April 2023

Faithful Action for Justice provides announcements and information from ORUCC’s Justice missions (Care of Creation, Immigration Justice, Heart Room, Racial Justice, Christian Witness and Service, Palestinian Justice).

Nobody can do everything. Saying yes to some things requires saying no to others. Our health and obligations limit us. As you read, briefly celebrate and pray for people doing something you will not join. As you feel called, reach out to a project’s contact person to learn more, and consider joining or click on links to read more.

Our justice mission teams provide information on issues that may be controversial, speaking to the congregation but not for the congregation.

Vote April 2

Please remember to vote in the April 2 election. Besides important local races, there is a critical statewide race for Supreme Court Justice between liberal Janet Protasiewicz and conservative Daniel Kelley that will have huge impacts on a wide range of policies in the state.

There are three state referenda on the ballot (along with some local referenda). Organizations that we are affiliated with (including the Wisconsin Council of Churches, WISDOM, and Faith Voices for Justice) are recommending that you vote no on all three state referenda, two on the conditions for bail and one on welfare. The Wisconsin Council of Churches has provided an explanation of the reason for these recommendations.

Housing Advocacy

Do you want to advocate public policy change to promote affordable and good housing for everyone? As a follow-up to the Housing Summit hosted recently at ORUCC, the Wisconsin Council of Churches and Faith Voices for Justice are forming a Faith-based Housing Advocacy Working Group. A first meeting, probably in mid-April, will begin sorting priorities which could be addressed at local, state and federal levels. Indicate your interest by emailing [email protected]. NOTE: The original request was for responses by March 31, so a quick response is best.

Serving our Immigrant Neighbors

Volunteer Drivers Needed

If you are interested in providing rides to asylum-seekers traveling to Milwaukee and Chicago for their interviews, hearings, and other appointments, please contact Dan Zimmerman: [email protected] or 608-241-1158. Dan will put you on a distribution list and contact you to see if you are available when someone needs a ride. He will also arrange a virtual training session for you. The training provides an explanation of the roles and responsibilities of a volunteer driver, and basic information about the judicial processes that you may witness.

Short-term Home Hospitality Needed

If you might be able to provide a room in your house for a few day to a few weeks for asylum seekers in Dane County, please click on the link to fill out a sign-up form. Filling out the form does not obligate you. Instead, it puts you on a distribution list so you can be contacted about your availability if/when a need arises. Asylum seekers have been carefully vetted by local immigration attorneys or the Dane County immigration office. For more information, contact Rabbi Bonnie Margulis at 608-513-7121 or [email protected].

News from Casa Alitas

ORUCC Member Ruthanne Landsness wrote reflections about her most recent trip to Casa Alitas.

Palestine Justice

United Church of Christ calls on President Biden and Congress to hold Israel accountable, end military aid

On March 10, leaders of the United Church of Christ, The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church (USA) and six other Christian organizations sent a prophetic letter to President Biden and members of Congress. In this letter, they called for “urgent action… to hold Israel accountable for its ongoing and flagrant violations of Palestinian rights.”

The letter laments the “lack of accountability for Israeli killings of civilians, ongoing land expropriation, home demolitions, settlement expansion, movement restrictions, and other gross violations of Palestinian rights,” and asserts that “The U.S. bears at least partial responsibility for this reality because of its uncritical support – politically, diplomatically, and financially – for the Government of Israel and its failure to demand accountability.”

Noting that “U.S. funding to Israel in part sustains this violence,” the letter calls for the U.S. government to “hold Israel accountable for its abuses including by cutting military aid.”

To learn more (click here): Global Ministries article

Tom Beilman and Diane Dulin

MOSES Updates

Remember Madison Action Day, April 27!

ORUCC member Donna Lillethun is also a member of Raging Grannies. She has organized the Grannies to join their vocalization forces with MOSES members to sing in Madison Action Day with songs for justice and equity. Don’t miss it!

Register here to join WISDOM leaders from across Wisconsin to promote our values and priorities as legislators work to finalize the 2023-2025 state budget. Come hear the Raging Grannies introduction to the morning plenary and then join the plenary session, followed by lunch, and visits with our Madison-area legislators. There will be a Zoom orientation session at 6:30 on April 13 register for Zoom orientation

MOSES Takes a Stand – New Issue Adopted

In March, MOSES adopted a strategic issue calling for Eviction Records Retention Reduction. Wisconsin state law mandates a 20-year retention period for eviction records, which places a significant, long-term burden on families who need stable, affordable housing for the well-being of their children. MOSES opposes this unreasonable and unjust law and supports a change in the law to reduce the retention period for most cases. MOSES has a developing relationship with Legal Action of Wisconsin, who brought this issue to our attention through Attorney and Dane County Supervisor Heidi Wegleitner. Watch for future public information sharing updates.

Interested? Reach out to learn more about our justice teams and projects. Our mission teams welcome your time, talent and energy!

• Care of Creation: contact Sara Roberts
• Immigration Justice: contact Ruthanne Landness
• Racial Justice: contact Pam Oliver
• Heart Room and Housing Justice: contact Helene Nelson
• Ilgen Literacy Fund: contact Jen Walker

In addition, our Christian Witness and Service ministry connects members to a variety of opportunities to support justice activities (chair:LuAnn Greiner)