Click here to learn more about Social Justice at East Shore
ANSWER Nepal
The ANSWER Ministry team is making a difference in the world — we connect East Shore members (and their friends and family members) with bright Nepali students who need help to stay in school. Sponsors offer the students financial support as well as personal support through a letter exchange, and everyone wins! ANSWER students excel, usually going on to college, and joining careers in which they contribute to Nepali society. We get connected to people and culture that enhances our own lives.
How you can transform your faith into justice:
- Help pair students with sponsor families
- Sponsor a Nepali student
Beloved Racial Justice
The goal is to create a beloved racial community within East Shore and the wider world. We are called to awaken to, acknowledge and act on the continuing injustice, inequality and privilege in our church and wider society.
How you can transform your faith into justice:
- Join our team
- Take part in Beloved Conversations
- Participate in Conversations about Race and/or White People Talk About Race
- Join our book discussions, movies and other activities
- Participate in the weekly Flash Stance on the East Side
Climate Action Ministry
As Unitarian Universalists, we take good care of the earth because it is our home. Our ministry’s purpose is to increase climate change awareness and to promote government and other group actions in order to cure its root causes. Without being slowed and ultimately checked, human caused climate change will have devastating humanitarian and ecological consequences across the globe.
How you can transform your faith into justice:
- Join the team
- Attend our events
- Learn more about climate change and how to slow the impact
- Write your state and federal legislators and tell them you want to see legislation on climate action now
Congregations for the Homeless
We join with other partner churches on the Eastside to provide shelter, meals, and showers for homeless men. Our small group coordinates the efforts for our commitment to this larger organization (www.cfhomeless.org). In October, many East Shore groups combine forces as volunteers to provide prepare meals, build daily lunches, do needed shopping, plus provide toiletries and other necessary items for 30-35 single homeless men. Through donations, we underwrite the cost of a mobile dental van providing hygiene/prophylaxis, cavity repair.
How you can transform your faith into justice:
- Join our team
- Volunteer to cook a meal, make sandwiches, or shop in October
Crossroads Meals
The Crossroads Meals Program consists of a dedicated group of UUs who work to bring nutritious and delicious meals to the needy in our community once a month. On the first Monday, we cook for around 60 participants at church. Crossroads Meals Program has approximately 15 volunteers. The recipients are extremely grateful as it is the only meal of the day for many. Many of us often don’t realize the need in Bellevue. This is a generous, concrete social justice donation of our volunteers’ time and money. They also receive gratification from their efforts. We are thankful that East Shore supports this worthwhile endeavor.
Food Bank
Food and toiletries are collected in the shopping cart outside the Sanctuary on Sunday mornings and throughout the week. Every three weeks or so, donations are given to local food banks.
How you can transform your faith into justice
- When you go grocery shopping, buy some extra non–perishable food items or toiletries and place them in the cart at church
- Volunteer to deliver the collected food to the food bank of your choice
Good Start Back to School
Congregations for Kids is a group of congregations, service organizations, and businesses that work with the Bellevue School District to help students whose families cannot afford needed supplies. In July, we collect backpacks and school supplies from church members.
How you can transform your faith into justice:
- Donate supplies in July
- Help sort supplies and pack backpacks
- Help with publicity for this project
Holiday Giving Tree
Every year we work with several social service agencies who supply us with requests for household goods, clothes, and toys for needy families. Each request hangs as a tag on the Giving Tree. Congregational members choose tags, purchase gifts, and place them unwrapped under the tree.
How you can transform your faith into justice:
- Next holiday season take one or more tags and buy requested gift(s)
- Bring your gift(s) unwrapped and place under the tree
- Be an “elf” and transport gifts from the tree to the agencies
Khasi Hills Partner Church
Since 2007, East Shore Unitarian Church has had two partner congregations in the Khasi Hills of Northeast India, located in the state of Meghalaya in the foothills of the Himalaya Mountains.The Smit congregation has a membership of about 45 and the church in Kharang has a membership of about 250 people. The roots of Unitarianism in the Khasi Hills go back to 1887, when Hajom Kissor Singh, a convert from Welsh Calvinsim who had been influenced by the sermons of William Ellery Channing, held the first Unitarian service in Northeast India. The Khasi Hills Partner Church Ministry Team welcomes new members. For more information see our bulletin board in the North Room or contact the church office. They meet after worship on 3rd Sundays in the Library.
Second Sunday
On the second Sunday of most months, East Shore’s offering goes to a charitable organization outside our church walls. The Team screens and selects potential recipients, and presents the selected organization to the congregation. The recipients may provide direct services or focus on systemic concerns, and their scope may range from local to national and international issues. Areas targeted for giving include basic needs, education, emergency response, environment, health and welfare, human rights, neighborhoods/communities, and peace. We welcome interest in joining our Team, and invite members and friends to give generously to these worthy causes.
Transylvania Partner Church
East Shore Unitarian Church and Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation in West Seattle are partners with the 600-resident village of Torockószentgyörgy in the foothills of the western Carpathian Mountains. This relationship dates back to 1990. Unitarians trace their roots to Transylvania, which prior to the end of World War I was part of Hungary rather than Romania. In 1568, King John Sigismund, influenced by the Unitarian faith’s founder, Francis David, proclaimed the first edict of religious toleration in Europe. The Transylvania Partner Church Ministry Team meets monthly on the third Wednesday, alternating locations between East Shore and Westside, and is open to new members. Find us on Facebook!
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
The UUSC promotes and protects human rights in the United States and internationally. During the holiday season, we distribute “Guest at Your Table” boxes – small cardboard boxes for mealtime donations of money – reminders that due to poverty, others may not be able to eat.
How you can transform your faith into justice:
- Fill up a “Guest at Your Table” box every fall
- Check out uusc.org for more information
Women Helping Women
omen Helping Women (WHW) is the social justice arm of Women’s Perspective. It offers members various opportunities to help other women and girls in our own community and worldwide. These include support, such as donating supplies and cooking monthly meals, for local homeless women at The Sophia Way Shelter. WHW continues to partner with friends at MAPS to work on an international project for women and girls that has been vetted by UUSC. Volunteers have started another year of tutoring at Lake Hills Elementary School. Opportunities are available in the reading program, the art room, and the bilingual program. WHW provides other ongoing and one-time projects as needed.
How you can transform your faith into justice:
- Join us in cooking and/or delivering meals
- Donate travel size soaps and other toiletries
- Volunteer at Lake Hills Elementary School
- Participate in one or more of our many projects helping girls and women