By Rev. Charles Loflin, Executive Director
Over these last two years, one of the great opportunities my job as Executive Director for UU FaithAction NJ has been to meet with leaders of many of our coalition partners. Personally, I find those moments of connection to be among the most rewarding aspects of social justice advocacy—those relationships are everything. What makes me particularly proud is that on several occasions, some of those leaders have said, “Oh, we are so grateful for the UUs. You’re the folks who show up!”
What a wonderful way to be described by others in this work. Especially in those moments when it most matters, we of the yellow shirts are there. Whether it’s rallying in the public square, providing testimony to the New Jersey Legislature, participating in a lobby day to advocate for our values, or protesting injustice with our simple presence, we are there. What is remarkable is that for our size—there are about 3,500 self-identified UUs in New Jersey—our impact has been outsized.
That is something to celebrate.
And none of that happens without a lot of people and a lot of work. Words can never express my gratitude for everyone who makes this organization work. Thank you to the task force leaders, the congregational liaisons, the board of trustees, the staff, the ministers of our congregations who lift up our efforts, the donors who give so generously of their resources, and every single individual who participates in our mission to educate, mobilize, and advocate. And a most special thank you to those many who have been doing this work from the organization’s beginning. THANK YOU!
As we celebrate what we have been and accomplished, we also look towards how we continue this work—because we believe that in the cause of justice and liberation, none of us is free until all of us are free. The landscape is always changing, and our ability to adapt is critical.
Right now, for many non-profits and religious institutions, recruiting volunteers for leadership is a challenge. While it is tempting to attribute the cause to lingering effects of the pandemic, the data say this a longer-term trend.
Right now, UU FaithAction NJ needs people committed to this work to embrace the call to leadership. We have many opportunities to find your place, including task force leadership, serving on the board of trustees, or as a congregational liaison. If those roles feel too daunting, we’re also looking for volunteers who can help in the planning of our major events (such as our Annual Issues Conference, the Gala, and the Annual Meeting). Whether you see a clear path to your leadership or are open to exploring emergent possibilities, we need you. Let’s talk and take action together.
- Express interest: Contact Administrator Meera Rao (admin@uufaithaction.org, 908-403-6962) to sign up now.
- Ask questions: Contact Executive Director Rev. Charles Loflins (execdir@uufaithaction.org, 973-303-8990) to discuss the possibilities.
I am genuinely excited about the potential for UU FaithAction NJ to discover what it means to live into our vision at this historic moment. It has always been about the people who do this work. It is our interdependent web—the relationships we form with each other—that make the work worthwhile.