At Ecumenical Advocacy Days, people of faith called on Congress to protect people, peace, planet

Last week, Christians from across the company gathered in Washington, D.C., to raise their voices and witness for a commitment to “protecting people, peace, and the planet.” This theme was grounded in the words of Psalm 24, “The Earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.”

Ecumenical Advocacy Days (EAD), an annual gathering of the ecumenical Christian community committed to strengthening collective witness and mobilizing for advocacy on critical policy issues, took place April 20-22. More than 150 people attended in person, with more tuning in for the livestreamed, and recorded, worship services.   

The event’s three days were filled with worship, education, and advocacy, in addition to community building and fellowship opportunities. It culminated in a lobby day on Capitol Hill, where participants met with their elected officials to advocate for specific bills to limit federal agents’ immigration action around “sensitive locations” and to strengthen federal disaster response.

‘An act of innovative justice’

Building on a long history of support for EAD, several United Church of Christ National Ministries staff led and supported the work of the gathering, and UCC clergy and advocates showed up in strong numbers to raise their voices on Capitol Hill.

Each day of the convening, the group gathered in the Capitol Hill United Methodist Church sanctuary for worship.

The Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson, UCC General Minister and President/CEO, served as the gathering’s opening preacher, speaking on the importance of resisting empire, both in Jesus’ time and today. Empire, she said “is on the move, armed with a corrupted narrative that seeks to undermine its deceptiveness and evil with Christian language.”

“If there was ever a time that Ecumenical Advocacy Days was needed, it is today,” she said. “Our witness in the halls of the legislative branch is a part of our commitment to follow Jesus as we answer the resounding call to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.”

Other speakers included Bishop Dwayne Royster, executive director of Faith in Action, Rick Santos, president and CEO of Church World Service, and Bishop Vashti McKenzie, president and general secretary of the National Council of Churches. 

“Ecumenical Advocacy Days is itself an act of innovative justice because it refuses to be trapped in the silos that keep the justice movement from reaching their full power,” McKenzie said.

Many traditions, shared voice

As an ecumenical event that brings Christians together across different traditions, EAD taps into “a foundational value for the UCC, along with our commitment to justice and advocacy,” said the Rev. Michael Neuroth, director of the UCC Office of Public Policy & Advocacy and chair of the EAD executive committee.

This value is reflected in the UCC motto, “That they may all be one.”  

The ecumenical nature was present in the array of speakers and attendees at the worship services, workshops, and panels. These explored a range of pressing issues, including environmental justice, immigration, democracy and civil protections, and hunger – as well as what justice-driven people of faith can do to get involved.

And attendees brought their voices together as one, advocating for the shared message of “protecting people, peace, and the planet” on Capitol Hill.

Those who did not attend are still invited to contribute through the UCC Washington Office’s Action Alerts to voice support for The Protecting Sensitive Locations Act and The FEMA Act of 2025.

“These two bills that EAD participants advocated on are two critical issues that Congress must address to build a just world for all,” Neuroth said. “At a time when our neighbors and our planet are being threatened by the decisions and policies of our current government, it is critical that people of faith – and particularly Christians – speak out boldly and call on Congress to do more to protect our communities.”

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