For the 75th anniversary of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1949 \u2014 Our congregation protests “the assumption that war is inevitable and an A-bomb justified…. We urge positive program negotiations to avoid war.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1950 \u2014 Congregation gives sizable contributions to help Spanish refugees who had been living in France since 1938
1950 \u2014 Congregation sponsors and settles a Displaced Persons family from Latvia<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1952 \u2014 Congregation refuses to sign California\u2019s \u201cLoyalty Oath,\u201d<\/a> and has to pay state tax even though it\u2019s a nonprofit 1953 \u2014 Our congregation, the San Jose Unitarian church, and the Los Gatos Unitarian Fellowship form a dental loan fund to aid children of migrant workers<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1956 \u2014 Congregation assists a displaced persons family from East Germany<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1958-66 \u2014 With a group of 5 Bay Area Unitarian churches, our congregation helps found Stevenson House,<\/a> Palo Alto\u2019s first nonprofit housing for low-income seniors<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1958 \u2014 Over 200 members sign a pledge of open housing, agreeing to welcome all persons to their neighborhood regardless of race, creed, or national origin<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1959 \u2014 Congregation supports a Displaced Persons family from East Germany<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1960 \u2014 Congregation assists a displaced persons family, plus four children from Indonesia 1962 \u2014 The Women’s Alliance sends six cartons of clothing to Spanish refugees in Toulouse, France 1964 \u2014 Rev. Dan Lion participates in the Mississippi Summer Project (a.k.a. Freedom Summer),<\/a> and is supported by our congregation 1965 \u2014 Congregation supports Rev. Dan Lion\u2019s trip to Selma, Ala.<\/a> 1966 \u2014 Activism against the Vietnam War 1967 \u2014 The congregation’s newsletter carries a series of letters over several months from congregation members both opposing and supporting the Vietnam War 1968 \u2014 Congregation votes to not build a new church building, and instead votes to spend the money raised on \u201chuman rights\u201d programs<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1969 \u2014 Rev. Dan Lion and other Unitarians participate in anti-war march in downtown Palo Alto<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1970 \u2014 Congregation forms a nonprofit corporation to start an alternative high school, called “Lothlorien High School”<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1971 \u2014 Congregation establishes Ellen Thacher Children’s Center,<\/a> a day care center named after the recently deceased Ellen Thacher; 1\/4 of the children receive scholarships<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1972 \u2014 Congregation grants the use of the church as sanctuary for those \u201cacting according to the dictates of their conscience in opposition to civil or military actions\u201d [i.e., for conscientious objectors]<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1975 \u2014 The Social Concerns Committee supports the United Farm Workers boycott of Gallo 1977 \u2014 Gail Hamaker<\/a> and other women from our congregation are active in getting the Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly to adopt the groundbreaking Women and Religion resolution<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n 1981 \u2014 The World Concerns Committee presented non-partisan lectures on various topics of social concern<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1982 \u2014 Congregation votes in December to join South Bay Sanctuary Covenant<\/a> to provide protection and advocacy for Central American refugees<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1984 \u2014 The Sanctuary Committee raises $100 a month to support South Bay Sanctuary Covenant<\/a> [$250 in 2020 dollars] 1987 \u2014 Congregation votes to join the Mid-Peninsula Peace Center<\/a> 1988 \u2014 Congregation is a founding member of Hotel de Zink,<\/a> a short-term homeless shelter<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1989 \u2014 1st annual Undie Sunday collection of donations of new underwear for unhoused people<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1992 \u2014 Congregation gives over 3% of its annual budget to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1994 \u2014 Congregations begins Welcoming Congregation<\/a> process, to become more welcoming to LGBTQIA+ people<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1997 \u2014 Congregation joins with other churches to form Peninsula Interfaith Action; began work on education and housing<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1999 \u2014 UUA recognizes UUCPA as a Welcoming Congregation,<\/a>welcoming to LGBTQIA+ people<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2002 \u2014 Congregation adopts Statement of Conscience opposing the Iraq war 2003 \u2014 Congregation raises more than $50,000 for construction of the Opportunity Center<\/a> to provide services to unhoused people 2005 \u2014 Antiwar activism against second Iraq war<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2007 \u2014 Green Sanctuary Committee<\/a> is formed<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2008 \u2014 Task force on ridding the world of nuclear weapons is formed 2009 \u2014 Congregation receives Green Sanctuary Congregation<\/a> certification from the Unitarian Universalist Association for good congregational environmental practices<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2010 \u2014 1st annual sale of fair trade chocolate<\/a> for Halloween 2011 \u2014 Congregation works on the California DISCLOSE Act<\/a> with California Clean Money Campaign<\/a> 2012 \u2014 Congregation endorses SB 52, the California Clean Money Act, to require financial disclosure of campaign contributions; holds CA DISCLOSE Act rally at the church 2013 \u2014 Immigration Task Force is formed; adult class is offered on “Immigration as A Moral Issue” 2014 \u2014 Installation of native plant garden<\/a> in front of the church is completed<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2015 \u2014 “Drone quilts” are displayed in the Main Hall, sponsored by Multifaith Voices for Peace & Justice<\/a> 2015 \u2014 Congregation gives authority to the Green Sanctuary Committee<\/a> to advocate on behalf of UUCPA for environmental issues<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2016 \u2014 Rev. Amy Zucker Morgenstern leads first Beloved Conversations<\/a> anti-racism class<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2017 \u2014 Congregation endorses SB 31, California Religious Freedom Act<\/a> 2018 \u2014 Congregation approves fast-track process for endorsements on behalf of the congregation, and for approvals to carry a UUCPA banner in public rallies and vigils 2019 \u2014 Signed a Statement of Support for people arrested and charged for leaving food and water in the desert for immigrants 2020 \u2014 Congregation participates in the Unitarian Universalist Association\u2019s UU the Vote campaign<\/a> 2021 \u2014 Congregation endorses the California Ballot DISCLOSE<\/a> Act Update, 11\/18\/21: Errors corrected, new items added<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For the 75th anniversary of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto 1949 \u2014 Our congregation protests “the assumption that war is inevitable and an A-bomb justified…. We urge positive program negotiations to avoid war.” 1950 \u2014 Congregation gives sizable contributions to help Spanish refugees who had been living in France since 19381950 \u2014 Congregation … Continue reading “UUCPA Social Justice Timeline”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[120],"class_list":["post-11336","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bay-area-calif","tag-unitarian-universalist-history"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11336","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11336"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11336\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11337,"href":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11336\/revisions\/11337"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11336"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11336"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11336"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
1952 \u2014 Congregation collects 155 pounds of clothing for Spanish refugee children<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1960 \u2014 Congregation approves a resolution calling for the dissolution of the House Un-American Activities Commission<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1962 \u2014 The Sunday school packs food baskets for prisoner’s families at Christmas<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1964 \u2014 Congregation votes overwhelmingly to oppose the Becker Amendment, Resolution 693, that would allow prayer in public schools
1964 \u2014 Congregation votes to oppose California Proposition 14,<\/a> which would allow open racial discrimination when selling or renting housing<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1965 \u2014 Sunday school students give $90 [$800 in 2020 dollars] to sponsor a foster child in Greece<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1966 \u2014 Congregation sells 2.2 acres to Stevenson House elderly housing community<\/a> at $30,000 below market rates [$240,000 in 202 dollars], then gives Stevenson House a $5,000 donation [$405,000 in 2020 dollars]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1967 \u2014 Senior minister Rev. Dan Lion and Assistant Minister Rev. Mike Young provide counseling to conscientious objectors<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1975 \u2014 After its sixth year, Lothlorien High School ceases operations<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1984 \u2014 The Stevenson House Committee helps raise funds to renovate Stevenson House, arranges activities to \u201cenliven the environment\u201d of residents<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1987 \u2014 Congregation votes to make our congregation a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone
1987 \u2014 Congregation votes to join the Urban Ministry of Palo Alto, to address homelessness<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2002 \u2014 Marriage equality activism against the Knight Initiative (Prop 22)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
2003 \u2014 Founding member of Multifaith Voices for Peace & Justice<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
2008 \u2014 Welcoming Congregation Committee organizes congregation to attempt to defeat Prop 8,<\/a> a ballot measure to ban same-sex marriage<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2010 \u2014 Fair Elections task force is formed<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2011 \u2014 Solar panels installed on the roof of the Main Hall, providing about half of UUCPA\u2019s energy needs<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2012 \u2014 Our Whole Lives comprehensive sexuality education classes<\/a> are open to the wider community<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2013 \u2014 Music Director Bruce Olstad launches Bodhi Tree North concert series<\/a> to raise money for charitable causes<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2015 \u2014 Ecojustice Camp day camp<\/a> is launched to teach kids about environmental justice<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2017 \u2014 Congregation co-sponsors Unity Rally to counter rally by Anti-Sharia proponents
2017 \u2014 More solar panels added to Main Hall roof, which now satisfy all the congregation\u2019s electrical needs<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2018 \u2014 Parking lot solar panels, erected by a solar energy company leasing from the congregation, begin operation
2018 \u2014 Congregation becomes a host of the year-old Heart & Home Collaborative<\/a> women\u2019s homeless shelter
2018 \u2014Native plant garden<\/a> in front of the church is expanded<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2019 \u2014 Congregation organizes phone banks for Reclaim our Vote<\/a>, reaching out to voters of color
2019 \u2014 Rev. Amy Zucker Morgenstern begins “White Folks Dismantling White Supremacy” anti-racism class
2019 \u2014 In cooperation with Grassroots Ecology,<\/a> congregation becomes a rain barrel demonstration site, with over 500 gallon capacity <\/p>\n\n\n\n
2020 \u2014 Members of the congregation write thousands of postcards and made hundreds of phone calls to encourage people of color in southern states to register and vote in the 2020 election
2020 \u2014 Due to COVID lockdown, Heart & Home Collaborative<\/a> homeless shelter remains at UUCPA for 3 months, 24\/7
2020 \u2014 Board approves carbon-neutral policy
2020 \u2014 “White Folks Dismantling White Supremacy” class expanded to twice monthly<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2021 \u2014 Congregation receives final approval<\/a> and launches UUCPA Safe Parking Program, hosting four passenger vehicles in our parking lot, in conjunction with Move Mountain View<\/a>
2021 \u2014 Board approves plastics reduction policy
2021 \u2014 First all-electric heat pump HVAC system is installed in church office
2021 \u2014 Congregation begins work on proposed 8th Principle<\/a> on addressing racism and other oppressions
2021 \u2014 Core group takes online Beloved Conversations<\/a> class from Meadville Lombard Theological School
2021 \u2014 Congregation renews their commitment to being a Welcoming Congregation<\/a>
2021 \u2014 Congregation adds Showing Up for Racial Justice at Sacred Heart<\/a> as a monthly Justice Partner<\/p>\n\n\n\n