Dear Members and Friends,

The Unitarian Universalists of Kansas are standing together to ask all Kansans, regardless of their faith or political party, to vote NO on or before August 2.  Please read on for more information and context.  And if you’re free, come to the Fellowship … [Sunday, July 17 at 2 pm, or Tuesday, July 19, at 6 pm,] to write postcards to fellow voters across the state. 

The proposed amendment will change the Kansas Constitution. If the amendment passes, the Kansas Legislature will be empowered to make our personal healthcare decisions.  A veto-proof number of legislators has already signaled the intention to pass laws to end legal and medically safe abortions, including for victims of rape, incest, or for the health of the mother. 

To be clear, there are already many regulations and mandates that restrict abortion in Kansas, including in early stages of pregnancy.  But the Kansas Constitution has protected people from complete bans.  If this amendment passes, there is little doubt that the legislature will quickly ban all currently legal abortions.

At the UUA’s General Assembly last week, 99.7% of delegates affirmed the statement We Do Not Consent:  Rejecting Legal Challenges to Abortion, written by our Pastor Isabel Call and Rev Nancy Reid-McKee.  They emphasized that disparities in resources or freedoms make it more difficult for certain groups of people to exercise autonomy over their own bodies–the recent Supreme Court decision only aggravates longstanding inequities in access to healthcare including abortions.  Unitarian Universalists understand that all our bodies are sacred and that we are each endowed with the twin gifts of agency and conscience.  The current legal attacks on abortion are morally reprehensible and a violation of our religious freedom and will disproportionately harm the most vulnerable. 

The most important thing you can do is vote “No” on or before August 2, and talk about it with as many likely supporters as you can.  You must be registered to vote by July 12, and absentee voting (available to anyone) begins July 13.  [Register to vote at  www.rileycountyks.gov/1118/Register-to-Vote.]  This election is open to all registered Kansas voters.  You do not need to be registered as a Republican or Democrat.  Please reach out to Pastor Isabel [pastor@uufm.net], Cathy Hedge [catherinejeanhedge@gmail.com], or others in our Fellowship if you need any help with voting or getting a mail-in ballot.

Our Sunday Service topic July 10 is Reproductive Justice.  We will be distributing Vote No yard signs at the Fellowship and offering other opportunities for you to get engaged.  The fight is on.  We can make a significant difference by showing up.  If you’ve already been fighting for years and feel defeated now, please know that your work has not been undone; it’s been tested.  We are still learning from and with you. 

Thank you for continuing to share your wisdom and energy.  If you are new to the fight, welcome.  We need you.  Do not let our well-organized opponents convince us that we’ve lost.  Do not let them disconnect and discourage us.  We have power; let’s use it.

In trust, faith, and action,

The UUFM Social Action Team

Find more information on the fight for reproductive freedom and autonomy, and the UU response, at:

Contact UUFM Social Action Chair Kathy Swenson at socialaction@uufm.net, to learn about all social justice efforts at the Fellowship.