November Dedicated Offering for Goodwin Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
Dedicated Offerings provide a way for our Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst community to recognize and financially support worthy organizations engaged in projects that reflect our guiding Unitarian-Universalist principles.
Our Society is joining with more than a dozen other houses of worship through ION (Interfaith Opportunity Network) to help Goodwin, a small church, at the end of Woodside Avenue in Amherst,. continue serving its present and future congregants. ION sees this fundraising as not only helping Goodwin with its structural problems but also a concrete step toward restorative justice. Historically systematic racism gave white churches privilege and power while denying the same to African-American churches.
This very small and old historic church with about 30 active members is in immediate need of an oil burner costing $13,000 in order for services to be held this winter. In addition, other repairs and restoration work including better insulation, foundation repair, improved bathrooms and handicap accessibility would cost at least another $40,000. Money raised will also go towards matching grants from Amherst’s Community Preservation Act account and the Massachusetts Historical Commission.