 At the 46th Annual General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalists in Portland, Oregon, Starr King School invited the gathered community to join in a public conversation on justice-making in the public square.
When spiritually grounded religious people such as Unitarian Universalists engage in social justice do they have anything unique to offer in respect to their secular partners? If so, how can UUs better articulate their spiritual and theological perspectives for each other and the general public? How can their spirituality more solidly ground their vision, practice and hope?
We asked a group of Unitarian Universalist panelists to share their insights on these questions and engage the audience in a larger conversation on the topic.
The panelists were Pat Haff, Rev. Preston Moore and Sunshine Jeremiah Wolfe. Rev. Dr. Gabriella Lettini, Aurelia Henry Reinhardt Director of Studies in Public Ministry and Associate Professor of Theological Ethics at SKSM, introduced the event, was a respondent to each of the panelists and opened the floor to community discussion.
Pat Haff is the Coordinator of Community Outreach Ministries at Unity Church-Unitarian in St. Paul, Minn. Her work provides support to the Unity Church-Unitarian Community Outreach Ministry Teams by assisting with publicity, leadership development, group dynamics, member recruitment, goal setting, fundraising, and spiritual growth. She also coordinates several community forums each year to inspire members of our community to re-commit themselves to the pursuit of greater justice in the world. Pat provided a picture of how Unitarian Universalist principles can be embodied in the daily life and commitments of local congregations.
To read an in-depth outline of Pat's presentation, please click here.
Reverend Preston Moore, co-minister with his wife, Reverend Jennifer Ryu, to the Williamsburg Unitarian Universalist Church, practiced law for twenty-five years with an international law firm. In 2001, he retired to attend seminary, and earned his Master of Divinity degree at SKSM. As a lawyer, a longtime UU congregant, and now as a minister, Preston has been an advoate for justice. In the panel, Preston challenged us to move beyond the classical binaries of civic religion versus religious civics to imagine a third way: a church in the public square but not of it. To do so, our justice making should be grounded in a deep experience of the Transcendent.
To read an in-depth outline of Preston's presentation please click here.
Sunshine Jeremiah Wolfe is a third-year Master of Divinity student at Starr King School for the Ministry. Sunshine, who prefers the gender-neutral pronouns ghe and per, is also an organizer with the Graduate Theological Union faculty members for Religious Perspective on Work through Interfaith Worker Justice. Per focus is on addressing class, poverty, homelessness, and economic justice as a way to bring healing and wholeness to communities. Per activism includes worker, immigrant, environmental, sexuality, and gender justice. Ghe has been an educator, social worker and organizer in numerous homeless service agencies that focus on working with and supporting homeless communities in developing their own leadership. From 2002-2004, ghe served the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tucson as Spiritual Development Director and from there came to Starr King to prepare for parish ministry. In per presentation, Sunshine reminded us that our ethical imagination cannot only be constructed out of the needs and wounds of the world. While we are called to engage with issues of injustice and suffering, we need a deep grounding in the spirit as a source of vision, strength and wisdom. In this process, we should not see conflicts as hindering our work of spiritual practice, but as a place for growth and grace.
To read the full text of the Sunshine's presentation please click here.
After offering feedback and posing questions to each panelist, Rev. Dr. Lettini invited the gathered community into a lively discussion. The audience was also invited to an SKSM Open House, where she presented the recently launched Master of Arts in Religious Leadership for Social Change (M.A.S.C.) program.
-Professor Gabriella Lettini, Director of Studies in Public Ministry
 When Gabriella Lettini asks us how spiritual grounding undergirds our social justice activism or ministries, she is asking more of us than to be aware of how our spiritual practices keep us working for the common good. She is also asking us to interrogate how our activism is informed.
We know we live in an increasingly violent world. While religious and cultural wars damage ours and other nations, public discussion is at worst fueling the divisions and at best faltering at the task of addressing them. In the midst of tragedies and atrocities that wrench us to the core of our being — and oppressions that slip by us unnoticed — we need public ministries that impact the public discourse and envision communities of justice.
Starr King's Master of Arts in Religious Leadership for Social Change — our public ministry M.A.S.C. program — prepares leaders who are critical thinkers and effective organizers. By combining personalized studies in theological scholarship with spiritual and professional development, the M.A.S.C. program grounds activists and social justice workers into ethical and religious leaders. Recent M.A.S.C. graduates are revolutionizing the way religious education is taught for our multi-religious world, others are guiding fellow activists to better understand the efficacy of their justice work that face seemingly insurmountable obstacles, and developing tools to help community organizations practice sustainability in a world that promotes unsustainable systems.
If you know someone who would be interested in this program, who is interested in religious leadership but may not be seeking ordination, or someone who is already a religious leader who would like to further develop skills and professional competence; please recommend they get in touch with our admissions office to apply.
For more information please see the admissions section of our website or email admissions@sksm.edu.
 Hello friends of Starr King near and far! My name is Becky Johnson. I am a fourth-year M.Div. student at SKSM, spending my summer and last year in internship at the Jericho Road Project in Concord, Mass.
The Jericho Road Project is a unique, faith-based service organization built originally to partner skilled volunteers in Concord with vital social service agencies in Lowell, Mass. on projects to help the agencies build their capacity to serve people.
During my short time here I have learned much about the histories of this town and the local Unitarians and Universalists. For instance, the city of Lowell was founded by a Unitarian lay-person, Nathan Appleton, who was appalled by the working conditions of textile workers in England and so created a manufacturing process that relied on a living wage, safe working conditions, and affordable housing and goods for textile workers in his factories. His experiment led to the founding of Lowell. Unfortunately, his factories could not live up to his dream, and he lived his later years with the knowledge that his factories, like many others in New England at the time, had degenerated into sweatshops.
I spoke about Nathan Appleton and about possible modern Unitarian Universalist responses to his legacy in my first sermon, preached at First Parish of Concord on July 22, 2007. I hope you will read it at the First Parish website.
As my internship year goes on, I will continue to support the Jericho Road Project while I learn from the Rev. Gary Smith, minister at First Parish and one Starr King's Board of Trustees members. I look forward to this vital work combining Unitarian Universalist ministry with non-profit organizing, and combining secular and religious social action as I develop my own community ministry.
-Becky Johnson, M.Div. Candidate at Starr King School
 Transitions are afoot in the Advancement Office as we bid farewell to Annual Fund Director Donna Sequeira who resigned in June and is pursuing other interests in her life. We will miss her and wish her all the best in her endeavors. We have begun a search for a new director and anticipate filling the position by the beginning of the school year.
We also say goodbye in August to Anne Griffiths, a fourth-year M.Div. student at Starr King who, along with Donna, worked in our office for the past two years. Our blessings go to her as she heads into her CPE, clinical pastoral education, in preparation for her ministry.
If you need my personal attention regarding your gifts and pledges to Starr King School, please feel free to e-mail me at kflood@sksm.edu, or phone me at 859-221-3107. I will respond promptly.
In faith,
Kelly Flood
 As we gather together this fall, we invite the Starr King community to reflect upon the impact of our ecological footprints. In what ways are we mindful of or unconscious of our own daily choices and the impact these have upon the planet's resources, and by extension, our neighbors around the globe? As the "organics" movement begins to make "high-quality" foodstuffs available to the most affluent sectors of society, how do inequities in access persist? In what ways does racism, classism, and ableism continue to limit the availability of healthful food and potable water to those who do not have access to "natural foods?" How do you define ecologically mindful living? How does your transportation and the way you utilize resources reflect your ecological values? How can SKSM engage in actions that reflect our commitment to living responsibly here at school and with all of those inhabiting our shared planet?
Curious about the size and shape of your own footprint? Click here to see this eye-opening ecological impact calculator to find out how your habits impact earth's resources and ways in which we can all improve.
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