It’s Wall Street vs. Main Street right here in Long Beach, The City of Long Beach is in the process of adopting a Downtown Community Plan (DTCP) that will provide enormous financial benefits to property developers.  However, despite the plan’s title, the process driving its development has so far ignored and excluded the voices and the needs of the community as a whole.  As a simple matter of justice, those voices should be heard.

The DTCP will have citywide significance and rippling impacts throughout the city, as local residents and businesses are displaced from this 719-acre area.  Nevertheless, no accommodation has been made for the approximately 25,000 low-income residents who may find themselves without affordable housing and thus subject to all the disruptions that a forced move imposes on every member of those families, no matter what their ages.  In addition, small businesses may be forced to close their doors forever.  Also to date, appeals of Long Beach workers for local hiring regulations for the development projects have been ignored.

On March 17, at 5:30 PM, the Long Beach Planning Commission held a study session in the City Council Chamber of City Hall. Many members from UUCLB Attended.  Some spoke.

Downtown is everyone’s downtown, Contact Sandy Kroll to get on the e-mail list to be alerted to future actions.

Human Rights on the Border
On March 17-20, 2011 for a service/learning/reflection journey for Unitarian Universalists to engage in the issue of human rights at the Arizona border.

For Future Opportunities, check back here, in church Newletter The Advance.

Habitat For Humanity

UUCLB had 3 work days in April, 2011, another build is scheduled for June.

For More Information Contact Gehl Davis after church;

Willow Gulch Cleanup

10 Members and friends from UUCLB participated in the April 2, 2011 cleanup of a 55 acre area we hope to preserve as a park and natural wetland in West Central Long Beach.  WE cooperated with California Heights Clean Sweep, Litter-free Long Beach, and Councilman James Johnson of the Seventh district.  Over 65 volunteers removed 3.6 tons of trash.  And many people had a chance to see what a wonderful site this would be for a park.  Contact Grace Lorentzen for future activities aimed at turning this area into a park.

Make a Difference!

UUCLB helps supply food for the needy and homeless at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church which is located at 7th & Atlantic Avenue just on the east edge of downtown Long Beach. We do this six times a year. We prepare the bag lunches on a Friday night for delivery on the third Saturday of the odd months: January, March, May, July, September & November. St. Matthews Catholic Church does the same on the even months. Other churches do this on each of the other Saturdays of the month. St. Luke offers showers, clean clothing, clothes washing facilities, and a lunch bag to over 100 people every Saturday. They also have other feeding programs week nights.

This is one of our congregation’s ongoing social actions for the Long Beach community. UUCLB’s involvement in this activity grew out of a recommendation from Mario Salgado when his Small Group Ministry was looking (as part of their SGM requirements) for an action outside the congregation to do. Members and friends of our church have done this for over six years and the original SGM group has dissolved but the social service continues on. The funding comes from donations made from one of the congregation’s Social Action Committee’s special collections. So as a community, we are all now financially supporting this work.

Most recently (July) the lunch bag preparers were Beth & Bob Engelke, Anne & Aly Campos, Kym Cashen, Marti Evans, Michelle McGuire and Jo Rae Zuckerman. In May the work was done by Dave Doyle, Martin & Brittany Doyle-Embery, Kym Cashen, Karen McJunkin, Michele McGuire, & Jo Rae Zuckerman. March workers were from Kevin Ford/Kate Taylor’s original SGM group. Some of those people still helping are Kevin & Kate, Kathy Rogers, Tom & Dorothy Montague, Paula Castro, and Paula Tay. This group will do it
again in September.

If you are available and interested in participating (this means making sandwiches), and stuffing the lunch bag with a fruit, dessert, beverage, napkin & sandwich, please contact JoRae Zuckerman at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . I’ll be looking for people to help in November. Make a difference!

Films presented the First Friday of each month.  See Community Events

If nothing is posted, Film has not been entered yet.  Check the Order of Service.