I am impressed.

This morning I went to a house meeting that was introducing people to the California Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry. While I have followed the Legislative Ministry from afar for several years, it is only in the last few weeks that I have been able to experience its work relative to our congregations up close and theologically.

It offers a radical departure from social justice work as practiced by Unitarian Universalists in Massachusetts, Florida, Texas, and Quebec. A California congregation that is working on one or more of the legislative initiatives of UU Legislative Ministry gets feedback relative to their efforts because they are working with the dozens of other congregations on the same initiative. Our representatives in Sacramento can report to us that Unitarian Universalists sent 4000 valentines to the Governor witnessing for marriage equality, and California UU ministers met with 60 state legislators around a certain piece of legislation and that 40 congregations have shown the slide show on the water crisis. It helps Unitarian Universalist define their values, not by writing resolutions but by talking to their neighbors, and engaging in concrete actions with others in the interfaith community.

I experience more of a connection between social justice work and Unitarian Universalism here in California than I have before, and less alienation from the rest of the people. While that is "an impression" and I have heard of several cases of narcissistic activists trying guilt trip the congregation to do something because activist thought that would be "living UU principles" more of the social justice work here is rooted in religious values and arises from congregational process.

Such a state did not come about by itself. I will write more about the good, the bad, and the ugly in the future. But to find so much good is encouraging.