SOCIAL JUSTICE - Home Page
Social Justice at Westwood happens...
- Through the many individual efforts and causes of our members: The Westwood community is a means of networking and increasing exposure.
- Through the Social Justice Committee, which encourages all to participate in advocacy, education or protest activities but may also act as a body essentially independent of the congregation in those activities.
- Through major projects or causes that are approved by the congregation, after being researched and brought to vote by the Social Justice Committee.
- Through our congregation's membership in the Canadian Unitarian Council, which researches, votes on, and puts forth position statements on many controversial or neglected social issues such as drug legalization, same sex marriage, aboriginal rights etc.
In addition, Canadian Unitarians for Social Justice (CUSJ) is a
voluntary nationwide group, affiliated with but separate from the Canadian Unitarian Council,
which applies Unitarian principles primarily through advocacy, lobbying, education etc.
Being a Unitarian Universalist implies a liberal and active position on many social issues.
"The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all these
living beings, which are all part of one another, and all involved in one another." - Thomas Merton
The Greater Edmonton Alliance (GEA)
Westwood's Social Justice Committee is considering becoming a member of GEA. The Social Justice Committee has compliled Answers to questions about GEA and why the committee is interested in joining.
Local Foods Pamphlet
Want to know where you can buy local foods in and around Edmonton? Check out this pamphlet produced in March 2010 by the Westwood Social Justice Committee. Set up for printing - you may have to rotate it to view it.
Winter Solstice Offertory
The proceeds of the offertory on December 21st was given to Boyle Street Community Services.
Write for Rights
We took part in Amnesty International's Write for Rights Letter-writing Campaign on December 6.
A big thank you to all supporters - We wrote a total of 46 letters on 5 featured cases and
one petition...way to go!
If you missed it on Dec 6th, you can write at home too -
just visit Amnesty's webpage
and add your letter to the worldwide total!
December 10th was Human Rights Day!
Global Day of Climate Action
Westwood Unitarian Congregation have pledged to do "one more thing" to help us return to 350 ppm of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. By listing all pledges on the wall at our church, we now share many more things we can do to protect our environment.
Thank you to everyone - something can be done!