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Faith in Action News

Updated: 6 days ago

“Every election is determined by the people who show up.” - Larry J. Sabato, American political scientist and political analyst


GMUUC is a Welcoming Congregation

The Welcoming Congregation Program is a volunteer program for congregations that want to take intentional steps to be more welcoming and inclusive of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Being welcoming and inclusive is a never-ending commitment.

All of you who are is sacred. All of who you are is welcome


April Days of Observance

Lesbian Visibility Day – April 26

Every April 26, the world celebrates Lesbian Visibility Day. This special occasion aims to recognize the challenges this minority group faces. It also highlights the achievements and contributions of lesbians around the world. Whatever your gender identity, we encourage everyone to participate in observing this day.

As you go through this short article about celebrating Lesbian Visibility Day, understand the experience and authentically support LGBTQI women by creating a more inclusive environment wherever you go.

TRVST: Inspiring Positive Change for People and Planet


2026 Georgia Legislative Session https://uugalan.org/legislative-watchlist/

What is your candidate’s opinion about these issues and how will they vote?


Consumer Protection

Link: Georgia General Assembly Summary: Reestablishes the Consumers’ Utility Counsel (CUC) to represent consumers in matters before the Public Service Commission (PSC) or other agencies concerning public utilities.

The CUC would have the authority to represent both residential and small businesses to ensure rate fairness with all utilities under the jurisdiction of the Public Service Commission or other state agencies, as well as with federal agencies or other bodies with jurisdiction over rates, services, or other matters related to services provided by any utility doing business in Georgia. The director of the CUC would be a lawyer appointed by the governor, and the CUC office would be under the direction of the PSC and funded from appropriations to the PSC. While the CUC is intended to represent the interests of Georgia utility customers, being under the PSC would not make the CUC an independent entity as it had been in its previous existence. For reestablishment of the CUC to provide effective representation of the needs of the residential and small business customers, the CUC would need to be an independent organization not under the budget or direction of the PSC. Otherwise, the CUC would be duplicative of the PSC Public Interest Advocacy staff.


Mandates that costs associated with providing electric service to data centers are to be born solely, or at least substantially, by the data centers and not put in rates.

This bill is important because it covers not only the capital costs that could be associated with the data centers, but also the fuel costs that are included in customer bills aspart of a fuel cost rider. It provides more protection to the electric customers which are not data centers than the separate rate class established by the Public Service Commission in 2025,because the bill also prohibits fuel costs for data centers from being charged to the other customers.


Voting on Public Service Commission (PSC)  https://thecurrentga.org/2025/06/10/meet-the-psc-candidates/ 

SB 94 and 410 both can be impacted by your vote for two public service openings.  The entire state will vote on both District 2 and District 3.  Do your homework.


Environment

SB 447 is a bad bill that would weaken the Erosion and Sedimentation Act—and put developers in the driver’s seat. After passing out of the Senate before Crossover Day, it’s now being considered in the House. Help us stop it from being voted into law before the end of this legislative session!

SB 447 creates a dangerous workaround for developers to bypass important pollution control, community planning, and building safety requirements. If passed, the application of SB 447 would create undue and unfunded mandates for local governments, utilities, building code inspectors, and other public safety officials to meet within extremely unreasonable timeframes. The result would be the inability to thoughtfully plan for our communities, protect our waterways from pollution, and ensure new buildings, including affordable housing—are safe and compliant with building codes.


How we vote

SB 214 would re-introduce hand-marked paper ballots and the use of optical scanners to read them without providing funding or time for counties to implement this costly and unnecessary system. This bill has strong potential to become a “zombie bill” and include other voter suppression tactics from bills that failed to cross over earlier in the legislative session.

UUGALAN is amplifying an alert from the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus:

“SB 214 is an elections bill sponsored by Max Burns of Sylvania. On its face it sounds simple – it gives voters the ability to cast their votes in polling places using pen or pencils, which can now be used to complete absentee ballots. In other words, it would allow voters at polling places during early voting and on Election Day to request a hand-marked paper ballot as an alternative to using Georgia’s current electronic touchscreen voting machines (Dominion Voting Systems ballot marking devices).

  • SB 214 is part of a broader overhaul of Georgia’s election system.

  • The State Election Board is simultaneously pushing to end no-excuse absentee voting.

 

Federal Legislation 2026

SAVE Act

Do you know where your birth certificate is? Do you have a valid passport? Is your full name the same as it was when you received these documents?

If your answer is no – like it is for millions of married women, trans people, and other people without easy access to their documents – the SAVE America Act could stop you from voting.

This bill has passed in the US House multiple times.  All US House seats are up for re-election.  How did your vote?  The US Senate has blocked this bill multiple times.  Let your senator know how you support them or disagree with how they voted.


UUSC CALL TO ACTION NEEDED BY APRIL 24


Asylum Seekers need our help. 

Under federal law, people who establish a credible fear of persecution are eligible for asylum, but resolving these legal proceedings can take years. In the meantime, the law provides that applicants can receive permission to work. The Trump Administration is seeking to take this right to work away.  We have until April 24 to respond.    

If we fail loudly to speak out, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service will assuredly be successful in denying initial and renewal work permits.  Both individuals and formal groups need to submit comments to the Federal Register.  Federal agencies are legally required to consider every unique and substantive comment before finalizing a rule. Failure to do so sets the ground for litigation.  


Here is how to submit your comment: 

Write your comment on your computer. It can be copied and pasted into the comment box.  Be sure to proofread your submission. This links to ideas on how to make your own unique and substantive comment.


1. Go to the “Employment Authorization Reform for Asylum Applicants” comment page: 

2. Type your comment in the white comment box. Form letters are grouped together as a single comment.

 3. Select if you are submitting the comment as an individual, organization, or anonymously. If you submit as an individual, your name will be publicly viewable. These comments carry more weight than anonymous comments,

 4. Review your comment, check the disclaimer box, and click “Submit Comment” 



The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is a voluntary association of autonomous, self-governing local churches and fellowships which have freely chosen to pursue common goals together. Our polity is congregational, and delegates from each congregation make Association decisions in business sessions at the annual General Assembly (GA).Between GAs, we’re governed by the Board of Trustees.


Each UUA certified member congregation is entitled to be represented by Delegates who are members of such congregation. GMUUC is eligible for three delegates in addition to our Minister and Religious Educator.

This year, the business of the UUA at General Assembly includes Vote on a Slate of Nominees to the Board of Trustees, Business Resolution, Bylaw Amendment, and Actions of Immediate Witness.

The UUA’s justice work is shaped by GA Congregational Study/Action Issues, Statements of Conscience, and Actions of Immediate Witness. Learn more about how the Commission on Social Witness (CSW) will help lead delegates through the process for Actions of Immediate Witness (AIWs) at GA 2026: AIW process.


Are you interested in being a GMUUC Delegate or more information?Please contact Wynne Ewing at wwewing@gmail.com


The 2026 General Assembly will be a virtual experience with optional opportunities for community gatherings. 

  • Sunday through Tuesday (June 14–16): All-virtual General Sessions focused on the business of the Association.

  • Wednesday and Thursday (June 17–18): A flexible midweek break for rest, travel, professional organization meetings, and affinity groups gatherings.

  • Friday through Sunday (June 19–21): Whether participating at an optional in-person site or fully online, registrants will share in the same livestreamed worship, featured speakers, and “Meet the Moment” programming that will unite us across every location. 

GA is designed to be flexible, accessible, and meaningful for all participants.

GA Registration is OPEN NOW.

In the midst of extreme weather and climate disruption, our congregations and communities can be powerful hubs of care, connection, and critical infrastructure.


At our April Gathering, Rachel Myslivy, Side With Love’s Climate Justice Strategist, will break down what we mean by “hubs of resilience” that are adaptive to and grounded in their context. Artivist Canedy Knowles will ground us in movement and possibility.


Join us at The Gathering next Monday, April 13 at 8pm ET, or watch the recording later!

Register here: https://bit.ly/4sEcwq4

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