Texas UU Justice Ministry (TXUUJM)

Guided by Unitarian Universalist principles, TXUUJM educates & organizes member congregations, and partners with sympathetic organizations in order to advocate effectively for public policies that:

The motto of the Texas UU Justice Ministry is: Bending Texas towards Justice. Gabe Gelb says “I hope it expresses your own belief in our First UU Principle: ‘We support and affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person.’”

The Rev. Erin Walter is the executive director in Austin. The TXUUJM Advisory Board, consisting of member representatives from participating churches, selects focus issues for each year and legislative session.

Reach out to encourage voters by postcard, phone banking and block-walking

TXUUJM provides a vehicle for our congregations to express and advocate for statewide public policies that uphold Unitarian Universalist values. This is the meaning of social justice: attempting to make systemic changes that lift up the disadvantaged.

TXUUJM is deeply grateful to Live Oak UU Church Endowment and to the North Texas UU Congregations for funding the curriculum, and to Transforming Hearts for working with us to shape this partnership! Appreciation also goes to San Gabriel UU Fellowship (Georgetown) and Northwoods UU Church (The Woodlands) for their contributions.

TXUUJM received its 501(c)(3) status in 2014. The organization, similar to UU “legislative ministries” or “state advocacy networks” in other states, was started when three Emersonians (Rev. Mark Edmiston-Lange, Larry Huelbig and Gabe Gelb), after receiving Board of Trustees approval, organized a meeting in Austin that launched TXUUJM.

Emerson has two advisory board members to represent us in guiding priorities for TXUUJM; if you are interested in serving, please contact Emerson’s Board of Trustees.