Justice work is spiritual work

This 9am programming invites us to learn more and deepen our own commitments to justice surrounding the season of Lent. Our hope is to approach justice work with a spirit of abundance and collaboration, that we support each other’s commitments and seek to enhance each other, knowing that we alone cannot do everything, but we together can build up and support each other and support marginalized and vulnerable beings in our community and around the world. Born from the Justice Jam, a collaboration of current leaders of the many justice commitments at ORUCC, under the umbrella of Christian Witness Service (CWS), you will hear from immigration justice, racial justice, Palestinian justice, care of creation justice and housing justice with Heart Room. You will hear overlap and intersection in the presentations, including a late spring presentation which explicitly weaves together commitments of racial justice, immigration justice and Heart Room housing justice.

The presentations will take place in Friendship Hall, and we are exploring a way to make these presentations hybrid for the at home crowd. We invite you to arrive early so the presenters can begin promptly at 9, but of course come and go as you need. We will seek to be done by 9:50 in time to join worship together. This is not programming of Java & Jesus, which will continue to gather at 11:30am virtually.

This Sunday we begin!

February 27 Immigration Justice

9:00 am Immigration Justice, Casa Alitas

Title: Casa Alitas, Immigration and the Borderlands. Ruthanne Landsness, Immigration Justice Chair, will present a photo narrative of her time at Casa Alitas in October-November 2021, plus a brief look at current immigration policy. Casa Alitas is an immigrant welcome center in Tucson, Arizona.

March 6 Racial Justice

9:00 am Racial Justice

Representatives from MOSES, the Madison chapter of the faith-based statewide advocacy group WISDOM, will discuss their work in reducing incarceration and addressing racial justice issues. Sponsored by the racial justice mission team.

March 13 Palestinian Justice I

9:00 am Palestinian Justice, Part 1 

Rev. Diane Dulin and Thomas Beilman facilitating

How Are the Children?

Palestinian Children in Israeli Military Detention

A video curriculum for UCC audiences

In 2017, delegates to the United Church of Christ General Synod passed a Resolution of Witness calling for an end to the ill-treatment of Palestinian children incarcerated in Israeli military prisons. Discover why the UCC and other faith communities are calling urgently for an end to this systematic abuse of children. Join us in viewing the video curriculum, “How Are the Children?”, produced by the United Church of Christ Palestine-Israel Network and featuring UCC national executive leaders John Dorhauer and Traci Blackmon. This Sunday, in Part 1 of the curriculum, we hear the stories of four Palestinian youth and their families undergoing the ordeal of Israeli military incarceration. For more information: [email protected]

March 20 Palestinian Justice II

9:00 am Palestinian Justice, Part 2

Rev. Diane Dulin and Thomas Beilman facilitating

How Are the Children?

Palestinian Children in Israeli Military Detention

A video curriculum for UCC audiences

The curriculum title “How Are the Children?” comes from an African Masai greeting which acknowledges no society can be considered healthy and thriving if its children are under attack. This Sunday, in Part 2 of the curriculum, we hear UCC national executive leaders bear witness to the injustices they have witnessed personally. The curriculum concludes with recommendations for further education and action on behalf of Palestinian children. For more information: [email protected] ;

During worship service – collect Refugee Resettlement gift cards 

March 27 Heart Room/Housing Justice

9:00 am Heart Room/Housing Justice

Heart Room helps families with young children find and keep stable housing. We are actively exploring how to expand partnerships to serve more families. Come to this session to learn more, ask questions and share ideas.

April 3 Care of Creation

9:00 am Care of Creation

“The Problem with Plastics and What We Can Do About It.”

We’ll talk about how the manufacturing of plastics contributes to global warming, and that a huge concern is how they affect the health of our planet and all that lives upon it as they proliferate and accumulate. Finally, we’ll talk about how we as individuals can do our part, both in the everyday choices we make, and in how we can influence government policy to hold corporations responsible for the entire lifecycle of the plastic products they manufacture.

April 10 Palm Sunday

No 9am adult education programming

April 17 Easter

No Sunday School or 9:00 am programming

April 24 Care of Creation

Confirmation Sunday

9:00 am Care of Creation

“The Problem with Plastics and What We Can Do About It Part II” followed by letters to Congress led by Chris Thomas from Care of Creation

We’ll talk about how the manufacturing of plastics contributes to global warming, and that a huge concern is how they affect the health of our planet and all that lives upon it as they proliferate and accumulate. Finally, we’ll talk about how we as individuals can do our part, both in the everyday choices we make, and in how we can influence government policy to hold corporations responsible for the entire lifecycle of the plastic products they manufacture.

May 1 no programming

May 8 Immigration Facts and Myths

Immigration Justice Mission Team Chair Ruthanne Landsness will answer frequently asked questions about US immigration.

May 15 The Wider Church in Action for Justice

Wisconsin Council of Churches executive director Kerri Parker and her colleague Peder Johanson will overview the work of the Council, which supports churches to put our faith into action. They’ll also provide more specific information about welcoming Afghan refugees. For more information about WCC’s work in advance, click https://www.wichurches.org/