JPANet January 2025 Newsletter

What issues are top priority for you in 2025? Take the JPANet Audience Survey!

Take five minutes to fill out our audience survey so the DC Office can learn more about the issues you care about most, the communities you’re a part of, and how we can collaborate deeper with our network.

Subscribe & Listen! The Fill the JAR Podcast is Up and Running 

Beginning in 2024, economic justice efforts in the United Church of Christ were centralized under the banner of “Fill the JAR” – Jubilee, Abundance, Reparations – God’s economic justice. Dedicated campaigns for churches are coming and a Fill the JAR podcast has launched: conversations with colleagues and collaborators in this shared work of fighting for liberation, equity, and thriving while staying whole and thriving ourselves. You can subscribe and listen to conversations with Dr. Sharon Fennema (Join the Movement), Hill Brown (Faith in Harm Reduction), and Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt (Environmental Justice)…and expect many more in 2025!

Explore our new action center! Contact your legislators with one click.  

Our action center has moved to a new and improved platform where you can send a pre-written, customizable letters to your legislators on a wide variety of justice issues. We encourage you to check out the new platform and explore your advocate profile. Our weekly action alerts will continue to be sent through our new platform.

Plan Ahead for the 2025 Climate Hope Art Contest

The theme for the 2025 Climate Hope Art Contest will be “Planting Seeds of Hope.” UCC children and youth will be invited to draw, paint, or color works of art that bring this theme to life. We’ll be accepting art submissions from February 2nd to March 14th. More information to come soon. 

January 5th: Faith in Democracy Interfaith Prayer Vigil

The UCC is cosponsoring the 4th Annual Interfaith “Faith in Democracy” Vigil in-person and live streamed on the National Mall. Hear inspirational music and interfaith messages that unify Americans emphasizing a strong commitment to, and concerns about, our democracy and our freedoms at this critical juncture before the next administration begins. Register here!

Jan 15th: From a Toxic Media to a Toxic Environment

A powerful and growing toxic media industry has an enormous influence on everything from who gets elected to public opinion on climate change. To help us address this situation, this webinar will feature panelists from the Environmental Defense Fund, Media Matters for America, and UCC Media Justice. Even if you cannot make the webinar at its scheduled time on January 15th at 1 pm ET, still sign-up, and we will send you a recording. Register today!

People’s Prayers for Peace

The UCC has issued an open invitation for people to offer a prayer to end violence in any manifestation, and to bring about peace. Share your prayers using the People’s Prayers for Peace form. 

January 8th: Join our Climate Action Commissioning Service

As we enter a year of critical importance in the struggle for climate justice, the UCC is holding a Climate Action Commissioning Service. Gather with us as we faithfully prepare ourselves to take action in the coming year. Our theme will be “Planting Seeds of Hope,” and our preacher will be the Rev. Michael Malcom, the Executive Director for Alabama Interfaith Power & Light and the People’s Justice Council. Register to join us!

January 17th: Traveling to DC for the People’s March? Join us for advocacy training, community building, and dinner! 

The weekend of the People’s March, join the UCC DC Office to share in fellowship and build new advocacy skills. We want to equip you and your churches to continue the fight for critical issues when you get home from the march.

This event will be a space to build community, strategize on issues that are important to you, invigorate ourselves for the fights that lie ahead. RSVP here to join!

January 20th: Interfaith Service & Moral Mass Meeting

The Interfaith Service and Moral Mass Meeting will be held on January 20th, 2025 at 7pm ET. The theme of this gathering is “For Such a Time as This: A Prophetic Response to America’s Defining Moment”, with speakers including Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, Bishop William J. Barber II, and many more.

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.