JPANet November 2025 Newsletter

“Love Knows No Borders” UCC Conference Minister Witness in Washington D.C.

Last week, the UCC Washington DC Office welcomed UCC Conference Ministers from across the country for a time of training, prayer, and faithful advocacy under the theme “Love Knows No Borders.” The week culminated in a public witness centering on personal accounts of how government policies are impacting families in our church communities and beyond. Watch the full recording here.

2025 Parker Lecture: Create the Just Media and Tech You Want to See

Leaders of the media justice movement and the United Church of Christ gathered last Thursday to honor the legacy of the late Rev. Everett Parker and re-inspire another generation of advocates working for a media landscape that is just, equitable and inclusive. Delivering the 43rd annual Everett C. Parker Ethics in Telecommunications Lecture, Dr. Safiya U. Noble described a media and technology landscape that she said was “controlled by technology billionaires” and artificial chatbots. Read the full story here.

New Guide: Understanding the Emotional Impact of Food Insecurity

Food insecurity is about more than empty cupboards. It is the constant uncertainty of where the next meal will come from or how long limited resources will last. For millions, this uncertainty creates ongoing stress that affects both body and mind. This guide equips you to see beyond physical needs and care for the whole person in body, mind, and spirit. Download your free resource today.

Congo Week Resources: Available Now

Congo Week (October 19-24) was a time to shine a light on the ongoing impact of conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and to rally support for its people. Check out the resources that were shared on Global Ministries Congo Week page.

Advent 2025 resources offer paths for ‘awaking and preparing, expecting and dreaming’

As the 2025 Advent season nears, new United Church of Christ resources invite people to engage with past prophets, abolitionists, and wisdom in order to make a way forward – carrying hope and expectation through difficult times. Learn more here. 

Download the First Edition of The Book of Love!

UCC Gender & Sexuality Justice Ministries is thrilled to extend our Love is Louder offerings to include The Book of Love! Within this first edition are the voices of our wider church offering their poetry, devotional reflections, and liturgy with Gospel of inclusion embodied. Download the Book of Love here. 

Season of Creation Ends with a Powerful Call for Climate Justice in Washington D.C.

On September 29th, the United Church of Christ was proud to stand alongside Creation Justice Ministries and over a dozen national faith partners in bearing public witness to the urgent need for moral action in the face of worsening climate impacts, rollbacks of vital protections, and systemic environmental racism across our country. You can watch the recording of the event here.

Call on the US Administration to Ensure the Delivery of Aid in Gaza

While the ceasefire remains precarious, the desperation of Palestinians in Gaza must be relieved immediately. This agreement does not address core issues at stake. Contact the White House now to urge the Trump Administration to use its leverage to ensure the delivery of plenteous aid for Palestinians in Gaza, and to ensure the end of Israel’s war on Gaza.

UCC GMP endorses CWS statement condemning efforts to abandon U.S. Refugee Program

Church World Service (CWS) has issued a statement following reports the Trump Administration plans to significantly reduce the number of persons admitted to the United States Refugee Admissions Program to about 7,500, and accept mostly white South Africans – a historic low as the administration continues unprecedented immigration raids as part of its mass deportation agenda. The United Church of Christ is a covenant member organization of CWS and General Minister and President/CEO Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson has signed onto the statement in support. Read more here. 

Applications Open for Global HOPE: Migration, Immigration, Refugee and Asylee (MIRA) Unified Grant  

The Global HOPE Office offers three grants through its Refugee and Migration Services ministry that are intended to encourage local UCC congregations, associations, conferences and covenanted ministries to engage in ministry to migrants, immigrants, refugees and asylees in their midst. Applications are open! Contact Megan Bergert (bergertm@ucc.org) with any questions.

November 10th: Countering Project 2025 with Love: One Year Later

Join the UCC Washington D.C. Office for a webinar on Project 2025 and how the policy landscape and the UCC’s faith-based responses have evolved over the past year since the election. Register to join us!

November 13th & 19th: Climate Hope Affiliates 101 Webinars

With a proven strategy for affecting change, members of Climate Hope Affiliates are developing ongoing relationships with members of Congress, the local media, and the broader community. Our immediate focus is to prevent the dismantling and defunding of the EPA. Sign-up to learn about Climate Hope Affiliates on either Thursday, November 13that 2 pm ET/11 am PT or Wednesday, November 19th at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT.

November 20th: Trans Day of Remembrance Service 

Trans Day of Remembrance embodies our belief in the power of memory in the naming of Trans beloveds we have lost to violence. In a world moment, where division continues to be highlighted, the Church can offer a place of celebration and honoring of God’s uniqueness and gifts within humanity. Register today to share space in remembering our trans siblings and celebrating the divine within them. 

November 12th: Book Release Celebration for Michael Malcom and abby mohaupt

Join us to celebrate the release of the new book Climate Justice, Climate Hope by the Reverends Michael Malcom and abby mohaupt!  Even if you can’t make it for the scheduled time of Wednesday, November 12th at 2 pm ET/1 pm CT/12 pm MT/11 am PT/9 am HT, still sign-up and a link to the recording will be sent to you. Register now! 

November 15th: Climate Hope Affiliates Webinar with Mustafa Santiago Ali

Want to get a sense of what Climate Hope Affiliates is all about while also hearing from a national leader in environmental justice? Join us for our next national webinar on Saturday, November 15th at 1 pm ET/12 pm CT/11 am MT/10 am PT. Our guest speaker will be Mustafa Santiago Ali, the Executive Vice President for the National Wildlife Federation. Sign up now to join us!

December 1st: Worldwide Tolling of the Bells

Join carillonneurs and bell tollers in churches and other houses of worship, on college campuses, and elsewhere around the world in tolling bells or engaging in other symbolic acts to mark the 70th anniversary of Mrs. Rosa L. Parks’ courageous action at the exact moment of her arrest. Complete this form to sign up your congregation.

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.