Faith In Action

Namaqua’s Social Justice Ministry finds ways for members and friends to have an impact on social concerns in our community and around the world.
Our time together at Namaqua is guided by a theology of engagement based on our shared UU principles. Current members of Namaqua are actively involved in sharing their time and talent throughout the Loveland community, and far beyond.

Our Social Justice Initiatives Include:

• Co-hosting homeless families for dinners in partnership with Angel House. We work with King of Glory Lutheran Church in Loveland providing both meals and fellowship on a quarterly basis. We also volunteer at Community Kitchen serving meals to the homeless.
• Together Colorado
• Hosting a Transgender Day of Remembrance service each November. 
• The Giving Tree every Christmas season: In 2021, we donated 172 pairs of socks to 137 Homeless Connection; The Rescue Mission (for men); and The Murphy Center for Hope, a multi-agency center that supports men, women and children who are experiencing homelessness. These are non-profit groups helping citizens of Larimer County who are in need of food, shelter and clothing.  (And, our fellow UU, Fred Schrekinger, walked his talk (presumably in sock feet) by walking in to Target and purchasing even more socks, making our 137 Homeless Connection donation a whopping 11 pounds of socks.) Because of a cash donation of approximately $85, we were also able to buy enough underwear to outfit and warm 54 little (and some not so little) tushies.
• Participating in the annual Big Thompson River clean up.

Half-Plate Ministry

We initiated the Half-Plate Ministry in the fall of 2004 to help us implement our principles by helping the larger community and to help NUUC become known in the community as a social justice church.
Our community has chosen to give half of each week’s free-will offering to a local organization working for social change. We choose the quarterly recipients for the half-plate ministry based on our yearly survey of congregational priority areas.

To date, we have contributed nearly $50,000 to selected nonprofits in Loveland whose values we support. Some nonprofits include Loveland Youth Gardeners, Alternatives to Violence, KidsPack, Project Self-Sufficiency, and The Community Kitchen.