Justice Ministry
UU values are grounded in an active commitment to justice. We practice this commitment through a variety of community partnerships and justice actions. Our Justice Ministry team – formerly the Social Action Council (SAC) – supports these efforts by providing leadership, strategic oversight, training, and communication.
The Fellowship’s Justice Ministry centers three intersectional areas which guide our efforts in aligning our values with our local work for justice: racial equity; the intersection of poverty & education; and environmental justice.
Through our Justice Ministry, the congregation has identified key Community Partners which contribute significantly to some part of our mission, strive to make the daily lives of Forsyth County residents better, and reflect an ongoing relationship with the Fellowship. Current Community Partners include:
Share the Plate – Fifty percent of our Sunday plate collection is shared with one of our Community Partners every month in support of our partnership and their important work in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County community.
Contact the Justice Ministry Team to get involved!
Racial Equity Initiatives
The Fellowship stands in solidarity with Black/African Americans who demand change, including those who identify as Indigenous and People of Color. Before we “take to the streets,” literally and figuratively, we are cautious, seeking to center our response to the entire community, asking ourselves, “What does support look like? How can our support and solidarity be effective, and cause no harm?”
- We sponsor group participation in educational offerings by the local Racial Equity Institute, the local organizing collective Neighbors for Better Neighborhoods, and other relevant organizations.
- Some of our members have participated in Meadville-Lombard’s Beloved Conversations, a program designed for people seeking to embody racial justice as a spiritual practice.
- Restoration and Renewal: A Spiritual Circle for People of Color formed to provide respite and spiritual sustenance for the small group of BIPoC members of the congregation.
The Intersection of Education and Poverty
- The Fellowship is partnered with a Title I elementary school in the community to provide reading support and other needs identified by the school.
- Our IAF Core Team is actively engaged with the Forsyth Sponsoring Committee of the NC IAF to identify actions we can take in our community to increase access to appropriate public education resources.
- UUs Serve Our Community supports the local summer Freedom School by providing weekly prepared meals.
Environmental Justice
- Our EcoSolutions Team has steadfastly moved us towards actions to promote sustainability and efficiency within the congregation. We have committed to learning about and working for environmental justice. As we make the connections between climate change and justice, we are called to collectively reimagine what it means to do this work. Some of the initiatives we’ve undertaken:
- Ongoing sponsorship of the annual Piedmont Earth Day Fair
- Hosted a UU Climate Justice Revival in 2025.
- The Board of Trustees approved an Energy Efficiency Proposal from the Duke Energy Small Business Energy Saver Program in 2024 and recommended updates were completed in 2024-2025.
- The Board of Trustees approved an Environmental Purchasing and Practices Policy and Guidelines in 2023.
Converted from gas to electric heat in 2022. - Approved a Climate Resolution in 2021.
- Installed Solar Panels in 2015.
- Became an Accredited Green Sanctuary Congregation in 2012.
- Constructed Rain Garden (bio-retention cell) in 2010, reducing erosion and providing a habitat for wildlife.
Other Community Projects
- UUs Serve the Community – This project team works directly with local organizations to provide meals, prepared by Fellowship members and friends, as well as other supplies and support for those in need. In addition to the Sunnyside Freedom School, they provide support for Easton Elementary and Flourish.
- Crisis Control Ministry – Our Fellowship provides ongoing support through regular donations of food staples and toiletry items to this area non-profit.
- LGBTQIA+ Awareness – We are a Unitarian Universalist Welcoming Congregation, provide lifespan learning opportunities on gender-identity and sexuality, and participate in the annual Pride Festival & Parade.
Other Organizational Relationships
We have a longstanding relationship with Piedmont Environmental Alliance and a newer, still-emerging relationship with Housing Justice Now. These are two organizations that we will continue supporting with our time, talent and treasure.
How to Get Involved
For more information about these and other initiatives relating to social action and/or social justice, or to participate in any of these initiatives, please email the Social Action Council at sac@uufws.org.
