our giving campaign, Will Jernigan said:
“What’s the ask? Our pledge goal for 24-25 is ~$800,000, which is ~$150,000 above the pledge total for 23-24. If that feels like a big number, that’s because it is. …What excites me about this is that it is do-able, and when we each meet this ask, we will hit our goal. Some of you will choose to give more than what is asked, which is vital to help cover those who aren’t able to give as much. If you are not currently giving financially to support our church, now is an amazing time to start. AND, those who can’t meet the financial ask can help us meet our goal by showing up – helping with existing programs to offset costs, helping with the new FUNraiser events, and other examples of giving time and talent.”
Budgets are moral documents. They show what we value, what is important to us, and what we love. I believe you love UU Asheville, and what we are doing together. I believe you love each and every member of the staff, who work incredibly hard, and go above and beyond to serve this community. I believe you appreciate the volunteers and generous givers who have been keeping our UU light shining out across the valley. That’s why I believe that we will pull together and make this leap, so that we can continue the amazing work that is underway. I believe in us. We are the lighthouse in a very present storm. Let’s keep the lights on, and bring more people home.
