Justice Matters Committee

What We Do

• We provide support for Chalice House and our three community Service Partners with human and financial resources

• We promote congregational and community education, legislative advocacy, and public witness – the spiritual practice of taking a public position in support of justice

• We act as “gatekeepers” and provide guidance for individuals seeking to champion social justice initiatives

• We coordinate communications and schedules for activities of the various CCUU Justice Ministries

   

JMC Leadership

Justice Matters Committee Co-Chairs:  Bill Scown and Wendy Wittkamp

JMC Action Teams:

• Democracy (Chair, Lillian Schnitzler): This is a new Action Team in response to the rising threat of autocracy  that connects with UUA and Chicago area UU congregation Democracy initiatives.  

• Immigration Support and Underserved Communities (Chair, Lillian Schnitzler): This Action Team works closely with POC, ICDI, Chalice House and PADS. 

• LGBTQIA+ rights (Co Chairs Nancy Frenk & Dan Yokas): This Action team is closely connected to our Living the Welcoming Congregation Committee. 

• Climate and Environmental Protection (Chair, Victoria Hathaway): This Action Team works closely with Faith in Place and our Green Sanctuary Committee.  

• The Service Partner Fundraising Committee (Co-Chairs Nancy Dempsey and Mari Van Meter): This committee plans and organizes our annual “Music with a Mission” and “Time and Talent Auction”, social events that raise funds for our community partners.

Our Community Service Partners

• Chalice House – A project of CCUU, ICDI and other community partners to provide transitional housing to immigrants legally seeking asylum. 

• Illinois Community for Displaced Immigrants – ICDI supports and guides asylum seekers through the US immigration system and helps them integrate into our communities

• Partners for Our Communities – POC builds partnerships with community organizations to connect underserved families with local resources and remove barriers. 

• Faith In Place – Faith in Place supports communities of faith to act on climate change and environmental justice. 

History

Countryside has a long heritage of generosity and working to address the most pressing social justice and environmental issues in our communities and elsewhere. In 2013, the Board of Countryside Church UU (CCUU) established the Outreach Steering Committee (OSC) to help guide CCUU in reaching out to make a difference in our community, in our country, and in our own hearts.

CCUU Service Partner Guidelines

In considering potential service partners, the OSC sought to:  

• engage with organizations that address issues important to the CCUU membership and aligned with the mission of CCUU

• keep the number of local partners small to foster meaningful relationships given limited human and other resources. 

• provide  financial and human resources to enhance their work.

• enable broad CCUU member participation in the work of our service partners  that strengthens and sustains our organizational relationships.

In 2025, the work of the OSC Committee was transferred to the new Justice Matters Committee, which continues to function as a catalyst for channeling the talents and passion of the CCUU community to provide human resources and fundraising support for Chalice House, ICDI, POC, and Faith in Place. 

For more information, contact: (justicematters@ccuu.org).