Category: Social Justice

Please join us on Sunday (13 July 2025) at 11:00 AM for the dedication ceremony of our banned book bookshelf in memory of John Tuggle featuring guest speaker Loretta Casteen (Shreve Memorial Library Programming and Outreach Specialist).

Thanks to our outgoing Board President Sally Wood (who was inspired by a gift of banned books from her daughter), we now have a rapidly filling banned books bookshelf in the sanctuary foyer.

On this Sunday, we will dedicate the bookshelf to the memory of John Tuggle (who before his death in September 2024 was Director of the Shreve Memorial Library System and a fierce advocate for the right to read the books of our choosing free from censorship by those who would rewrite history and even write some of our fellow citizens out of existence).

Members and friends are invited to bring one or more banned books from your home library to donate to the bookshelf.

Want to find out what books have been banned?  Check out the American Library Association’s Banned Book Lists.

You may be surprised by some of the books on it and nearly every Unitarian Universalist probably going to own at least one banned book.

We will be meeting in the sanctuary for this worship service.  Please join us in person at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church, 9449 Ellerbe Road, Shreveport LA  71106 if you are able to do so.

Our service will also be livestreamed on Facebook Live here if you cannot attend in person.

State-level COVID data can be found on the Louisiana Department of Health’s respiratory virus dashboard web page.  The most sensitive metric to follow for current COVID trends is the “Laboratory Surveillance Data” link.  The link is currently showing COVID,  flu and RSV maintaining a very low level but also showing a slight uptick in our state as of 5 July 2025.  This may be an early indication of the summer seasonal surge in respiratory illnesses.

Masking and COVID vaccination are optional for attending in-person events at All Souls.

We encourage you to be vaccinated against COVID and to also have the most-current COVID booster shots.  This provides greater protection to the individual and the church community.

Anyone who prefers wearing a mask is welcome to do so for in-person events and attending worship through livestream video is also an option where required for medical or schedule conflict reasons.

We will still have KN95 masks available in the foyer for anyone who needs one.

We continue to recommend that you stay home if you have any symptoms and that you keep up with all available vaccinations and boosters.

If you are recovering from COVID and have no symptoms, you should mask in public until you have tested negative twice in a 48 hour period.

We also ask that you go by the previous CDC guidelines of waiting at least 5 days past the onset of symptoms rather than the current 24 hour recommendation.

If you have symptoms for COVID or other respiratory illness, please stay home and take care of yourself.

Our July 2025 give-away-the-plate recipient is North Louisiana Interfaith.

And you can contribute to All Souls using this online resource.

Please join us on Sunday (6 July 2025) at 11:00 AM for “Reckoning with History and Ourselves” by Susan Caldwell.

On this 249th anniversary of our nation’s Declaration of Independence, we seem to be stepping back from the stated aspirations of our founders –who, imperfect as they were — put into words high standards for what this new Republic could be.

Over the years, we’ve made deeply flawed and faltering steps to live into those lofty words and progress has always met with backlash (as we are seeing now).

With so many recent attempts to erase the harder, less flattering parts of our history, it is neither unwise nor unpatriotic to fight that trend and teach it — warts, gaping wounds, and all.

May we love our country enough to want her to heal.

We will be meeting in the sanctuary for this worship service.  Please join us in person at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church, 9449 Ellerbe Road, Shreveport LA  71106 if you are able to do so.

Our service will also be livestreamed on Facebook Live here if you cannot attend in person.

State-level COVID data can be found on the Louisiana Department of Health’s respiratory virus dashboard web page.  The most sensitive metric to follow for current COVID trends is the “Laboratory Surveillance Data” link.  The link is currently showing COVID,  flu and RSV maintaining a very low level but also showing a slight uptick in our state as of 28 June 2025.

Masking and COVID vaccination are optional for attending in-person events at All Souls.

We encourage you to be vaccinated against COVID and to also have the most-current COVID booster shots.  This provides greater protection to the individual and the church community.

Anyone who prefers wearing a mask is welcome to do so for in-person events and attending worship through livestream video is also an option where required for medical or schedule conflict reasons.

We will still have KN95 masks available in the foyer for anyone who needs one.

We continue to recommend that you stay home if you have any symptoms and that you keep up with all available vaccinations and boosters.

If you are recovering from COVID and have no symptoms, you should mask in public until you have tested negative twice in a 48 hour period.

We also ask that you go by the previous CDC guidelines of waiting at least 5 days past the onset of symptoms rather than the current 24 hour recommendation.

If you have symptoms for COVID or other respiratory illness, please stay home and take care of yourself.

Our July 2025 give-away-the-plate recipient is North Louisiana Interfaith.

And you can contribute to All Souls using this online resource.

Please join us on Sunday (29 June 2025) at 11:00 AM for “Pride:  Now More Than Ever” with guest speaker Sam Ortiz (LGBTQIAP+ activist and co-founder of ShrevePride).

We will be meeting in the sanctuary for this worship service.  Please join us in person at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church, 9449 Ellerbe Road, Shreveport LA  71106 if you are able to do so.

Our service will also be livestreamed on Facebook Live here if you cannot attend in person.

For several years, the Caddo Parish Commission has passed a resolution celebrating Pride Month in June.  This year as we increasingly hear from a loud minority who feel emboldened by our country’s current leadership and seek to roll back the gains that have been made over years of struggle, the resolution faced opposition.

After one woman went to the Commission’s work session to present a diatribe against the resolution, the community mobilized, thanks in large part to organizations like PACE and ShrevePride and thanks in large part for leaders like Sam Ortiz.

Sam spoke eloquently in the meeting about the importance of Pride not only to lift up the rights of the LGBTQIAP+ community to live in peace, but also to affirm that a diverse community is a stronger, richer community.

The resolution ultimately passed 9-3.

In their day job, Sam currently serves as Director of Client Services at The Philadelphia Center and is a tireless advocate for the LGBTQ+ community in their “spare time.”

Please join us to welcome Sam Ortiz to our pulpit.

We will also take the time to thank our outgoing Board members for their service so you will have a chance to show your appreciation to them as well.

We will also have a brief reception after the service that will morph into our Vegan Potluck and movie screening for all who wish to stay.

State-level COVID data can be found on the Louisiana Department of Health’s respiratory virus dashboard web page.  The most sensitive metric to follow for current COVID trends is the “Laboratory Surveillance Data” link.  The link is currently showing COVID,  flu and RSV maintaining a very low level and declining in our state as of 21 June 2025.

Masking and COVID vaccination are optional for attending in-person events at All Souls.

We encourage you to be vaccinated against COVID and to also have the most-current COVID booster shots.  This provides greater protection to the individual and the church community.

Anyone who prefers wearing a mask is welcome to do so for in-person events and attending worship through livestream video is also an option where required for medical or schedule conflict reasons.

We will still have KN95 masks available in the foyer for anyone who needs one.

We continue to recommend that you stay home if you have any symptoms and that you keep up with all available vaccinations and boosters.

If you are recovering from COVID and have no symptoms, you should mask in public until you have tested negative twice in a 48 hour period.

We also ask that you go by the previous CDC guidelines of waiting at least 5 days past the onset of symptoms rather than the current 24 hour recommendation.

If you have symptoms for COVID or other respiratory illness, please stay home and take care of yourself.

Our June 2025 give-away-the-plate recipient is the OutNorthLA Film Festival.

And you can contribute to All Souls using this online resource.