Sermon

         What are the most important things that you want for yourself and the world? If I had to name one thing it would be to make manifest human rights for all. "Human rights" is an umbrella term that identifies the requirements that ensure human flourishing. This must include that human beings have sufficient food, clothing, shelter, education, healthcare, fair employment opportunities, and an environment that enhances human progress. We often reach such lofty goals by establishing a mission or vision/ statement.

         Let us take a look at what the mission statement is of this church. Will you look at the back page of your Order of Service? The lines at the bottom, surrounded by a border, comprise our Mission Statement. Will you join me in reading it:

         The Mission of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Fairhaven is to maintain a place of open religion and fellowship for individuals and families which supports and consoles emotionally, inspires spiritually, challenges intellectually, promotes tolerance, understanding and respect for all people, and puts ideals into action for the benefit of ourselves and the greater community.

         The mission of every committee and group in our church should have a mission statement that is in alignment with this community's statement. Our Women's Alliance calls its mission, its purpose. At the beginning of the service, Cathy Burton read the Women's Alliance Purpose. The last two sentences read: "Seek to broaden knowledge, deepen understanding, and strengthen the bond of fellowship among women around the world. It should include emphasis on peace and the United Nations."

         What stroke of wisdom and compassion they had to add these words! It expands the last words of our church's mission-"…for the benefit of ourselves and the greater community." So it is appropriate that today we fulfill the Alliance's emphasis on the United Nations and women.

         When the United Nations was created in 1946, it formed a department called the "Section on the Status of Women." It was primarily a fact-finding department. But in 1978 the Section was upgraded to Division for the Advancement of Women, shortened to the DAW. The DAW has been the organizing body for four world conferences on women in Mexico in 1975, Copenhagen in 1980, Nairobi in 1985, and the one we probably all remember: Beijing in 1995.

         The mission of the DAW is quite long so I will publish it with this sermon. (It is attached.) But the first part begins: "Grounded in the vision of equality of the United Nations Charter, the [DAW] advocates the improvement of the status of women of the world and the achievement of their equality with men…"

         The adoption of the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women in 1979 is often described as an international bill of rights for women. When the UN adopts such recommendations, these recommendations become powerful tools to encourage or pressure governments around the world to lift up the status and treatment of their women.

         In the last few years, we have seen African governments override local authorities in the stoning death sentences of women accused of adultery. And the Taliban's War on Women in Afghanistan horrified the world and compelled the UN to impose sanctions upon them. When political activists today speak about women's rights, they often refer to the Beijing Conference of 1995. Now let us move our focus to the United Nations concern for children.

         You are probably aware that UNICEF stands for the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund. It was established in 1946 to provide blankets and dried milk to children in war-torn Europe, the Middle East and China. Over time, it expanded its role to help eradicate preventable diseases globally. How many of you remember that our beloved actor and singer Danny Kaye was UNICEF's first 'Ambassador at large' charged with "making known the needs of children throughout the world"? Other UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors include Audrey Hepburn and Harry Belafonte. And wasn't Shirley Temple also one? In 1965, UNICEF received the Nobel Peace Prize! The award states that "…UNICEF has proved that compassion knows no boundaries." In 1981, we might remember that UNICEF approved a Breastfeeding Code in response to western countries' aggressive marketing of baby formula to poor women-the U.S. being the leading aggressor in this.

         And then there was the famous Convention for the Rights of the Child in 1987. I believe that this was instrumental in encouraging our Congress to pass the healthcare for children bill. Wouldn't it be embarrassing for us to be in violation of Article 24: Health and health service of the Convention on the Rights of the Child!?! Let us watch to see whether we continue funding it. Imagine, if we did not have health care coverage for the children of the 43 million of our people who are uninsured, we would be in the same category of a third world nation!

         The United Nations is leading and perhaps dragging ALL nations along the path of human care and human flourishing.

         How can we help to strengthen the United Nations efforts. I believe we can do it in two ways. First, we can buy UNICEF cards and also individually contribute to UNICEF (at 33 East 38th Street, New York, N.Y. 10016). Second, we can petition our Board of Governors to become a member of our Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office. It costs only $100 a year for our congregation to be a member that supports that office, which advocates for us at the United Nations. I believe we are one of the few religions that does this, and perhaps the only one besides the Catholic Church; it has earned us a seat on the International Criminal Court as a faith witness. Also, this office moves swiftly to advocate at the United Nations when emergency situations arise around the world. If you would like this congregation to become a member supporter of our UU UN Office, please sign the Petition that I have put in the Parish Hall. If the Board agrees to put the $100 item on our budget, you will get a chance to vote it in or out at our annual meeting in January. (Remember that this is the money you pledge to the church and you have a say in what happens to it.)

         All this information would not be complete if I didn't remind us that in a few weeks, we will continue our annual practice of giving to each of you a Guest at Your table box. This is an opportunity for you to put this box at an empty place at your table. This will be your guest that you and your holiday visitors "feed" daily with spare change and these proceeds are used by our UU Service Committee to support non-governmental agency human rights throughout the world.

         Many religions speak of creating the "Kingdom of God" on earth. The United Nations is our earthly vehicle to help us do that massively.

         Now, people created the United Nations and other agencies to do good work, but God created the after church coffee hour so that we may fellowship together and sign a petition or two, if we feel moved.

References

The following has inspired and informed this sermon:

Websites: www.un.org.womenwatch, www.unicef.org.uk/aboutunicef/history, www.unicef.org/whatwedo

Children's book: For Every Child, text by Caroline Castle. New York, N.Y.: Phyllis Fogelman Books, Penguin.Putnam Readers for Children, 2001.