Sioux City, IA (July 8, 2022) — On June 24, 2022, The Supreme Court of the United States issued a decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson’s Women Health Organization case, overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that had guaranteed the federal right to abortion in this country. Following is a statement from the Board of Trustees of the First Unitarian Church of Sioux City on behalf of its congregation, members, and friends:

“In the past weeks, our congregation has come together to share our reflections on this decision and how it impacts our community, not just today, but in the years to come, and the ramifications this decision will have on abortion rights and other areas of the law, such as the right to purchase contraception, same sex marriage, interracial marriage, and religious liberty.

First Unitarian Church of Sioux City was established in 1885, by a woman, Reverend Mary A. Safford. Since then, our church has been home to a robust congregation of individuals from many belief systems including Catholicism, Protestant Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Atheism, Agnosticism, Earth based religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc. Our members bring these experiences into our congregation, and together we affirm and promote seven principles which we hold as strong values and moral guides, not just within our church, but as a member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association.

The first principle of the Unitarian Universalist Faith is that we believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every person. A decision that takes away a woman’s reproductive rights, bodily autonomy, and access to life saving procedures, is in direct conflict with this principle. Women and anyone across the spectrum who may become pregnant lost rights with the Supreme Court’s recent decision.

In our fifth principle as Unitarian Universalists, we affirm the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process. We encourage that people engage in their communities and government to help ensure the separation of church and state, so that the religious ideologies of some do not turn our democracy into a theocracy. Now more than ever, we encourage our fellow Iowans to vote for individuals who support laws and policies that honor all human rights including reproductive rights.

Finally, we encourage all pro-choice Iowans to contribute to an abortion mutual aid fund of their choice, such as Iowa Abortion Access Fund, The Emma Goldman Clinic, or The Iowa Jane Collective. Please visit https://abortionfunds.org/funds/ to identify ways to support your local abortion funds.”

More can be learned about abortion and the fight for abortion rights at https://aidaccess.org/en/

A press-release statement from the UUA President can be found here: https://www.uua.org/pressroom/press-releases/committed-reproductive-justice