Justice Sunday Raises the Drumbeat

On Justice Sunday (March 25), 150 congregations nationwide helped raise the Drumbeat for Darfur. A number of those even had guest UUSC speakers to help educate and inspire action.

Sarah Karstaedt, national cochair of the UUSC Volunteer Network, was honored to be the guest speaker for the Petersham, Mass., Unitarian congregation.

She relates that theirs is a lovely old classic New England church with impressive pipe organ, surrounded by fresh March snow reminiscent of a Currier and Ives picture. A UUSC founder, the Rev. Waitstill Sharp, was the minister at this church later in his life. Sharp is the subject of a new UUSC documentary, Heroes of the Spirit.

Many congregants knew Sharp personally. Sarah shared that the minister had a period of time during the service where they spoke of their memories of Sharp. She said that their memories were fun to hear, and painted the picture of a real character and memorable person. Some who shared memories were children in the R.E. program when he was minister, others were adults who had remained with the congregation.

The congregation's enthusiasm and support for UUSC was great. Sarah read the sermon provided in the Justice Sunday planning packet, with her own introduction, and was met with a very warm response.

In fact, one of the men who had known Sharp stood up and said, "I'm going to donate $100 to UUSC today and I want to challenge our congregation to match me and help us raise at least $1,000 to send to UUSC."

The congregation seemed happy to take the challenge as one man called out, "Count me in for $100." He had just started attending this church but had stood to say how much he appreciated the church and the service on Darfur.

Now that Justice Sunday has passed for most congregations, the Drumbeat for Darfur continues to grow. Join the campaign today! To learn more about building a membership campaign like the one spontaneously sparked in Petersham, contact us by e-mail.

And if you will be in Portland, Ore., this June, be sure to take advantage of the opportunity of participating in UUSC's full day Drumbeat for Darfur activists' training on June 20!