Recording and Resources from The Gathering, June 2025
At the June Gathering, Shana Aisenberg sang us an invitation and a prayer:
“We rededicate ourselves to love, on this day, on this day.”
Amidst the escalating crises from Los Angeles to DC to Gaza, Side with Love offers The Gathering to collectively rededicate ourselves to love, joy, and justice. Last night, we gathered to stoke that fierce love and rekindle our collective hope and dream of a world of beauty, love, peace, and respect. We gathered to remind each other that what each of us – each of YOU– does matters. We gathered to make sure you are grounded in our faith and in specific actions YOU can do. From Shana’s music to Nicole’s teachings about strategy and power to Rev. Kentina’s presentation about the incredible faith rooted reproductive justice work SACReD, what will carry you through this week and motivate you in rooted, strategic action?
You can watch the recording and view the presentation slides. After you watch, we would love your feedback!
As I said at The Gathering, it is central to Unitarian Universalism that EVERY body is sacred, and that each of us has a role to play in building a world where that is true. What will you do this week?
Take Action:
Find 1 thing you can do in our Side with Love Congregational Reproductive Justice Action Guide
Join the August Faithful Futures multi faith training series for people of faith committees to reproductive Justice that Rev. Kentina shared
Send Avelo “Abduction” Airlines a message on X, Facebook or Insta or LInkedIn , or email: Socialmedia@aveloair.com and let them know you won’t fly on their planes if they’re collaborating with ICE to profit off of kidnapping #StopAvelo
Get involved in the Stop Avelo Organizing
I invite you to let us know which of these actions (or others!) you are taking, and be sure to read our Action Center Weekly Update for specific actions you can take this week. We publish the update every Tuesday on our Action Center.
Resources:
Our Chalice Lighting was “A Protest and a Party,” by Rev. Hannah Roberts Villnave, p371-2 of “For Pride,” in Blessing It All: Rituals for Transition and Transformation, edited by Revs. Heather Concannon and Allison Palm.
Follow Shana Aisenberg at Shana Songs and String Equinox Band
Follow Faith in Action and Faith in NJ who are anchoring the work to stop illegal detentions at Delaney Hall Detention Center in New Jersey.
Preparing for Pride 2025: Resources for Safety and Liberation
Side With Love’s Dos & Don’ts Grounded, Resilient & Responsible Toolkit
UUA Community Resilience Hub (includes resources for risk mitigation & digital security)
At The Gathering, we invited you to Glitter Up, Share with a friend, and Act. There is no time like the present! Take a few minutes right now to sign up, make a call to Congress, put a note in your congregational newsletter, and call or text 3 beloveds. We are more powerful than we know – and we need that power well-organized to confront the regime we are facing together.
Do at least one thing to celebrate your beautiful, fabulous body and self this week, and we will see you again in August.
May we dedicate ourselves to love today and always,
Rev. Cathy & Side with Love Staff Team
