Social Justice Committee
Collective congregational social justice is central and crucial to living out what it means to be Unitarian Universalist. No matter your age or life stage, you can help heal our world.
A LIVING FAITH
Justice & Social Reform
Did you know that Unitarian Universalist history is filled with leaders in justice and social reform movements?
Early social reformers include:
- Thomas Jefferson, Horace Mann, father of public education.
- Mental health reformer Dorothea Dix.
- The abolitionists John Quincy Adams, and Julia Ward Howe.
- The women’s rights leaders Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
We have always been a faith that calls for living out our beliefs in our daily lives. We have always declared that how we live our lives matters more than the words we speak.
“Be not simply good; be good for something.”
— HENRY DAVID THOREAU
How To Join The Justice Committee
We are always looking for additional support. You can help with this essential and meaningful ministry in two different ways:
- Become a member of the Justice Committee.
- Sign-up to provide services on an as-needed basis.
ACTIVE MINISTRY
Living Our Value & Serving The Community
Here are a few ways we at First Universalist Unitarian of Wausau live our values and serve the community:
Community Meals Program
Four times a year, UU Wausau plans and cooks a free, hot community meal served as part of the meal ministry at First Presbyterian Church in collaboration with fourteen other faith communities. Youth and families are invited to be part of this ministry.
Side With Love
This public advocacy campaign seeks to harness love’s power to stop oppression. When we ground our spirits, grow our skills, and act strategically for justice in deep relationship with each other and our movements, we choose to Side With Love.
There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives. — Audre Lorde
Community Focus Collections
The third Sunday of every month, from October through May, we give away the entire Sunday collection to local and global programs that match our mission and vision for creating compassion, hope, and justice.
Refugee Donations
The shopping cart in the reception area of the church is currently collecting household cleaning & hygiene items for New Beginnings For Refugees. View the wishlist here, and drop off your donations during office hours or on Sunday mornings!
LGBTIQA+ Welcoming Congregation
UU Wausau is officially a Welcoming Congregation as recognized by the Unitarian Universalist Association. We not only open our doors to people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, we value diversity of sexuality and gender and see it as a spiritual gift. Our inclusive religious community and work for LGBTIQA+ justice and equity as a core part of who we are.
Fair Trade Coffee
At UU Wausau, we use only Fair Trade coffee that provides living wages for growers and workers. You can purchase Equal Exchange coffee, cocoa, and chocolate in the atrium.
Local Youth Initiatives
The sales of our Fair Trade items go to the Ari Schmidt Fund, named after an (at the time) young teenage church member who is passionate about justice. Small grants from the fund support justice-oriented local initiatives and church projects.
Little Free Library
Our Little Free Library is part of a non-profit, international literacy movement that started here in the Midwest. We keep the shelves stocked with books for children and adults that anyone can take. We believe all people are empowered when the opportunity to discover a personally relevant book to read is not limited by time, space, or privilege.