Social Justice Circles
Social Justice is pursued by First Universalist Church in many ways. One of those is through Social Justice Circles. Our Faith In Action Council (FIAC) welcomes you to join one of the existing ones or ignite a new Social Justice Circle. If you are interested in starting a new one, please select the Criteria for Formation below, or contact the FIAC team at fiac@uuroc.org for more information.
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To access the forms, click on the links below.
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This page is currently under renovation!
Current Social Justice Circles
Animal Ministry
Animal Ministry supports animal rights and the vegan ethic in the Rochester, NY area by educating the public about AR philosophy and specific animal issues, raising awareness of expressing dissent against examples of exploitation and abuse, and supporting the advocacy community. For more info contact: animalministry@uuroc.org
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​Leader: Lois Baum
EcoJustice Group
The EcoJustice group is involved in various activities and events throughout the year. They meet regularly to discuss issues involving sustainability and climate justice. Past activities have included tours of Rochester's EcoPark, petition signing campaign, Earth Month fair, recycling awareness campaign, and participation in the March for Science and the People's Climate March. For more info contact: ecojustice@uuroc.org.
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Leader: Sarah Singal
F.I.R.E.
First Universalist Initiative for Racial Equity embraces the concept of supporting racial equity through collaborative partnerships with SPARC (Spiritus Christi Anti-Racism Coalition) and others to build a community identified by the compassionate actions of its members.
Programs include those that:
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study the local history of race in Rochester,
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explore geographic spaces that hold memory of struggle,
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strive to provide educational opportunities for members,
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seek to identify activities that add to the building of justice.
Church members and others community members are welcome to join together in this effort.
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Contact: fire@uuroc.org
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Leader: Elizabeth Osta
Crafting Blankets for our Community
Do you like to knit or crochet? This group creates and collects granny and knitted squares to assemble blankets for those in need and organizations in our community. Many thanks to SewGreen in Rochester for their generous donations of yarn! Check out the 2021 blankets here! For more info contact
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​Leader: Lisa Gwinner
Harvesting Justice
This group advocates for the protection of rights for immigrants, particularly farmworkers in NY, and their children to ensure they are treated with dignity and fairness. For more info contact: harvestingjustice@uuroc.org
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Leader: Connie Valk
Have Questions? Contact:
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FIAC (Faith in Action Council)
Leaders: Joy Leccese, Becky Elwell, and Connie Valk
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FIRE (First Universalist Initiative for Racial Equity)
Leaders: Elizabeth Osta and Theo Munson