Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship - AUUF

09/15/2026

URGENT ACTION NEEDED: Jeffery Lee is scheduled to be executed this Thursday. As Unitarian Universalists, our commitment to human dignity and mutual interconnectivity means that an injustice to one is an injustice to all.
Governor Ivey signed the bill that ended judicial override in Alabama in 2017, sending a clear message that sentencing belongs to juries, not judges. Refusing to apply that change retroactively means she is seemingly having it both ways. Still, as incensed as we are by this contradiction, she holds the sole power to intervene and save Jeffery's life.
Even for those who support capital punishment, ex*****on based on an illegal, abandoned practice is an unacceptable abuse of power. Government-sanctioned killing is inherently flawed, especially given how frequently state errors impact disenfranchised individuals.
Following last month's visit from Christine Freeman Executive Director of The Alabama Post-Conviction Relief Project (APCRP), we connected with key members of Mr. Lee's team of advocates. After we shared a photo of our Fellowship with his sign out front, he replied with personal statement connecting us directly to his journey (see attached). While our congregation has already sent nearly 40 postcards to Governor Ivey, the lack of response means we must escalate our efforts now.
Take Action Today
1. Call Governor Ivey at (334) 242-7100
Tell her there is no Alabama justice without Alabama juries. Urge her to halt the ex*****on of Jeffery Lee and grant clemency to the 25 individuals sentenced via judicial override.
2. Sign & Share the Petition
Sign the petition urging Governor Ivey to respect jury decisions, and share it widely across your networks.https://actionnetwork.org/.../gov-ivey-please-respect-the...
3. Support September’s Giving on the Plate
Our monthly plate supports the Alabama Post-Conviction Relief Project (https://www.alapcrp.org/) in honor of Jeffery Lee and those fighting judicial override.
o Donate: https://auuf.org/community/donate/
o Note: Please write "Plate" in the memo line.
Featured in The New York Times
Jeffery Lee’s case was highlighted in The New York Times yesterday:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/12/us/alabama-ex*****on-jeffrey-lee.html (Free NYT account required; no paid subscription needed)
• The Reality of Override: At its peak, nearly 1 in 5 people on Alabama’s death row were sent there by a judge overriding a jury's decision.
• The Legal Contradiction: As a Republican former Chief Justice of Alabama’s Supreme Court stated: when a state abolishes a sentencing practice as unjust, it must reckon with the sentences that practice produced.
Please call, sign, donate, and share today.
Thank you for the support!
Patience, Social Action Chair

09/14/2026

September Programming is just around the corner for LVWEA! We are so excited to have our own, Harriette Huggins, who will be speaking on ! Her presentation will involve essential guidance on how individuals with past felony convictions can regain their right to vote. We hope to see you there at Auburn First Baptist, doors will open at 5:30pm!

09/10/2026

Join us for Service this upcoming Sunday for "Deeds no Creeds"
September 13, 2026 at 10:00 am with Rev. Marti Keller

09/08/2026

This Saturday: Community Sound Bath

Step into an immersive, therapeutic soundscape crafted to calm the nervous system and restore balance. Through layered tones from sound bowls, resonant gongs, and subtle percussion, guests are enveloped in a carefully curated auditory experience that encourages profound relaxation and renewal.

September 12, 2:00 – 3:00 PM, at Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 450 E Thach Ave, Auburn, AL

$15
(zero gravity chairs available upon request)

For added comfort, don’t forget your softest blankets and pillows.

09/01/2026

Tonight at Boxcar Theater & Events!

Life for Jeffrey Lee
9/01 | 7PM

The Life for Jeffrey Lee Coalition is hosting a documentary screening and roundtable discussion regarding the current planned ex*****on of Jeffrey Lee.

Even though a jury voted 7–5 for life without parole during his 2000 trial, the judge overrode their decision and sentenced Lee to death—a controversial practice that Alabama has since banned.

Lee was originally set to be executed by nitrogen hypoxia on June 11, 2026. However, federal courts stepped in and halted the ex*****on, ruling the method unconstitutional after reports that previous inmates experienced severe pain and suffering. Following the stay, the state went back to court to reschedule his ex*****on using lethal injection instead. Lee remains on death row, with his ex*****on now set for September 17, 2026.

The Life for Jeffrey Lee Coalition is inviting people to the documentary screening on Tuesday, September 1st at 7:00pm. After the screening, there will be a roundtable discussion and the hope to continue to raise awareness and support to honor the original jury's recommendation for life without parole.

Artwork by: misterbananawoman

09/01/2026

Join us for Service this upcoming Sunday for "Tend to Your Spirit: Mindful Living with Chronic Illness"
September 6, 2026 at 10:00 am
Chris Basgier will be discussing concepts and strategies for living with chronic illness and the launch of a support 2nd hour.

08/27/2026

All are welcome to join the RE Committee and enjoy ice cream after service this Sunday August 30th. This is also the time to register youth for a new year of RE (“Religious Exploration”). This will start after the service around 11:15 and run until around 12:15 in front of the RE building. For more information about our RE program, visit https://auuf.org/re-at-auuf/.

08/25/2026

Join us with Rev. Marti Keller for our annual Ingathering Service this Sunday, August 30th at 10am.

A traditional and not so traditional service welcoming us back as a faith community in this new program year. All are welcome to bring containers of water that represent summer journeys, no matter how near or far.

08/18/2026

Join us for Service in the Sanctuary this Sunday, August 23rd for "All Roads Lead to the Corner."

Social justice, intersectionality, commitment, and consistency have become staples in our beloved community. A core group within this community has committed six years — and counting — of standing for what we believe in and having conversations at Toomer’s Corner that continue despite the ups and downs of braving the elements and navigating the current political climate.