Resolution Authorizing the Congregation’s Participation in Commit2Respond
Passed by the congregation at the March 29, 2015 Annual Meeting
WHEREAS the Unitarian Universalist Association, the UU Service Committee, the UU Ministry for Earth, the UU Ministers Association and four other UU justice organizations as well as other people of faith and conscience have recognized the reality of climate change and the justice issues that it presents;
WHEREAS the collaboration to address these realities is called Commit2Respond;
WHEREAS 85 members of this congregation have for 3 months studied and reflected on these issues in the Commit2Respond Task Force and Sunday morning Climate Justice workshops;
WHEREAS the greater Sarasota community has co-sponsored and attended our public education events, two showings of the film “Cowspiracy” in January and a sold out Climate Justice Symposium in February;
WHEREAS Commit2Respond asks individuals and congregations to identify ways that they will help SHIFT to a low carbon future, ADVANCE the human rights of affected communities, and GROW the climate justice movement;
WHEREAS an electronic survey of the 85 workshop participants identified specific actions for climate justice to which they are committed and willing to help implement;
AND WHEREAS this effort is rooted in our first and seventh principles –-- affirmation of the inherent worth and dignity of every person and respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part;
BE IT RESOLVED that the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota join with 34 other organizations and 130 faith communities in formally endorsing and participating in Commit2Respond; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Commit2Respond Task Force, which welcomes the participation of all Church members, will present a set of recommended congregational commitments to the Board of Trustees for their approval at their May 2015 meeting.
WHEREAS the Unitarian Universalist Association, the UU Service Committee, the UU Ministry for Earth, the UU Ministers Association and four other UU justice organizations as well as other people of faith and conscience have recognized the reality of climate change and the justice issues that it presents;
WHEREAS the collaboration to address these realities is called Commit2Respond;
WHEREAS 85 members of this congregation have for 3 months studied and reflected on these issues in the Commit2Respond Task Force and Sunday morning Climate Justice workshops;
WHEREAS the greater Sarasota community has co-sponsored and attended our public education events, two showings of the film “Cowspiracy” in January and a sold out Climate Justice Symposium in February;
WHEREAS Commit2Respond asks individuals and congregations to identify ways that they will help SHIFT to a low carbon future, ADVANCE the human rights of affected communities, and GROW the climate justice movement;
WHEREAS an electronic survey of the 85 workshop participants identified specific actions for climate justice to which they are committed and willing to help implement;
AND WHEREAS this effort is rooted in our first and seventh principles –-- affirmation of the inherent worth and dignity of every person and respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part;
BE IT RESOLVED that the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota join with 34 other organizations and 130 faith communities in formally endorsing and participating in Commit2Respond; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Commit2Respond Task Force, which welcomes the participation of all Church members, will present a set of recommended congregational commitments to the Board of Trustees for their approval at their May 2015 meeting.
Our Commit2Respond Video
The congregation committed to respond to Climate Change on March 29, 2015. Then, members voted on the areas of climate justice they were most interested in.
Here is a summary of the votes and the initial implementation plan that was endorsed by the Board of Trustees in June 2015.
Our Climate Change video posted to YouTube
This silent video poses questions about climate change and encourages individuals to respond. The Unitarian Universalist Association liked our effort and posted the video to its YouTube account.
Click the image above for the Unitarian Universalist Association's Commit2Respond page.
