The following teams invest their skills and time to put our UU values to work in our community. Everyone is welcome to join these efforts!
The Social Justice Ministry (SJM)
The Social Justice Ministry works to further our Congregation’s commitment to justice, often collaborating with community and state-wide partners such as the NAACP, You Can Vote, Love Our Children, UU Justice Ministry of NC, and the LGBTQ Center of the Cape Fear Coast among others. We offer congregants opportunities to live our UU principles, furthering the cause of justice in our world through education, service, witness, advocacy, and activism, often participating in local and state-wide marches, rallies, and meetings. Members often act as liaisons with our community partners, communicating those organization’s activities to our group and the wider Congregation.
- Meeting Times: One monthly meeting on the second Thursday of the month from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.; regular attendance is encouraged.
- Time Commitment: One 90-minute meeting per month plus projects and events. You can also get involved without being a SJM member as there are many opportunities to engage in social justice events as part of wider congregational engagement.
- To learn more – Email: SJM@uucwnc.org
Share the Plate (STP)
Each Sunday’s offering is shared with a worthwhile local nonprofit organization which shares our UU values. STP Team members:
- encourage congregants to nominate organizations to receive the offering
- review the organizations to determine suitability
- determine when each organization will be presented
- take turns summarizing the organization for the Worship Service and Weekly Digest announcements
- Meeting Times: One hour every six weeks via zoom.
- Time Commitment: In addition to the meetings, members spend a few hours each month researching and writing up information about the recipients.
- To learn more – Email: STP@uucwnc.org
Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard (MHC)
Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard is an emergency food pantry. Volunteers pack bags of groceries and pass them out to Mother Hubbard’s clients. The pantry is located at 315 Red Cross St (in the old Carolina Furniture building). For more information about MHC go to: www.motherhubbardsnc.org.
Twice a year MHC runs a food drive outside Harris Teeter grocery stores. Volunteers are needed for two-hour shifts collecting food from the customers as they leave the stores and to transport the collected food to MHC. Other volunteers are needed to supervise teenagers who unload and sort the food.
Meeting Times: UUCWNC’s dedicated crew volunteers the first Wednesday of each month, 12:30-3:30 p.m. We need about 15 people for the 3-hour shift.
Time Commitment: Three hours a month.
For more information email MHC@uncwnc.org
Family Promise is a national organization “delivering innovative solutions for family homelessness including prevention, shelter, and stabilization services.” Our local affiliate is Family Promise of Lower Cape Fear. A cohort of congregations formerly known as Wilmington Interfaith Hospitality Network (WIHN) includes our own congregation. UUCWNC has helped with providing some resources over the years. Presently, we have the task of preparing, delivering, and serving dinners, along with fellowship and support, to the day center where temporary emergency shelter for up to 3 families is provided. You may volunteer for a group dinner just once, or several times a year. This volunteer option is a generous and nurturing way to give back to the community.
- Meeting times: none (communication/coordination done by email)
- Time commitment: 1 ½ hours at the day center plus grocery shopping and food prep time
- To indicate interest or to learn more – Email: familypromise@uucwnc.org
