Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of Maryland

The Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of Maryland (UULM-MD) envisions a Maryland free of oppression and injustice, where all are guaranteed their human rights. We address this vision by alerting, educating, activating and facilitating our statewide UU base to address several human rights issues before the Maryland General Assembly each year. In 2009, those issues were health care reform, ending marriage discrimination against same-sex couples, global warming, and abolition of the death penalty in Maryland.

In order to enhance the effectiveness of UU activism on human rights issues, UULM-MD remains mindful of the strong UU traditions of independent thought and witnessing for human rights and civil liberties. Supported and inspired by these traditions, UULM-MD works to achieve consensus among its base, then mobilize and advocate on specific issues before the MD General Assembly. Supported by an informed and mobilized base, partnered with like-minded coalitions and working with legislators and their staffs, UULM-MD provides a voice for UU principles and traditions in the discussions on state human rights issues by:

• Identifying legislation and educating UUs about it through issue coordinators and task forces;
• Providing educational programs and materials on priority issues;
• Having an annual meeting for presentation, debate and strategizing on issues to be addressed;
• Mobilizing and facilitating testimony, letter writing, witnessing and speakers;
• Providing updates on the status of bills, hearings, and actions;
• Seeking additional ways to partner with and support other human rights groups.

UULM-MD grew out of a February, 2005 UUs for Social Justice (UUSJ) advocacy workshop in which participants expressed a need for UUs to have a voice in Annapolis and do education, advocacy and coalition building. UULM-MD is building on the experiences of other groups, including the UULM of California and Legislative Committee of UUs of Maryland (LegiCUUM), which was founded in 1969.

UULM-MD held its first Annual Meeting in November, 2005. At this meeting, participants learned effective advocacy techniques, engaged in discussions of priority issues and voted to create the UULM-MD Board. Rev. William R. Murry gave an excellent talk entitled “A Theological Basis for a UU Legislative Ministry in Maryland.” 

Please click here to read Rev. Murry's remarks.

The organization is composed of individual UUs. Congregations may become affiliate members and contributors. UULM-MD is establishing a network of UUs matched with members of the Maryland General Assembly and the 24 UU congregations in Maryland. Public officials are approached in a systematic manner in the effort to educate them on UU principles and positions on issues. UUs are trained in advocacy and asked to make contact with their individual legislators.
 

2013 UULM-MD Board of Directors 
Betty McGarvie Crowley, Co-Chair 

Jan Bird, Co-Chair

Rev. Lisa Ward, Chair-Elect

Steve Buckingham, Vice-Chair 

Michael Benefiel, Secretary

Don Chery

Charles Culbertson

Dave Hackett

Rev. Fredric J. Muir

Rev. David Carl Oslon

Mark Patro

Coordinator 
Margery Knight