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About Us
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Environmental & Social Action
Related Areas Our social action program is intended to enable members to act in pursuit of their religious values and principles in the larger community. We provide a variety of short and long-term opportunities for action. We field a team of 15 once per month to FEED THE HUNGRY at the Monday night free dinner provided in the facilities of Robertsville Baptist Church at their Tabitha's Table program. We provide and cook the food from the church pantry (Second Harvest of Knoxville) supplemented by our own donations. The team plans menus, shops for food, cooks, serves, cleans up and delivers food to shutins each month. We join three other local churches in providing this service. LITERACY TUTORS for at-risk children (first to third grade). This program in the Oak Ridge Schools provides one-on-one contact for children who need help and encouragement by a caring adult. Several members participate on a regular basis. We participate on the organizing and planning committee for the annual MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. CELEBRATIONS in the City of Oak Ridge. The small committee coordinates and publicizes more than a dozen events over a two week period around the MLK Birthday Holiday. Many of the Oak Ridge congregation volunteers to staff the Ecumenical Storehouse located in Oak Ridge. Since there are nine churches in this cooperative, this happens once every nine months. The name of this charity comes from the meaning of the word "ecumenical": a gathering of churches. "The Storehouse" as it is commonly called recycles good usable household objects, including furniture, by collecting donations on Saturday mornings and distributing these items to underprivileged of Anderson and surrounding counties on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. This keeps many items out of the landfills and makes household goods available to those in need. Members and friends of ORUUC have made a commitment to “bending the arc” of social justice by actively supporting and advocating Healthy Start Anderson County. Healthy Start is a hands-on home visitation program that teaches parenting skills to first-time mothers whose children are at risk for child abuse. ENVIRONMENTAL
CONCERNS/ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION
The church has voted to seek certification as a Green Sanctuary, as part of the Seventh Principle Project of the Unitarian Universalist Association. The goals of this project are to:
Actions will be completed or instituted in the areas of:
Significant progress has already been made, with services being held on environmental issues, a Simplicity Circle being formed, incorporation of a Children's Garden and environmental issues into the religious education curriculum, etc. For more information on social issues, contact Elizabeth Peelle.
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