Find out how you can be a part of FCU's rich heritage of reaching out to others in our community and the world.
Council on Social Justice
FCU’s Council on Social Justice (CSJ) was created in 2003 and has many responsibilities, including overseeing the creation and operations of the social justice task forces, supporting ad-hoc social justice activities and events at FCU, sponsoring social justice events to keep issues alive and encourage activism in our congregation, designating the recipient of ten percent of the Country Fair proceeds every year, and disbursing funds from the Dr. Edgar D. Bell, Jr. Social Justice Fund.
The chairperson and members of this committee are appointed by the Standing Committee and are joined by liaisons appointed by each social justice task force. The CSJ meets every other month. The CSJ answers to the Standing Committee on general issues, the Deacons on worship issues, the Finance Committee on fund dispersal and fundraising, and works closely with our minister on a variety of issues and events.
For more information, email csj@fculittle.org. New members are always welcome.
Racial Justice Action Committee
The church has a very active Racial Justice Action Committee (RJAC). For more information, CLICK HERE.
Environmental Action Group
The church has a newly formed Environmental Action Group (EAG). For more information, CLICK HERE.
MacDellar Sons of Grace School
For the past several years, members of the church Council on Social Justice have been in relationship with the MacDellar Sons of Grace School in Ghana. This school offers tuition free education for students who cannot afford to pay for their studies. For more information, CLICK HERE.
Social Justice Task Forces
In March 2004, FCU adopted a new trial format of Task Forces to promote and support social justice action by the church, overseen by a Council on Social Justice; this format was adopted permanently in 2006. Since the adoption of this format, the following task forces have been chartered by the church for one year at a time:
Green Sanctuary [May 2008-present]: Promotes a sustainable lifestyle at church, home, work and in the community. The task force meets monthly and helped FCU to meet the standards of the Unitarian Universalist Society's Green Sanctuary Program. The Green Sanctuary task force conducted a survey as part of an assessment requirement as FCU worked toward certification from the UUA Green Sanctuary program. The Survey Results were used to help determine which twelve environmental programs were undertaken. FCU is now an accredited Green Sanctuary Congregation of the UUA.
Neighborhood Supper [2004-present]: Cook and serve dinner 13 Tuesdays a year as part of Littleton Council of Churches effort to provide a free meal and companionship for people in the community.
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee [2004-present]: Coordinates our work with the UUSC office in Cambridge.
Past Social Justice Task Forces
Gulf Coast Relief [2005]: Organized a group to visit New Orleans and volunteer to help with reconstruction.
Economic Justice [2005]: Held a series of educational events to raise awareness of gross income disparity in the US and internationally.
Vagina Monologues [2005-2006]: Produced The Vagina Monologues to raise money to end violence against women through Tostan in Senegal , W. Africa, the Comfort Women from World War II in Japan, and Sylvia's Haven, a shelter for homeless women formerly in Devens.
Starting a Task Force
Use this form to propose a Social Justice Task force for consideration at a warranted meeting of FCU: in CSJ Form 2016 - PDF or in CSJ Form 2016 - Doc.
Other Initiatives
Other social action initiatives: support Loaves and Fishes with regular donations from the congregation, participate in the Good Friday Walk for Hunger, and give the Christmas Eve collection to Loaves and Fishes. Every December collect donations of holiday gifts for people in need in Littleton through the Greater Littleton Interfaith Council. Several FCU members have formed a local Prison Ministry, offering Toastmasters courses. Some FCU members volunteer with the Unitarian Urban Ministry in Boston. The Senior Youth Group and leaders travelled to New Orleans in 2007 and 2008 for service projects, in in 2020 they will help with post-storm recovery efforts in the Bahamas.
Before adopting the task force system FCU had a Social Justice Committee and each individual took the lead on projects. Major initiatives included building a Habitat for Humanity House in Littleton.
