New webinar series focuses on how churches can embrace justice covenants

A yearlong series of United Church of Christ webinars is underway, highlighting Christian social justice programs available to local churches.

The monthly “Just World Covenants” program kicked off during Pride month with “Open and Affirming: The Power of Covenant.” A recording of it is now available here, at the UCC YouTube channel.

Coming episodes are listed below.

The very existence of the series signals how justice issues are connected, said the Rev. Brooks Berndt. He’s the UCC environmental justice minister who helped introduce a new UCC Just World Covenants website at the 2021 General Synod. That site collects, in one place, links and information to various UCC justice-related programs.

“Justice does not stay in neat, separate boxes when it comes to the lived realities of our world,” Berndt said. “Neither should our ministries. There is a lot of strength and vitality to be found in coming together.”

Series schedule

The Just World Covenants webinars are set for the third Thursday of each month. They’re part of the UCC’s weekly Thursdays for the Soul series. Here is the schedule, with links to further information and registration:

• July 21: Our Faith Our Vote 2022: Faithful Engagement in a Time of Increased Voter Suppression
• Aug. 18: Accessible-to-All Churches and Disabilities Justice
• Sept. 15: Just Peace Churches and the Disruptive Power of Peace
• Oct. 20: Immigrant Welcoming Congregations Working for Human Rights and Dignity for All
• Nov. 17: Becoming a Creation Justice Church
• Dec. 15: WISE (Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, and Engaged) for Mental Health
• Jan. 19, 2023: Our Whole Lives and Sexuality and Our Faith: Dismantling Shame and Stigma about Bodies and Relationships
• Feb. 16, 2023: Be A Global Mission Church
• March 16, 2023: Join the Movement Toward Racial Justice
• April 20, 2023: Mind the Wealth Gap: Ways the UCC Economic Justice Movement lives in Churches and Conferences
• May 18, 2023: Refugee Sponsorship, Asylum Accompaniment, and Sanctuary Church: How Can My Church Practice Responsible Hosting?

‘Core dimensions of faith’

Berndt said each webinar will emphasize ways that local churches can be deliberate and public about Christian social justice.

“Through General Synod resolutions and the dedicated efforts of numerous local churches, the UCC has developed over the years a number of designations that encourage and recognize specific ministries of justice,” he said.

“These designations express a core dimension of our faith. They represent our commitment to building a just world for all. Those of us involved in these programs realized it made a lot of sense to bring them together through an online hub and through collaborative endeavors like this webinar series.”

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