Social Justice Council, 4/20/22

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Attending: Mark Bussolini, Linda Secretan, Dennis & Sharon Rockwood, Jim Bigelow, Marni Odermann, Cathy Sandstrom

Agenda:

  • March 30, 2022 Meeting Notes
  • Ingathering/check-in
  • 2022 – 2023 Plate Partners
    • Plate Partner Nominations:
    • conduct the vote on all the nominations
      • it’s a good idea to put the groups in view of the congratulations even if they aren’t chosen.
    • meet June 8th after the voting is complete to decide the final list of plate partners
    • it would be really important to have the nominators interact with the plate partners with the council as a back stop.
    • would be great to have members of Social Justice ministries at the check presentations and pictures – since this is a celebration.
    • Presentations should be advertised to the congregation to attend the ceremony.
    • Need a check list of how to interact with plate partners.
      • Sharon and Jim will work on it.
    • Nominations for this year are closed
    • Jim to put together the voting form
  • Social Justice Funds
    • Special Appeal: .$12, 915
    • Social Justice Council Budget: $700
    • Requests:
      • Racial Justice Ministry: Agreed: $6,000 for programming, authorized, details to be presented at the June meeting
      • Refugee, Immigrant, Asylum: $3000 grant to cover emergency costs for refugees as they move from lease housing to second homes.
        • Wish to simply hold funds to give some sense of backup in case of need.
        • Agreed: earmark the $3,000 for 6 months with a periodic revisit to see if it’s still needed.
      • Climate Action Team: $500 for Interfaith Power and Light
        • Agreed: the team can draw on the $500 in the Social Justice Council budget a needed to support an Idaho chapter of Interfaith Power and Light.
  • Support for Interfaith Sanctuary
    • Heard from Mark about the Boise City Council hearings that will go on through the 21st and possibly on Monday the 25th.
    • A group of about 30 faith groups are support the Interfaith Sanctuary
  • Next Meetings
    • move meetings to 6:30?
      • Jim to see Rachael about the new time 6:30 – 7:30/8:00
    • June 8      (replacing June 7)
    • No meeting in July  instead of July 5th
    • Placeholder meeting on August 10th, not sure of an actual time in August if at all.
    • Sept 7th rather than Sept 6th
  • Social Justice Council and Resolutions
  • Ministry groups to consider what resolution(s) should be brought to the congregations in the Fall.
  • Fall Social Justice Workshop?
    • would be nice but not sure about it.
  • Round Table
    • Climate Action Team
    • Racial Justice
      • continued Wed. meetings. — Active Intersectionality
      • This week in the National Week of Conversation — American Talks
    • Refugee, Immigrant & Asylum Seekers
    • Economic, Mark
      • Mark went to the Inter faith hearings at the Boise City council. Lots of BUUF people in support. 30 faith groups getting people there in support of the Interfaith Sanctuary (IFS)
      • Getting running shoes again for the IFS
      • Children’s books and books for the Senior center
      • Books for the women’s prison.
    • Marni
      • working with Create Common Good
    • Carol Ogburn’s report to the Committee on Ministry after a discussion with Jim Bigelow
      • Jim initially said everything pretty quiet.  Immediate action is getting Plate Partner nominees to Board.  Then Board responsible for getting information to congregants.  
      • Jim will be taking vacation soon, so will miss a meeting or two.
      • Concerns? I ask – Jim’s present concern is about the nature of the ID legislature, with the legislature going after librarians, abortion rights, LBBQ+ community, etc.  Most troubling.  So much misinformation, “smoke screen” language (critical race theory for white supremacy fear, socialism for “you are using my taxes for minority help,” etc.) [We had an “airing” type discussion. What to do about democracy?  My deep concern as well.]
      • Conflicts?  “Well, as you mention it. . . “  Jim feels real responsibility for the $13,000 special appeal monies given to the Social Justice Council.  In talks at last meeting Racial Justice Ministry wanted $8,000, Refugee and Immigrant Ministry wanted $3,000, Climate Action – $1000.  With discussion (as much as a packed agenda for a 1 1/2 hour meeting could provide) council agreed to $6,000 for RJM, 3K for RIM, and 1K for CAT.  These are tentative with each showing in detail how funds are intended to be spent.  
      • AND – While SJC operates from an organic perspective, with group decisions/directions and respect for its different groups within the SJC, there is also a sense of responsibility to those who have given/congregants/total BUUF family – to be transparent/accountable as to how monies are spent and at what rate.
      • AND – There is the question of using majority or all of funds when one doesn’t know future social justice needs.
      • AND – While Rev Sara indicated in one of her last appearances at the SJC that this money coming from the special appeal would not be a one shot deal, there is no concrete information at hand upholding that perspective.  
      • AND – Did all of these aspects have a fair space at last meeting?
      • A possible conclusion to the “conflict” or rather “discerning questions” is to think about a longer workshop, day long retreat to explore SJC priorities/needs; to take the pulse of the congregations as to its concerns/priorities.  
  • Adjourn – 7:43pm
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  • Want: 8th Principle/Land Reparations
    • Dave Woito, 2/19 email: donations directed to the Eight Principle will be track as part of Social Justice.
  • Want: Congregation-wide Social Justice Project
  • Want: Ukrainian Refugee relief

long Term Discussions and Planning – Fall Social Justice Workshop

  • Reproductive Justice, the end of  Roe v Wade, Idaho’s restrictive abortion law
  • How Can We Counter Soft Fascism/Illiberal Democracy Tactics?
  • How can we support democracy in the face of authoritarianism?
    • See The Dark Century by David Brooks
    • teach/support democratic skills:
      • how to weigh evidence and commit to truth;
      • how to correct for your own partisan blinders and learn to doubt your own opinions;
      • how to respect people you disagree with;
      • how to avoid catastrophism, conspiracy and apocalyptic thinking;
      • how to avoid supporting demagogues;
      • how to craft complex compromises