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| April Spotlight - Justice Leadership |
Message from Justice Leadership Program Participants
The Justice Leadership Program (JLP) is a partner of the Southern New England Conference, and in the 2023-24 program year, 6 people joined an SNEUCC cohort of their Jubilee program. Jubilee offers education, hands-on experience, and spiritual sojourning for Christians looking to ignite their justice leadership. “One thing that will stick with me is the difference between social justice and social service.” -Pieter W.
As Pieter and other participants reflected, Jubilee teaches participants about different approaches to social issues, focusing on distinguishing between social justice and social service and equipping participants for the work of social change. To read more about this exciting program and hear more from recent graduates, open the page here.
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Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8)
by Rev. Noah Brewer-Wallin the Assistant Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
This simple (but no one said easy!) call from Micah is an excellent touchstone for remembering what it is that God asks of us: justice, mercy, humility. But are you clear on the difference between justice and mercy?
It’s okay if you’re not. Sometimes we conflate works of justice and works of mercy – aren't they all about treating people with love? Continue reading this blog reflection.
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Justice Lunch & Learn:
Getting to Know the
Justice Leadership Program
Thursday, May 2nd, 2024
12:00 pm via Zoom
Since 2012 JLP has been an experimental space testing new and different ways of empowering and equipping people in the work of justice.
A recent participant said, "It's all their fault that I found clarity in my justice work!"- Maureen M., 2023 graduate. Register here
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Upcoming Learning & Action Opportunities
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SNEUCC Pride Guide 2024
Do you have a Pride event planned for 2024? Or are interested in organizing one? Let us know for our 2024 SNEUCC Pride Guide. Check out more information and our questionnaire here.
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Raising Kids Beyond the Binary in Church
May 7, 2024 at 7:00 pm. Zoom webinar.
With author, Jamie Bruesehoff
The church is a better, more faithful place when transgender, non-binary, and gender expansive young people are a part of it. The debate around transgender children rages, making it more important than ever for people of faith to understand God’s call to love and affirm young people in who God created them to be.
Register here.
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Strengthen Your Church’s Advocacy for LGBTQ+ People Part 2.*
with the Human Rights Campaign – follow up
Thursday, May 9, 2024 7:00 pm on Zoom
Whether or not you attended the first session with HRC on March 7, join us for this follow up session! We'll go deeper on some of the topics discussed, including having open-hearted conversations with friends and neighbors, and some of the proactive legislation coming up in our Southern New England states. Register here
*Watch the recording from the first session here.
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Open & Affirming Cross-Pollination
Monday, May 13, 6:30 pm, Zoom
Topic: How to Queer Your Worship
Come join people, from all over our conference committed to the work of ONA in thinking together about how we can make our worship services more queer and LGBTQ+ inclusive. Register Here.
Justice Lunch and Learn: Becoming A Trans-Affirming Church
June 6, 2024 12:00 pm on Zoom
Save the date and hear from a panel of leaders who participated in the Becoming a Trans-Affirming Church Affinity Group. Register Here
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Racial Justice for Authorized Ministers
The Southern New England Conference’s Center for Transformational Leadership is launching a series of racial justice workshops aimed at equipping authorized ministers for the ongoing work of showing up in a multi-racial, multi-cultural world.
Learn more and sign up for upcoming sessions here.
Upcoming sessions:
May 21: Racial Justice - Microaggressions & Interpersonal Racism (Renewal)
June 11: Racial Justice - Foundations
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An Afternoon of Challenge and Hope May 5, 2024 3:00 pm. With Renowned Civil Rights Leader- The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II
@ Immanuel Congregational Church, Hartford, CT.
Open flyer here
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Looking for a Racial Justice workshop for laypeople?
Complete this online form and receive alerts when an upcoming session is scheduled!
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Animating Antiracism in
Faith Formation
Anti-racism for faith formation practitioners A webinar series developed for the United Church of Christ Network of Wider Church Youth Ministries by Crossroads Antiracism Organizing and Training. Registration now open
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Modeling a Restorative Justice Circle
Monday, April 29, 2024,
6:30 PM on Zoom
Rev. Mark Seifried, pastor of the Haydenville Congregational Church and member of the Restorative Justice Task Team, will facilitate a restorative justice circle with a subject of interest to local congregations. This webinar is presented by the SNEUCC Restorative Justice Task Team. Learn more and register HERE.
Criminal Legal Justice:
Read an article on abolishing life sentencing in Massachusetts from SNEUCC partner, Parole Review for All. In his reflection, author Lloyd Fillion begins, "Massachusetts has no death penalty. The last attempt to bring it back, in 1997, was defeated in part because some legislators and citizen groups asserted it was not needed because the Commonwealth had Life Without Parole. For some this continues to be a strong bulwark against the return of capital punishment, ignoring the national decrease in support for that punishment. However, in 2014 the statute authorizing the death penalty was finally repealed by wide margins in both the House and the Senate." Read more here.
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Mental Health Sunday-May 19th 2024
Join with congregations from across the denomination in a Sunday focused on the Mental Health Ministries of our Conference and denomination. Deepen our work in this essential area of inclusion. Pray, preach, sing and celebrate. Minister of Health and Wellness, Debbie Ringen, offers this reflection on Masking and Loneliness. Read more here. Resources for creating a Mental Health Sunday worship are available here.
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We want to hear from you!
Is your church active in justice or outreach in the areas of anti-racism, immigration/refugee/asylum, environmental ministry, ONA, health and wellness, or disability ministry? Or maybe a member of your congregation is a justice warrior?
Let us know your story! Team Contact information
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