The UCC Economic Justice Movement

Hello, friends!

It's been a while since I've posted here - for big reasons! My family has moved (back) east, where I will now live and work much more closely to our Washington, DC office, and have more community support for balancing work and life. We are still getting our bearings, but it's good to be back.

And things have remained busy behind the scenes with economic justice ministries of the UCC! First - I'm so grateful for the churches that participated in revitalizing Labor Sunday last fall and demonstrated such profound worker solidarity nationwide. We will keep that momentum going this year!

Additionally, this year's Fill the JAR campaign will be in solidarity with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and their transformational Campaign for Fair Food. As many of you will know, the United Church of Christ has supported the CIW and the establishment of the Fair Food Program for years. During these exceedingly trying times, UCC Economic Justice Ministries, in partnership with the CIW, will be providing congregations with measurable goals to achieve in pursuit of advancing farmworker rights and corporate participation in the Fair Food Program. Stay tuned for more updates!

In the meantime, be sure not to miss the closing event of the CIW's Spring Tour! This coming Monday, March 23rd, 7pm Eastern. Online!

"The Coalition of Immokalee Workers, an internationally-recognized worker-led organization centered on farmworker justice, has been visiting congregations each Sunday since the end of February to share updates, music, and culture, and to invite them to support their Campaign for Fair Food with action. In collaboration with The Channel UMC, they will be wrapping up the tour with a virtual tour event that folks can join from across the country!

The event will be held over Zoom on Monday, March 23rd, at 7 pm. Please see the attached flyer for a description of the event and the Zoom link for Monday evening."

"I am a gambler, and so are you."

Gambling Problems Gambling Problems

Thank you to all congregations that marked Labor Sunday these past few weeks (and those still planning to!)...It's been a gift hearing your stories, how enlivening it was to welcome local labor leaders to share, and that you all liked the new hymns! I'm especially encouraged hearing stories and seeing photos of the solidarity actions many took part in...

‘Worker God Who Built Creation’: Seattle church brings economic justice to the pulpit - United Church of Christ On fifth Sundays at Keystone United Church of Christ in Seattle, Washington, the three churches that worship in the building join in a combined cantor

Did you mark Labor Sunday this past weekend? This coming one?! We'd love to hear how it went! Find a sample liturgy with suggestions, readings, and even two new commissioned hymns at ucc.org/fillthejar !

Revitalizing Labor Sunday: Liturgy & Solidarity The affordability of meeting our basic human needs is beyond comfortable reach for more people than ever. Wages, salaries, and worker protections are suppres...

🙌🏾 "In my role as Minister for Economic Justice, I find it impossible to advocate for rights like a living wage, universal health care, housing for all, without fighting to stop the genocide.

"It’s all intimately connected, from the money being spent for death instead of life, to re-asserting the power of the people.

"My prayer is that each day we move forward in ways that bridge and heal our moral and spiritual dissonance. This will take bold, risky action: new kinds of actions we haven’t tried collectively yet. Even if many past beliefs have been shaken and uprooted, I still strongly believe we have power to take actions that matter and can stop, even now, a genocide."

-Rev. Seth Wispelwey
Minister for Economic Justice, UCC
The UCC Economic Justice Movement

👉🏾 Read the full Witness for Justice blog "Moral Injury" by Rev. Seth Wispelwey: https://ow.ly/Uw6G50WBwIH

👉🏾 Join Rev. Wispelwey this afternoon, 8/7, at 3:30 PM Eastern to learn how we can support our congregations and communities by "Revitalizing Labor Sunday." Register here:
https://ow.ly/EEV650WBwIF

First Church members were standing up for justice in solidarity with workers in Holyoke this Labor Day.

Perhaps this will resonate with you:

Moral Injury Moral Injury

Much to share in the days and weeks ahead! We'll start with the latest Getting to the Root - and an invitation to the inaugural Fill the JAR campaign! Thank you for reading and sharing:

United in Solidarity with Unions and Workers United in Solidarity with Unions and Workers

Hello to you all - Things seem bleak out there - I wrote a bit in last week's Witness for Justice how we might inhabit the spirit of a child in fighting for what we know to be true: a world of abundance for all is possible, necessary, and something we can help in achieving:

I Hope Everyone Can Live. I Will Help. I Hope Everyone Can Live. I Will Help.

Hello, friends! Today's UCC Digest featured a blurb about the latest "Fill the JAR" podcast, featuring a conversation with Rev. Michael Neuroth, director of our United Church of Christ Washington D.C. Office. Have a listen and share if you like! My hope is to rev (heh) these up so that a new episode drops every two weeks or so this year... stay tuned! More exciting announcements coming soon as well...

'Fill the Jar' podcast examines what we can do to stay hopeful; interview with UCC Washington, D.C. office director - United Church of Christ When the Rev. Seth Wispelwey began his podcast "Fill the Jar" last year, he said he wanted to show people that they were not alone. The minister for