JPANet April 2025 Newsletter

Join us virtually or in-person for Faithful Witness Wednesdays!

The United Church of Christ joins over 25 co-sponsors in co-organizing a series of faithful witness vigils at the Capitol every Wednesday at 12 noon ET. These multi-faith vigils will call on Congress to exercise greater moral courage in upholding its Article 1 powers and preventing executive overreach. The next vigil will be held on Wednesday, April 9th. Watch the recordings of the previous vigils here.

New Resource: A Faithful Response to the First 100 Days

Curious how the UCC has been responding to the first 100 days of the new administration? Check out our new advocacy resource! Whether you’re mobilizing for immigration reform, preserving lifesaving foreign aid, or climate action, we hope this one-stop shop offers faithful grounding and actionable steps to continue the United Church of Christ’s mission to build a just world for all during the First 100 Days of this administration. Learn more at ucc.org/First100Days.

Turn Debt into Hope

What can Jubilee look like in action? A multitude of organizations, including several ecumenical coalitions the UCC belongs to, have launched the “Turn Debt Into Hope” campaign. It’s a global call to address debt injustice and climate inequality, which prevent vulnerable nations from meeting fundamental human rights. Learn more, and please add your name to the petition here.

As war continues in Ukraine, so does the outpouring of help — and hope — from Global Ministries and its partners

Since Russia’s invasion the UCC and Disciples have raised millions of dollars for Ukrainian aid through special appeals, as well as offerings, including Disciple’s Week of Compassion and UCC’s OneGreat Hour of Sharing (OGHS). The OGHS offering will be collected in UCC churches nationwide on Sunday, March 30. Read the full article here.

Take Action: Tell Congress to reject more military aid to Israel and instead to reinstate funding to UNRWA 

As the ceasefire for Gaza remains uncertain, Israel has targeted Gaza again, killing more than 400 Palestinians in Gaza early in the morning of March 18, just as it has continued its offensive in the northern West Bank. Israel has once again cut off all food and other goods, denying Palestinians there access to essential nutritional and health assistance. As people of faith, join us in urging Congress to vote in favor of the new Joint Resolutions of Disapproval on the sales of arms to Israel and to support the UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act.

Revitalizing Labor Sunday!

It’s here! The new UCC Economic Justice campaign for congregations that support worker rights, labor organizing, living wages, and more. Would your church like to “Fill the JAR” of God’s economic justice? Fill out the brief interest form here and UCC Minister for Economic Justice Rev. Seth Wispelwey will connect on the powerful possibilities that await.

Take Action: Christians Unite For Reproductive Rights!

For over 40 years, the United Church of Christ has affirmed and supported women’s access to the full range of reproductive health care, including abortion. Our country must safeguard access to abortion and the full range of reproductive healthcare. Urge your members of Congress to re-introduce and pass the Women’s Health Protection Act today!

The Launching of UCC Climate Hope Affiliates

The UCC is currently launching its first chapters of the UCC Climate Hope Affiliates program in Allentown (PA), Concord (NH), Framingham (MA), and Fremont (CA). With a deep sense of calling, affiliates will address the interconnected crises of climate change and societal injustice. With monthly actions, they will develop ongoing relationships with their members of congress, local media, and leaders in their broader community.  Let us know if you are interested in starting an affiliate where you live.

April 5th: Join us this Saturday to March for a Just World For All!

People of faith are uniting to fight back against this administration’s unprecedented power grab, cuts to lifesaving programs such as SNAP and Medicaid, and the dismantling of our government. As members of a loving, justice-driven faith community, we are called to raise our voices. Join fellow UCCers in the DMV area and march for a just world for all! Register to join us in person here!

April 7-11th: 58th Session of Commission on People and Development at the United Nations

The UCC United Nations’ team invites you to virtually attend in the 58th Session of the Commission on People and Development (CPD) April 7th – 11th. Each year, 47 Member States meet at the UN Headquarters in New York to monitor, review, and assess population trends while also providing appropriate recommendations based on how those trends interact with development issues. With the theme of Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all ages, Member States and NGOs will be discussing the best practices for ensuring all underlying determinants of health are met globally. You canlearn more about CPD here!

Official meetings will be live streamed on UN Web TVfrom 10am-1pm and 3pm-6pm (ET) and all are welcome to tune in!

April 10th: Interfaith Comprehensive Faith-Based Sexuality Education Partnerships: Our Whole Lives in the Global South

Our Whole Lives (O.W.L.) faith based comprehensive sexuality education has been an interfaith partnership between the United Church of Christ and Unitarian Universalist Association for over 25 years. As part of the 58th session of the Commission on Population and Development at the United Nations, Rev. Amy Johnson of the UCC and Dr. Melanie Davis of the UUA have put together a panel of leaders from international faith groups who have participated in training and pilot projects relating to O.W.L. Join us in learning from our panelists how these trainings and projects have enabled interfaith groups to engage in transformative experiential learning in a wide range of local and regional contexts. Register here!

April 26th: Climate Scientist and Evangelical Christian to Keynote UCC Earth Summit

The keynote for this year’s UCC Earth Summit will be delivered by Katharine Hayhoe, one of the world’s leading climate scientists. Through television appearances on PBS and Showtime as well as her widely viewed TED Talks, Hayhoe has reached a broad audience with a compelling perspective on science, climate, and faith. This two-and-a-half hour online summit will begin at 2 pm ET on April 26th. Register now!

April 5th: Models of Faith-Based Engagement with Public Life

The Washington Theological Consortium (WTC), together with the Interfaith Council of Metropolitan Washington, Interfaith Power and Light, and the Center for Public Theology at Wesley Theological Seminary, are bringing together an interfaith group of scholars, community activists, and religious leaders to explore different approaches to faith-based engagement in the public sphere. Learn more and register here.

April 9th: Transformative Faith in Toxic Times (Webinar)

In contrast to theologies of dominion that mirror human systems of exploitation and extraction, Creation Justice Ministries has released a new resource in time for Earth Sunday that explores life-giving theologies in conversation with those leading at the grassroots in Appalachia and New Orleans. Even if you cannot make the webinar at 1 pm ET on Wednesday, April 9th, still sign-up, and we will send a recording of it. Register now to join us!

April 14-17: 4th Session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent at the United Nations

The UCC United Nations’ team invites you to virtually attend in the 4th Session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (PFPAD) April 14th – 17th.

With the theme of Africa and people of African descent: United for reparatory justice in the age of Artificial Intelligence, this year’s session will focus on the roles and contributions of key actors in shaping and promoting the global agenda for reparatory justice. Through a focus on human rights of women and girls of African descent, participants will discuss and examine the best approach to policymaking when it comes to addressing systematic racism.

Official meetings will be broadcasted onUN Web TV and all are welcome to tune in! For more information on the schedule and virtual side events, click here!

May 7th: UCC Climate Action Assembly

On Wednesday, May 7th will be the UCC’s Climate Action Assembly at 1 pm ET. This assembly will include a report on early lessons learned from the launch of the first Climate Hope Affiliates along with planning for post-General Synod climate action in the UCC. Climate Action Assemblies are open to all members of the UCC. Register to join us!

DC Action Center

Each week, the D.C. Office creates an action alert based on what is happening at that time in Congress and offers you the opportunity to contact your legislators with just one click! You can take action with our previous action alerts here.

Justice & Peace Action Network Archives

Want to dive deeper into the expertise of the UCC on a variety of policy issues? Check out the previous Getting to the Root articles and our newsletter archive.

Witness for Justice

Looking for up-to-date social justice commentary? Check out Witness for Justice, a weekly editorial opinion column written by the National Staff.

The Pollinator

The Pollinator is a digital platform of the UCC for the sharing of ideas and inspiration. Its focus is the building of a faith-filled and faith-rooted movement for the care of creation.