The First Parish Stoughton Social & Climate Action Committee works to bring education and action around issues of social justice and climate action. We are committed to raising awareness of how the 7 Principles of Unitarian Universalism call us to work daily on improving ourselves, our communities, and our world. We support the First Parish community, and the wider Stoughton + Surrounding Areas communities, in efforts to increase knowledge, communication, and action related to social justice and environmental justice.

Current / Upcoming Activities:

• Anti-Racism Commitment and Resources
• Fair Trade Market
• Common Read 2021-2022: Defund Fear: Safety without Policing, Prisons, and Punishment
• Queer Small Group
• Weekly Values Statements

Past Activities:

• Beginning November 2021: Monthly Fair Trade Marketplace
• June 2021: Annual First Parish Pride Service: Pride & Justice
• June 2021: First Annual Stoughton Pride!
• Spring 2021: Common Read Discussions: An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States
• Fall 2020: Engaged in voter education activities through UU the Vote
• June 2020: Annual Pride Service
• June 2020: Voter Education — complied and shared information about Stoughton’s municipal election and health safety adjustments amidst COVID-19
• April 2020: Environmental Issues Event — postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions
• October 2019: Moral Courage Event — Public screening of Defying the Nazis, the Sharpes’ War and discussion with filmmaker Artemis Joukowsky and producer Larry Rothstein
• 2018: Achieved Welcoming Congregation status

Committee Members

• Carmel Drewes (Chair) SocialAction@FirstParishStoughton.org
• Elisa Blanchard (Fair Trade Marked Coordinator) FT@FirstParishStoughton.org
• Shirley Farnham
• Jocelyn Hand
• Lynn Hover (Welcoming Congregation Coordinator)
• Kate Larson (Queer Small Group Facilitator)
• Jess Miner (Board Liaison)
• Bill Sevrens (Worship Committee Liaison)

Sub-Committees

• Welcoming Congregation Committee