Local congregations stir the policy waters, visiting Washington D.C. legislators to pray, talk and get action

The nation’s capital was recently flooded with justice-seeking advocates representing United Church of Christ congregations from the West Coast and the Northeast.

Well, maybe not flooded, but the presence of members from First Congregational Church of Kittery Point, Maine, and Pilgrim United Church of Christ, Carlsbad, Calif., who in early April came speaking on a variety of concerns from the environment to immigration, stirred the policy waters.

“It was really empowering. I felt like I was making a difference,” said Michael Theiss-Aird.

Theiss-Aird was one of the 18 members of Pilgrim UCC’s anti-racism book club who made the trip to advocate for humane immigrations policy, a just peace in Palestine and alternatives to incarceration. The group met with the offices of Sen. Alex Padilla and Sen. Laphonza R. Butler as well as Rep. Mike Levin.

While Pilgrim UCC, located an hour from the U.S.-Mexico border, actively collaborates with organizations providing aid and services for asylum seekers, being in the halls of power and meeting government representatives gave the group a deeper appreciation and understanding of the work of bringing about change.

 “Because we are on the border and work so closely with the immigrant community, and because we host children visiting with their incarcerated parents, we were able to connect the laws we want to see passed with our experiences,” said Bob Loweth.

Ken Breeding added that “it was my first time lobbying” and that he was “ready to do it again.” Breeding also thanked Abigail Cipparone, policy advocate for domestic issues in UCC Washington D.C.’s office, for “shepherding us through the process.”

Paper cranes and prayers for the Earth

On April 11 and 12 there was a flutter of wings — paper wings, that is, as First Congregational Church of Kittery Point handed out 283 “Prayers for the Earth” cranes to U.S. senators and representatives. The cranes were to specifically advocate for the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act (BFFPPA).

“This bill would eliminate non-recyclable, single-use products, set new clean air standards and water standards for plastic facilities, and establish programs that encourage more recyclable, reusable and refillable products,” said Geneve (Nev) Hoffman who is part of First Congregational’s Faith & Fun Ministry that participated in the making of the cranes.

“Our hope for the trip was to offer prayers for the earth and ask legislators to consider the well-being of the earth during any decisions they might make,” she added.

The story behind the cranes

The crane project was originally born in prayer at a women’s retreat in Montana, where the Rev. Cheryl Stewart resided before coming to Maine. Her husband, Marc, served as conference minister with the Montana – N. Wyoming Conference for 11 years. The two now co-pastor First Congregational of Kittery Point.

During the retreat, the children’s story, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, was read. It told of how Sadako, a young girl who was sick from the radiation fallout after Hiroshima, began making paper cranes, thinking that if she made 1,000 cranes, her prayer for healing would be granted. Sadako died before completing 1,000. Others, though, continued and completed her dream.

“Our idea was to make cranes to pray for the earth. We wanted to write a prayer for the healing of the earth, fold it into a paper crane, and take the cranes to lawmakers,” said Stewart, adding that the Green Team of the Montana-N. Wyoming Conference joined in making the cranes. Included with each crane was a bead string for hanging and a tag that read, “HTAP: How will this affect the planet?”

While 150 cranes were distributed to legislators in Montana’s capital of Helena, the larger plan, said Stewart, was always to bring the cranes to Washington D.C.

But when the Stewarts relocated to Maine, 99 cranes went along with the rest of the moving boxes. The Maine congregation, though, soon picked up the mantel of making the cranes, and in August 2023, First Congregational of Kittery Point contacted the UCC Washington D.C. office to make their dream of distributing the cranes a reality.

After many months of planning and numerous emails, First Congregational of Kittery Point was finally in Washington D.C. where, before distributing the cranes, they met with the UCC team to have the cranes blessed.

“We were honored to support this wonderful group of UCC advocates as they delivered peace cranes to Congressional offices. Each of the over 240 cranes was lovingly folded and prayed over before delivering them to Capitol Hill,” said the Rev. Michael Neuroth, director of the Washington, D.C. office of public policy and and advocacy.  “These cranes are a powerful symbol of the need to build peace with the Earth, and I hope will be a reminder to policymakers to prioritize the planet in each decision they make,” he added.

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