Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth
840 Sandwich Road Action Alert: Haiti AssistanceThe Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth has raised almost $2,500 to assist relief efforts in Haiti. If you would like to contribute to this project, checks should be made payable to "Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Falmouth." They should be marked "Haiti Donation." All of the money received will be evenly divided between Oxfam America and Doctors Without Borders. The Social Action Committee met with our fellowship on Sunday, January 17, to develop the fellowship's plan for responding to the short-term and long-term problems in Haiti. Relief organizations need trained volunteers; untrained volunteers can get in the way and require emergency services themselves. The two local organizations to contact are: Cape Cod Red Cross, Hyannis telephone 508-775-1540, and Upper Cape Medical Reserve Corps, 508-495-7137. The Medical Reserve Corps is a national organization with a local volunteer unit based at Falmouth Hospital. Rev. Bob Murphy is a member of the board of directors. Despite its name, most volunteers do not have professional training in medicine. Mission of the Social Action CommitteeThe Social Action Committee focuses on social issues by being informed, informing others, contributing financially, participating individually, and encouraging the participation of others. We inform the membership of the UUFF about matters of concern in and beyond the local area, with a primary focus on the Upper Cape Cod area. We encourage social action efforts of the committees of the UUFF and individual members. Activities of the Social Action Committee
Monthly support is being given to three organizations that help homeless, battered women and their families, and to one organization that provides free medical care to those without insurance:
Annual gifts have been given to many organizations, including:
The Social Action Committee encourages members and friends of the congregation to help people in need by volunteering their services and making individual donations to the above organizations. How Does the Supermarket Gift Certificate Program Work?All of the major food retailers sell their certificates at a discount to non-profit organizations, such as the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth (UUFF). This is one way of showing that they have a sense of civic responsibility. For example, if the Social Action Committee of the UUFF pays $9.50 for a certificate that is worth $10.00, when you pay $10.00 for the $10.00 certificate, the Committee has $.50 to give to the organizations we are helping to support. Instead of using cash, check, credit or debit card to pay for your groceries, simply use your gift certificate that comes from the store in which you are shopping. You can use the certificate in conjunction with cash or check if it does not cover your bill. Most certificates are in the form of plastic cards that can be scanned like debit cards; the amount of the bill is subtracted from the balance available on the card, recorded electronically, and you are given a receipt that shows the balance remaining. What stores participate?Currently Roche Brothers, Star Market, Stop & Shop, Windfall Market, Family Foods, Jack in the Beanstalk, and Cataumet Fish participate in the gift certificate program. Criteria for GivingThe Social Action Committee has selected organizations to receive donations using these general criteria:
Additional Activities of Our CongregationMany members of our congregation, in addition to those who serve on the Social Action Committee, are involved in a variety of social actions. Their activities tend to fall into five categories: War and PeaceOur congregation has a Resolution in regard to the Iraq war. Several of our members participate in anti-war vigils in front of the Falmouth Post Office on Main St. each Saturday morning. Others serve in the military. Our congregation supports all people in their search for truth and meaning. Each year on August 6 from 11 am to noon in front of the Falmouth Main Post Office, some of our members attend the peace vigil observing the anniversary of Hiroshima Day, which is endorsed by the UUFF Social Action Committee. Hiroshima Day reminds the world of how atomic bombs have been and still are a threat to human life and peace. The Hiroshima Day vigil is a joint effort of Citizens for Global Solutions and the Falmouth Anti-War Vigilers. On August 17th, 2005 more than two hundred people stood on the Falmouth village green to express support for the American mothers who have lost sons and daughters because of military service in Iraq. The Falmouth Enterprise (August 19) reported that "the mood was somber and, above all, quiet." Olive Beverly and Wendi Buesseler, two Fellowship members, were interviewed. Food projectsMembers of our congregation are involved in a variety of food projects that help families and individuals in need. One member acts as a liason with the food pantries in Sandwich, Mashpee, Bourne, and Falmouth. She puts in many hours inspiring our members to bring in donations, distributing donations to the food pantries, talking with the people who run the food pantries to determine what their needs are, advocating with the Social Action Committee for financial support of the pantries, and coordinating an annual Rachel Carson Harvest Dinner to raise additional money for the pantries. Several members work in our Community Garden project at the Falmouth Service Center, where we grow organic vegetables that we share with families in need. Several others prepare and serve hot meals for the "Around the Table" program the first Wednesday of each month. Around the Table serves free lunches every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to people in need of a free meal and/or fellowship. Human rightsMuch controversy has surrounded the increasing use of computerized voting machines that provide no way to check on the accuracy of their results. One of our members has been campaigning tirelessly for verified voting that leaves a paper trail. The issue was the subject of an Action of Immediate Witness at the 2004 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association. Paper ballots can be used to verify machine results in cases of recounts or disputed election results. The Welcoming Congregation Committee has joined with the Social Action Committee. The Welcoming Congregation Committee coordinates our Fellowship's support of the "No Place for Hate" programs in Mashpee and Falmouth, our participation in in anti-racism programs and programs in support of gay rights, and the annual Wampanoag pow-wow in Mashpee. In March, our Fellowship sponsors the Celtic Diversity Dinner--a fundraiser that supports Cape Cod human rights organizations. The Celtic Diversity Dinner is endorsed by "No Place for Hate". Barnstable County has established a new Human Rights Commission. Rev. Bob Murphy is one of the social justice advocates who has worked in support of this program. On Sunday evening, September 11th, 2005, the second annual Sunset Jazz Reception and Auction took place at the Highfield mansion in Beebe Woods in Falmouth. This event raises awareness and financial support for the Cape and Islands Gay & Straight Youth Alliance (CIGSYA), (508) 280-9931, in Hyannis. Our church's Welcoming Congregation Committee has endorsed CIGSYA and the September 11th fundraiser. Ongoing Environmental projectsThe minister and Welcoming Congregation Committee participate in a study on whether there is racial profiling in the Town of Falmouth Police Department. Information about the study and results of a survey were published in the 2006 January 24 Cape Cod Times. Our Fellowship has adopted a mile of Sandwich Road. Once each month, volunteers clean litter from the roadside. This effort is sponsored by the Social Action Committee. Rev. Bob Murphy works with AmeriCorps, the Sierra Club, local food pantries, and other agencies to distribute information about fuel assistance programs and programs for home energy conservation. A long-time member of the UUFF and our Social Action Committee, David Dow, is the leader of the Cape Cod Group of the Sierra Club. The Building and Grounds Committee has implemented an energy-saving program and is working to further "green" our Meetinghouse and grounds. A task force has been establish to study the prospect of our Fellowship becoming a Green Sanctuary. Emergency responsesThe congregation responds to emergency needs by working with the American Red Cross, the Upper Cape Medical Reserve Corps, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, and other agencies. Rev. Bob Murphy manages the emergency shelter in Falmouth. On July 7th, 2005, terrorists attacked public transportation in London. Over fifty people were killed and more than 700 were wounded. The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth responded by contacting the Unitarian headquarters in London. Our message of sympathy and support was then forwarded by e-mail to all of the Unitarian congregations in the British isles. On September 11th of each year, people gather on the Falmouth village green to recognize the fourth anniversary of the terrorist attacks against the United States. This is an opportunity to thank emergency services workers. It was also an opportunity to reflect on the ways in which people of faith can best respond to emergency situations. Our Social Action Committee has endorsed this event. Hurricane season for the United States continues until November. In 2005, our congregation provided financial support in response to the four hurricanes that hit Florida and Alabama. We responded to the Cape Cod blizzards. In September and October, the Upper Cape Medical Reserve Corps provided classes on emergency preparedness, first aid, and stroke prevention at the Falmouth Hospital. See the Cape Cod Emergency Preparedness Handbook, available in several formats, on the Cape Cod Commission website. |