Hello Dear Ones!
Most of you know, and this is to update the rest of you, that I, your lead minister, am in Georgia helping a national group known as the Election Defenders with creating a safe and moral support network for people voting at the polls tomorrow. Voters sometimes can experience harassment, confusion, and weather and line exhaustion at polls in particular states. A few weeks ago, a call was put out for more Unitarian Universalist clergy to come to various states across the country and help. I chose to respond to this call and have the support of the board in doing so. I am here in Georgia now with several fellow UU clergy, and in particular, my buddy partner is the fabulous Rev. Lisa Perry-Wood from our UU Brookline congregation. Our partner on the ground organization in Georgia is Common Cause, a nonpartisan advocacy organization, and Agnes Gray of Common Cause is our particular coordinator. Other clergy are dispatched across the country, ranging from states such as Arizona, Florida, Wisconsin, and Minnesota among others.
We live in troubling times, and these crucial mid-term elections tomorrow will not be resolved so easily tomorrow either. We can anticipate may legal challenges to our democracy to continue, and I've already witnessed this in the news this morning here in Georgia. Over 1,000 people did not receive their requested absentee ballots in time in Cobb County here (where Lisa and I are scheduled to be Election Defenders tomorrow), and an emergency lawsuit was filed by the ACLU. Several of our core values and principles as Unitarian Universalists focus on justice, equity, and democracy. As your lead minister, I am very proud to represent you and the First Parish Church in Taunton in being an Election Defender at this time.
I encourage everyone to find out more about being an election defender as well as our national UU the Vote various campaigns (I know many of you already are involved with either UU the Vote or other voting rights organizations). I know I was a bit nervous when I first worked with UU the Vote and learned how to do text banking and phone banking, but it is very easy and engaging and inspiring once you get the hang of it (and there will continue to be a lot of need for UU the Vote campaigns in the future, as well as our UU Mass Action legislative campaigns on a state level). When we rise together, each to our respective abilities, we can feel our shared power and inspire and engage active hope. I am including several links below that can be informative, including about what happened in Georgia today.
I will be returning on Wednesday morning, and then heading out for a home visit, and I will be in the church on Thursday and Friday this week and look forward to seeing you in church on Sunday!
peace and blessings,
Rev. Michelle :)
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/07/georgia-election-lawsuit-sparks-absentee-ballot-investigation.html
https://actionnetwork.org/groups/election-defenders
https://www.commoncause.org/georgia/
https://www.uuthevote.org
https://www.uumassaction.org
p.s. Lisa and I were able to see a little bit of the Martin Luther King, Jr. museums in Atlanta this morning, and I'll be posting pictures on Facebook for those interested.
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