Our church year, once again, ended on an upbeat tone. Despite the continued challenges of COVID, now in its 3rd year, the work of the Council for Faith in Action’s (CFA) Faith Expression and Funding Team Ministry (FEFT) continued the path of sharing our abundance with the world. FEFT is the team within the CFA that is responsible for determining how the 50% of the weekly plate contribution is distributed to appropriate organizations.
This year, FEFT awarded in excess of $21,000 to groups in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and to pressing needs based on current events – from Reproductive and Voting Rights to the War in Ukraine. The goal of FEFT was to distribute funds and to support groups that reflect both our congregational population as well as our 8th Principle.
Without you, this wouldn’t have been possible!! THANK YOU.
The groups we sent contributions for the year ending June 30,2022 included:
• Abortion Liberation Fund of PA
• Black Lives UU (BLUU)
• Bucks County Opportunity Council
• Church of the Larger Fellowship – Prison Ministry
• Coalition for Peace Action
• El Centro Food Bank
• Fisherman’s Mark, Lambertville
• Homefront
• I Am Trenton Foundation
• ISLES
• Ivin’s House
• Loaves and Fishes
• New Hope Gay Pride Parade
• Planned Parenthood Keystone
• Side With Love
• Sister Song
• Snipes Farm and Education Center
• Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK)
• Urban Promise
• UU Church Houston – anti gun newspaper advertisement
• UU Ministry for the Earth
• UU Service Committee
• UU the Vote – UUA
• UUA Disaster Relief Fund
• UUCWC Values Banner
• Worship – Guest Minister of Color – Support of our 8th Principle
HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN? Determining who receives money is based on understanding needs; suggestions from congregants; how a group reflects our eight Principles; meeting with representatives from many of the groups; researching the organizations for financial soundness; and involving other groups within CFA to gain input and coordinate efforts (as exemplified by how FEFT worked closely with both Home Front and Food Ministry to coordinate contributions).
It is FEFT’s intention to work to establish contributions of significant meaning and impact for the new church year. Towards this effort, CFA Council will meet in August to discuss what our focus of concentration might be while continuing to support our long-standing organizations/causes—those we’ve worked with for years, and those who have expressed an interest in creating deeper ties and involvement with UUCWC in their efforts to “Change the World.”
If you’d like to know more about FEFT’s Ministry and how to become involved in distributing funds, please contact FaithFunding@uucwc.org and we’ll reach out to you.
Holly Bussey, facilitator for FEFT Ministry
Members: Bud Johnson, Steve Saddlemire, Jim Sanders, Dan Tuft