Do you have an idea for a new social justice project at Chalice? Great! We want to facilitate your leading it. Read through the procedure below and submit this form to the Coordinating Team (CT).

Members or Friends of Chalice Unitarian Universalist Congregation may request formal recognition of a social justice action at Chalice from the CT by completing and submitting a Request Form to Initiate a New Social Justice Action.

There are three categories of Social Justice Actions:

1. Social Justice Program — This is an on-going social justice action and continues year to year. A task force of at least three Chalice Members and Friends must lead it.
2. Social Justice Project — This is a social justice project usually lasting no more than one church year. A single individual can propose it.
3. Action of Immediate Witness — This is a one-time or short duration social justice action such as a rally, demonstration, petition drive or natural disaster requiring immediate response. A single individual can propose it.

Once the CT receives your completed Request Form to Initiate a New Social Justice Action, your request will be placed on the agenda for the next scheduled meeting of the CT. If time is of the essence and immediate action on the request is required, contact a CT member.

The CT evaluates each request to verify whether:

• It is consistent with the Mission and Vision of the Chalice Unitarian Universalist Congregation and its long range plan,
• It is consistent with the Principles and Purposes of the UUA,
• It is within the acceptable bounds set by the IRS for a 501(c)(3). [For example, it is not acceptable to endorse a candidate for elected office.]
• It does not exceed the available resources.
• For proposed Social Justice Programs, at least three Chalice Members or Friends are willing to serve on the task force to manage it, and
• It has clear and measurable goals.

Although Social Justice Programs are intended to last more than one church year, they must be renewed each year by vote of the CT. This is done as one of the action items to prepare its plan for the coming year.

• A proposed Social Justice Program will be accepted in “Preliminary Status” for one full calendar year by majority vote of the CT. The intent is to give the Program an opportunity to develop wide support within the congregation.
• Once a Social Justice Program has been in “Preliminary Status” for one full calendar year, it will be accepted in “Permanent Status” by majority vote of the CT.

Social Justice Programs, Projects and Actions approved by the CT receive the following benefits, unless otherwise specified by CT:

• You may circulate a petition and invite Chalice members and friends to sign as individuals,
• You may set up a publicity table during coffee hour to solicit support from Chalice members and friends,
• You may submit articles and announcements for official Chalice communications such as the weekly all-congregational email, newsletter or Chalice website,
• You may request financial support from the CT,
• You may request use of Chalice’s rooms for meetings and other activities consistent with their action free of charge.

For Programs and Projects only, you may state in your written publicity that the Program or Project is a recognized social justice action of Chalice UU Congregation. For an Action of Immediate Witness, you may state that CT gave approval for the Action to occur on church premises and using church resources as specified above. CT also may vote to recognize the Action of Immediate Witness, upon request or in the discretion of CT.

Note that ‘Recognition’ by the CT is not an endorsement of a particular position or point of view on the social issue being addressed by the Program, Project or Action of Immediate Witness. However, CT may endorse a particular position or point of view on a social issue, upon request or in the discretion of CT.

Reports:

The CT requests that a brief written report from the task groups or individuals responsible for Actions of Immediate Witness and Social Justice Projects be submitted to the CT within a month after the Action or Project is completed. Reports for on-going Social Justice Programs are to be submitted to CT by April 1 of each year. The reports should summarize the activities undertaken and whether and how well the Program’s objectives were met.