Attacks on Democracy & Everyday Solutions

How can we support our UU beliefs in democracy and reproductive rights as we go about our daily lives?  How can we convince others to Vote NO on the August 8th ballot issue, which is a last-minute attempt by our Ohio legislature to let a mere 40% of voters block whatever a majority of voters might want to add to the Ohio Constitution? How can we oppose recent amendments to Ohio House Bill 68 that propose to ban gender affirming care?

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Attorney and political scientist Wenda Sheard will answer questions about the August 8th Issue 1 election. She will also share stories from David Pepper’s 2021 book Laboratories of Autocracy: A Wake-Up Call from Behind the Lines, and share hints from his book published last month, Saving Democracy: A User’s Manual for Every American. The focus will be on sharing ideas about how each of us can contribute to strengthening our fragile democracy as we go about our daily lives. Each of us has more power than we realize to make change…come learn about your own powers.

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Our UUFA Board recently agreed to support adding a reproductive rights amendment to the Ohio Constitution in November. A few weeks later, our UUFA board agreed to support efforts to convince Ohioans to Vote NO on August 8th. For information on the Unitarian Universalist Association’s take on legislative and other assaults on democracy, please see https://www.uua.org/action/statements/our-democracy-uncorrupted and, more recently, https://www.uua.org/pressroom/press-releases/lives-and-democracy-risk

UUFA PLEDGE DRIVE

Gentlepersons:

This is Jessie Roberson; I am leading the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens’ (“UUFA”) Pledge Drive for the 2023-2024 fiscal year.  I write to ask your help as the UUFA Executive Committee works to wrap up preparations for the coming year.  As you may recall, our bylaws require all members to submit an annual pledge form and to make an identifiable contribution to maintain their membership status.  HOWEVER, what you pledge and what you actually contribute is entirely up to you.  

The budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2023, that was approved at the UUFA Annual Meeting, reflects the bare bones operation to which our Executive Committee shifted as we scrambled to adjust, given the myriad impacts of the Co-Vid 19 pandemic.  As the plague continues to wane, we plan to continue doing hybrid services; but we also hope to return to “normal” operation.  Doing services in our sanctuary is a primary focus.  Indeed, we have begun implementation of planned updates and enhancements to our delivery of Sunday services.

Having as many returned pledge forms as possible will help to expedite our return to normalcy. Imagine trying to manage your household spending without having a reasonable idea of what your income will be each month. Pledges are an essential tool that allow the Executive Committee to make a realistic assessment of the likely resources available to support the functions and services we hope to deliver to our community and our congregation over the coming year.  It is now possible to pay your pledge in cash, by check or on line.  As you may have noticed in our weekly Greensheet and/or Sunday announcements, our building hosts four or five activities per week.  The Executive Committee is trying to make our beautiful building a community asset.  Our improvements help advance that objective. 

Please take a few moments to fill out and return the pledge form attached.  You can return it in person during a service at the Fellowship, mail it (to UUFA, P.O. Box 0333, Athens, OH 45701), or return it via email by sending it to treasurer@uuathens.org. (FYI: it would be possible to pay toward a pledge using our link to Tithely.com,  https://get.tithe.ly/download-tithely-app ).

The Executive Committee will look at the pledges at the end of the fiscal year (June 30 2023) and make appropriate adjustments to the budget in light of our financial support.  Of course, we will gladly accept your support however and whenever you choose to give it.  However, the Executive Committee deeply appreciates your help in finalizing the various things that need to get done.  Please fill out a pledge form as soon as you can manage it.

Thank you for your time, attention and support.

For the UUFA Executive Committee,

Jessie C. Roberson

UUFA 

P.O. BOX 333

ATHENS, OH 45701