Social Justice in Action: November Updates and Ways to Give

from your Social Justice and Outreach Committee

Greetings from your Social Justice Committee with our November update. Following the recap below, we hope you will read about the ways to donate to the food drive during this time to help the many families facing food and basic need scarcities. Thank you for all you do to lift up the congregation and community with your support.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Outreach held its November 6, 2025 meeting, warmly welcoming three new members: Kate Wasylik, Stephen Sporer, and Jeremy Keippela. The committee discussed the 2026 budget and discussed and confirmed donations to be made to community partners including Indian Land Tenure, Settled, Immigrant Law Center, and Interfaith Action. The group reflected on six months of meaningful work including partnerships with the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, special offerings, interfaith action initiatives, white supremacy taskforce activities, food drives, and assault weapons ban advocacy. Continuing our congregation’s work on dissecting white supremacy, Marily led an inspiring reflection on shifting from competitive to collaborative approaches in social justice work. Two other accomplishments of note: Our congregation was represented with TWO tables at the recent Interfaith Action breakfast held up the road at Mount Zion, and Marily and Gus recently met with the Immigration Law Center to gain a deeper understanding of their most pressing needs, which involve a higher-than-usual volume of individuals needing a clear understanding of their rights in the legal system and when encountering law enforcement. More to come on this crucial issue.

FOOD DRIVE—please donate! With the holidays and colder temperatures now upon us, please consider GIVING to the current/ongoing FOOD DRIVE and begin collecting winterwear (including hats, mittens, gloves, scarves!) for December’s WARM WINTERWEAR drive. For the food drive, consider collecting food items that are beneficial, useful, and easy-to-open/accommodating. A few tips: can with flip-top lids, items that are simple to prepare and don’t require much, if any, added ingredients (canned soup, or vegetables, or rice, pasta….), and if you donate an item that requires an additional ingredient (salt, a spice or oil), include those extra items too. Beyond food, consider providing essential toiletries (toothpaste, soap, deodorant, diapers, feminine hygiene products), and perhaps some dog/cat food too…for the furried loved ones who belong to families in need.

Submitted by Stephen Sporer, MSJO Committee Member

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