A few weeks ago, after several conversations with members of the Fellowship and of our larger community, we decided to forgo our regular Adult Religious Education offering on November 24th and held a class called “How to Create Social Change.” 21 People gathered in the Meeting room to share how they were feeling post election. It was a great conversation. Folks shared that they felt hopeless, devastated, had “hopeful optimism”, and were “ready to fight!”

We then explored the Social Change Map, a framework that empowers individuals and communities to create lasting positive change. We discussed what it meant to be a Guide or Disrupter or Healer with a movement for social change. We disagreed on some of the next steps to take in that movement, but the framework gave us space to welcome each person and value their perspective as contributors in the movement.

But we didn’t want to continue to sit in our feelings. Though we discussed that there are times where individuals need to take time for themselves, we know that we can rely on others to “march on” on our behalf. It takes a community. So we are building a team of social change makers; folks who bring different skills and passions to build a better world.

If you are a Frontline Responder, Visionary, Builder, Disrupter, Caregiver, Experimenter, Weaver, Storyteller, Healer, or a Guide, and want to be part of actively responding to injustice that we see in our community, please let us know. Email justice@muuf.org. We will begin meeting in January.