FUSsa-talk Mailing List: 2 items

[Robert Tapp (tappx001]

1. I agree with Bill Weir that there is no good reason to ignore UUSC's active 
role -- that's why I suggested splitting right away. I do think we need to 
stress our FUS endorsement of many UU activities -- both to attract new members 
and to remind all of us why we are here (instead of at home or in some friendly 
megachurch).

2. We should also be advertising and supporting the work of the Religious 
Institute. Debra Haffner, after all, is a UU minister who is out front on LGBT, 
comprehensive sex ed, teen pregnancy education, AND the new census petitioning. 
(note that she is speaking in Minnetonka Feb. 20!). (did MUUSJA and PSD know 
about her trip here??).

Bob

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Rev. Debra W. Haffner" <info [at] religiousinstitute.org>
> Date: January 21, 2010 6:04:26 AM EST
> 
> Subject: Religious Institute January 2010 Newsletter
> Reply-To: info [at] religiousinstitute.org
> 
> Having trouble viewing this email? Click here
> 
>               
> 
>       January 2010
> 
>       The Religious Institute offers its prayers and condolences to the 
> people of Haiti.  Read Rev. Haffner's blog on the special needs of Haitian 
> women during this time and how you can help.
>       In This Issue
> 
>        Editorial
> News & Current Events
> Take Action
> New Resources
> Upcoming Events
> Religious Institute News
> Stay Connected with the Religious Institute
>       Editorial 
>                From Rev. Debra W. Haffner
> 
> 
> On Jan. 25, 2000, the Religious Declaration on Sexuality Morality, Justice, 
> and Healing was published for the first time as a full-page ad in the New 
> York Times.  Surrounded by the names of 850 endorsers, the Religious 
> Declaration was a clarion call to the nation's faith leaders to break the 
> silence around sexuality in America's faith communities.
>  
> Ten years later, more than 3,300 religious leaders from over 50 faith 
> traditions have affirmed its call for full inclusion of women and LGBT 
> people, comprehensive sexuality education in public schools and religious 
> institutions, and a faith-based commitment to reproductive health and rights. 
>  The Religious Declaration continues to guide the work of the Religious 
> Institute every day.
>  
> The past decade has seen remarkable progress in furthering its vision of 
> sexually healthy and just faith communities.   Think about it:
> While women's ordination was not new in 2000, there has been notable progress 
> in the numbers of women in denominational leadership.  Women now head the 
> Episcopal Church, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Metropolitan 
> Community Churches, and the Fellowship.  Women serve as bishops in such 
> diverse traditions as the African Methodist Episcopal Church, AME Zion, the 
> Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the United Methodist Church.
> In 2000, only a handful of denominations had welcoming organizations 
> promoting full inclusion of lesbian and gay persons in faith communities.  
> Today, every mainline Protestant denomination has an official or associated 
> group working towards full inclusion.  Groups are active in Jewish, Muslim, 
> Roman Catholic and evangelical Christian traditions as well.  According to 
> our colleagues at the Institute for Welcoming Resources, there are now over 
> 3,300 welcoming congregations in the U.S., a threefold increase since 2003.
> Marriage for same-sex couples was barely on the agenda 10 years ago.  Only 
> Unitarian Universalist clergy were sanctioned to perform same-sex unions.  
> Today, at least a dozen Christian and Jewish denominations allow their clergy 
> to perform marriage or union ceremonies, and marriage equality is the law in 
> five states and the District of Columbia. 
> Ten years ago, the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church 
> of Christ introduced Our Whole Lives, the comprehensive sexuality education 
> program for faith communities.  At least a dozen denominations now have their 
> own sexuality education curricula. 
> Next month, the Religious Institute will announce 10 goals for sexuality and 
> religion for the coming decade.  We will publish a major report on Feb. 9, 
> 2010, and I promise to provide an executive summary in our February 
> newsletter.  We also will be announcing a major new initiative to reach out 
> to people of faith across the country who support sexual justice.  It's an 
> exciting new step for us, and I can't wait to share the news with you.
> 
> But for the next few weeks, we're celebrating the 10th anniversary of the 
> Religious Declaration.  If you are a member of the clergy or other religious 
> leader, and you haven't yet endorsed the Religious Declaration, now is a 
> great time to do so - and tell your colleagues to do the same! Just click 
> here.
>       News & Current Events 
> 
> 
> Marriage Equality Goes on Trial
> The first federal trial on marriage equality began on Jan. 11, 2010, in San 
> Francisco.  Perry v. Schwarzenegger will test the constitutionality of the 
> 2008 ballot initiative, Proposition 8, which eliminated marriage rights for 
> same-sex couples in California.  Marriage equality bills failed in the New 
> York senate in December and in the New Jersey senate this month.  The 
> District of Columbia City Council authorized marriage for same-sex couples on 
> Dec. 15, 2009.
> Follow the Prop. 8 trial ...
> 
>       
> Clinton Declares Support for International Family Planning
> On Jan. 8, 2010, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declared the U.S. 
> government's renewed support for international family planning and 
> reproductive health programs during a major speech commemorating the 15th 
> anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development 
> (ICPD). Citing research from an important new study by the Guttmacher 
> Institute and the UNFPA (Adding It Up: The Costs and Benefits of Investing in 
> Family Planning and Maternal and Newborn Health, December 2009), Secretary 
> Clinton noted that more than 215 million women worldwide lack access to 
> modern forms of contraception, "and this contributes to the nearly 20 million 
> unsafe abortions that take place every year."
> Watch the speech ... 
> Read Adding It Up ... 
> 
> 
> 2010 Appropriations Boost Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Other Key Programs
> The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2010, authorized by Congress and 
> signed by President Obama in December, includes $114.5 million for medically 
> accurate, age-appropriate teen pregnancy prevention programs that address 
> both abstinence and contraception. Congress eliminated all funding for 
> abstinence-only-until marriage programs.  The appropriations bill also 
> includes significant funding increases for Title X family planning programs, 
> HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, and global health and child survival 
> initiatives.
> Read more ...
> 
> 
> Carter Proscribes Religious Discrimination Against Women
> Discrimination and violence against women "is in clear violation not just of 
> the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but also the teachings of Jesus 
> Christ, the Apostle Paul, Moses and the prophets, Muhammad, and founders of 
> other great religions," former President Jimmy Carter said in a speech to the 
> Parliament of the World's Religions (Dec. 7, 2009).  Carter is a member of 
> The Elders, a group of world leaders from multiple faith traditions, which 
> recently launched a project opposing religious-based discrimination against 
> women and girls.
> Read the speech ...
>       Take Action 
> 
>       
> Queer the Census!
> The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has launched a petition drive to 
> increase the visibility of LGBT Americans in the 2010 U.S. Census.  The Task 
> Force points out that policy makers use Census data to develop social service 
> programs and make decisions on health care, economic stability and public 
> safety, "so how can the survey accurately reflect and support the LGBT 
> community when there isn't a single question on it that asks if you are 
> lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender?" The Task Force also is offering free 
> Queer the Census stickers to affix to your Census envelope.
> Sign the petition and order stickers ...
> 
> 
> Essay Contest for Youth Advocates
> SIECUS, Advocates for Youth and the Sierra Club are sponsoring an essay 
> contest for advocates between the ages of 16 and 24 as part of the fifth 
> annual One Voice: Reproductive Health and Population Summit.  Contestants are 
> invited to submit 500-word essays on the roles youth play in advocating for a 
> more just and sustainable world, where all have access to sexual and 
> reproductive health services and a healthy environment.  The winner will 
> receive a trip to the One Voice summit in Washington, D.C. (March 26-29, 
> 2010).  Deadline for entries is Feb. 3, 2010.
> For information and to enter ...
> 
>       
> Reimagining Valentine's Day
> Standing on the Side of Love invites congregations of all faith traditions to 
> observe "Standing on the Side of Love Day" on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2010.  This 
> new event is intended to re-imagine Valentine's Day as an opportunity "to 
> celebrate love's power to transform communities."  The organization has 
> created an array of worship, education and media materials for congregations 
> to use.
> For information and resources ... 
>       New Resources 
> 
>       
> Congregational Resources for Rachel Sabbath
> As part of its new Rachel Sabbath Initiative: Saving Women's Lives, the 
> Religious Institute has published a number of materials for congregational 
> use, including suggested texts and music, a bulletin insert and fact sheet on 
> global maternal health, social action materials, and a bibliography of online 
> and print resources.  The Religious Institute created the Rachel Sabbath 
> Initiative to help raise awareness and support among faith communities for 
> the United Nations' goal of reducing maternal mortality worldwide and 
> guaranteeing universal access to reproductive health care.
> Access the Rachel Sabbath resources ...
> Sign up to hold a Rachel Sabbath event...
> 
>       
> New Report Reveals Sexual 'Disconnects' Among Young Adults 
> Nearly all unmarried young adults believe in planning for pregnancy and say 
> that it is important for them to avoid pregnancy right now.  Yet only half of 
> them use contraception regularly; nearly one in five young adults who are 
> sexually active have not used any contraceptive method during the past three 
> months.  These findings are part of a new report from the National Campaign 
> to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, titled The Fog Zone: How 
> Misperceptions, Magical Thinking, and Ambivalence Put Young Adults at Risk 
> for Unplanned Pregnancy.  The report is the first to focus on the attitudes 
> and behaviors of young single adults regarding pregnancy planning, 
> contraception and related issues.
> Read the report ... 
> 
>       
> Faith-Based Family Planning Resources
> The Institute for Reproductive Health at Georgetown University has released 
> resources for faith-based organizations to provide counseling on the Two-Day 
> Method (TDM).  TDM enables women to assess their fertility based on cervical 
> secretions.  
> For information and to download ...
> 
>       
> Dispatches from the Abortion Wars 
> In her new book, Dispatches from the Abortion Wars: The Costs of Fanaticism 
> to Doctors, Patients, and the Rest of Us, Carole Joffe tells the stories of 
> obstacles faced by doctors, health care workers and patients in providing and 
> receiving abortion care.  Joffe is a professor of sociology at the University 
> of California at Davis, as well as a researcher at the Bixby Center for 
> Reproductive Health Research and Policy at the University of California, San 
> Francisco.
> To order ...
>       Upcoming Events 
> 
>       
> Inclusive Language in Seminaries 
> Brite Divinity School Community Conversation, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010, Fort 
> Worth, TX.  Dr. Kate Ott presents "Speaking of Inclusion: What's in a Name?" 
> on the need for inclusive language in seminary education.
> 
>       
> Sexuality and Religion: Current Issues 
> The Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies at the Pacific School of Religion, 
> Feb. 4, 2010, Berkeley, CA.  Rev. Debra Haffner is the guest speaker at the 
> Center's Lavender Lunch series.
> 
>       
> Sex Week at Yale 
> Sexuality education program at Yale University, Feb. 7, 2010, 2 pm, New 
> Haven, CT. Rev. Haffner will present "Sex, Religion and the College Student" 
> to members of the Yale University community.
> For information...
> 
>       
> Sexuality, Ministry and Justice Workshop 
> Gender Justice Week at Union Presbyterian Seminary, Feb. 11, 2010, Richmond, 
> VA.  Dr. Ott will present this workshop to seminary students and faculty.
> 
>       
> Sexuality for Families 
> Takoma Park Presbyterian, Feb. 14, 2010, Takoma, MD.  Dr. Ott presents 
> "Families, Faith and Sexuality" to parents of Takoma Park Presbyterian.
> 
>       
> Minnetonka Parent Fair 
> Community event for parents and other caring adults at Minnetonka High 
> School, Feb. 20, 2010, Minnetonka, MN.  Rev. Haffner will speak on What Every 
> 21st Century Parent Needs to Know.
> For information...
>       Religious Institute News 
> 
>       
> Religious Leaders' Network Tops 5,000 
> On Dec. 21, 2009, the Religious Institute's network of clergy and religious 
> professionals passed more than 5,000 individuals.  We are grateful and 
> inspired by the impressive number of religious leaders who advocate for 
> sexual justice.  Our network includes members from all 50 states, the 
> District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and several countries outside the U.S., and 
> represents more than 50 different faith traditions.
> 
>       
> Religious Organizations Decry Uganda's Anti-Gay Bill
> The Religious Institute was among the 46 major U.S. religious organizations 
> to sign a multifaith letter to the U.S. Congress urging members to speak out 
> against the anti-gay legislation currently under consideration in Uganda.  
> The legislation would criminalize homosexuality and threaten LGBT persons and 
> their supporters with imprisonment.  "We strongly believe that the issues at 
> stake are larger than the specific concerns of any one group in society, but 
> rather represent a grave threat to human rights for all," the letter stated.
> Read more ...
> 
>       
> Seminary Forum: Call for Syllabi 
> The Religious Institute is collecting seminary syllabi for an online course 
> syllabi resource.  This resource allows educators and others to look for 
> course syllabi related to the intersection of human sexuality and religion.  
> For more information or to submit a syllabus, please contact Amanda Winters.
> 
>       
> Hiring Summer Intern
> The Religious Institute is accepting applications for a summer intern for 
> 2010.  The intern will help to expand a new online resource on denominational 
> positions on sexuality issues, focusing on statements from non-Christian 
> traditions.  Responsibilities also will include online social networking, 
> denominational outreach, programmatic and clerical assistance, and other 
> projects as assigned.
> For more information and to apply...
>       Stay Connected with the Religious Institute 
>               
>         
> 
> Donate to Religious Institute
> 
> Endorse our Religious Declaration or an Open Letter
> 
> Check out our website
> Email us
> 
> Read Rev. Haffner's Blog
>               
> Contact Information
> phone: 203-222-0055
> email: info [at] religiousinstitute.org
> 
>