“Speak up, speak out, get in the way. Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.”
These words spoken by civil rights legend and congressman John Lewis are certainly relevant today, as we commemorate the fourth anniversary of his death. In 2022, the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) initiated the Good Trouble Congregation program, as a way for congregations to organize and do their part in building diverse multicultural Beloved Communities.
To become a certified Good Trouble Congregation we need to meet two or more criteria in each of two categories: 1) Organizing and, 2) Voter Contact. You can learn more at Good Trouble Congregations. (In 2022 only two local congregations met the criteria, All Souls and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick.)
We have already met one of the criteria in the Organizing category, as I know at least one other UUCC member besides me is a Howard County election judge. (The requirement is that at least two congregants be line warmers, poll workers, Election Defenders, or nonpartisan poll observers. If you have filled any of these rolls for the Primary Election in May, or plan to for the General Election, please let me know: krockster[at]yahoo.com.)
And we are well on our way towards meeting one of the criteria in the Voter Contact category, which is to average 20 postcards or letters written per member. Based on the UUA stats for our congregation, we have 366 members which equates to 7,320 postcards or letters, and 1600 have been written to date.
Meeting some of the other criteria is going to be a little more challenging, but I am sure we can do it. In fact, I am so certain that I signed us up for the program! If you would like to learn more about becoming a Good Trouble Congregation, stop by the UU the Vote table during coffee hour on Sundays and I can tell you all about it, and ways for you to get involved.
In community,
Ken Rock
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