Putting Our Faith into Action

Our social action efforts are perhaps most inspired by Gandhi’s call to “Be the change you hope to see in the world!”  We do not require members to enact their faith the same way, but we do challenge each other to find our own way to be a force for change.  Some of us fight for rights for gay, lesbian and transgender people. Others challenge ourselves to live in more environmentally-responsible ways. Some of us march for peace. Others of us volunteer to serve soup for the homeless.  No matter the particular effort, all of us believe that we encounter the sacred—sometimes most powerfully—when we put aside our own needs and give our hearts and hands to needs greater than our own!

Marriage Equality

We are thrilled that equal marriage has finally come to New York state! Our ministers have long officiated at weddings and commitment ceremonies of gay and lesbian couples, but we are grateful that these unions will now be legally as well as spiritually recognized.  To get more information about a wedding or commitment ceremony, contact our Church Administrator at uucc@rochester.rr.com.

Monthly Plate Collection Donations

As part of our commitment to Social Justice, UUCC donates a portion of the monthly plate collection to a deserving justice partner.  We alternate between local and global initiatives.

Monthly Food Drive

UUCC’s Children’s Religious Education Program and the Social & Environmental Justice Committee have teamed up to collect food donations benefiting Gleaner’s Community Kitchen (www.gleanerskitchen.org). The children from UUCC’s Religious Education program collect the food donations during the plate offering on the second Sunday of each month.

Bring non-perishable food donations to the church with you on the second Sunday of the month, and help fill out the kids’ wagons!

ESL (English as a Second Language) Tutor Training

One of UUCC’s Social Justice Ministry’s initiatives is to help the migrant worker community in our area by teaching them English.

Through Literacy Volunteers, we have trained several ESL tutors and hope to train more. Our ESL tutors from UUCC are excited to be working with the migrant community working at Hemdale Farm in Clifton Springs.

If you would like to become an ESL Tutor, you must complete a four-part training sequence. After the training, you will be matched with a learner. For more information, contact Dorothy Hoskins.