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Eloise Clawson Honored with Haystack Justice Award
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| Eloise Clawson, right, with Dr. Vicky Guzman, founder of ASAPROSAR in El Salvador. |
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The 2017 Haystack Award for Justice was presented to Eloise Clawson, a member of UCC Norwell Church, during the Tri-Conference Annual Meeting June 16-17 in Hartford.
Eloise has engaged in a supportive, collaborative relationship with Dr. Vicky Guzman, founder of the organization ASAPROSAR (Salvadoran Association for Rural Health) for 30 years. She had been challenged during a Southeast Area Peace Committee talk about exploring the role of the church in peacemaking, to participate in a fact-finding mission to El Salvador as the country suffered through Civil War. Through Eloise's efforts, a ministry was formed at UCC Norwell and other local churches to provide support for Dr. Guzman as she established a medical ministry to the poor of her country.
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THE MANY LAYERS OF BOSTON PRIDE 2017
"Stronger Together": UCC Represents at 47th Boston Pride
Pride Day, Saturday, June 10, could not have been more beautiful. The largest parade ever gathered was full of the feeling that we needed to be doing this right now. The picture included babies claiming their first Pride parade, youngsters on razor scooters, a plethora of drag, whole Pride families, signs supporting trans people and signs proclaiming self-worth. "Stronger Together" was a call to community, recognizing that much has been achieved, many have been lost, and we are all connected to each other for safety, caring and action.
Many of the 170 Mass Conference ONA churches took part in Boston Pride, marching, dancing, riding floats or spectating. Several individual churches had their own floats or marching groups. There was also the annual contingent of ONA churches (80 people strong) marching behind the red and black banner reading: "Massachusetts Conference ONA Churches - God's Extravagant Welcome - Our Faith is 2000 Years old. Our thinking is not." Add the image of 20 small individual rainbow church signs behind it and you get quite an affirming message, not lost on the appreciative LGTBQ and ally community of spectators.
Read more
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by Traci Blackmon
Acting Executive Minister of Justice and Witness Ministries
United Church of Christ
One year ago today I arrived in Orlando, Fla., for what I envisioned to be a trip with a few brief board meetings for the Samuel Dewitt Proctor Conference and a few days of rest and relaxation. Before the plane landed I was bombarded with messages of the horrific murders of forty-nine people in the wee hours of the morning at PULSE, a popular nightclub in Orlando that catered to the LGBTQIA community. I left the airport and headed to PULSE but was unable to get close to the nightclub because it was still an active crime scene.
A lone gunman had entered PULSE, as people laughed and danced into the early morning, and suddenly turned celebration into sorrow. Over the next few days, shock, disbelief, overwhelming grief, helplessness, and also LOVE filled the atmosphere in Orlando and reverberated throughout the world.
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ONA Ministry Team Urges Outreach in Support of Transgender People
The new Trans Still Speaking initiative is launching this month at the Open and Affirming Coalition's National Gathering in Baltimore. The MA Conference ONA Ministry Team distributed Trans Still Speaking postcards last weekend at the Tri-Conference Annual Meeting.
This flyer
can be printed (in color or black/white) to launch your local outreach in support of transgender people in our communities.
Contact
ucc@transfaithonline.org
for more information about how to get connected. The ONA Ministry Team encourages your participation and involvement.
Find resources here.
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Delegates Stand Against Life Without Hope for Parole;
New Conference
by Tiffany Vail
Associate Conference Minister for Communications
At the 218th Annual Meeting of the Massachusetts Conference, delegates not only voted overwhelmingly to move toward forming a new combined Conference with their Rhode Island and Connecticut counterparts, they also took a stand in opposition to Massachusetts prison sentences of life without any opportunity for parole and they voted to sell a small parcel of land.
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CLIMATE CHANGE/ENVIRONMENT
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An Opportunity for Which the Church Was Born
A statement issued by UCC, Episcopal leaders
President Trump's decision to abandon the Paris Climate Accord violates the values and vision that are basic to Christian faith. Our Judeo-Christian heritage teaches that the Earth and its web of life are precious in God's sight (Genesis 1-2:3), that the Earth belongs not to us but to God (Psalm 24), and that we are entrusted with loving the Earth as God loves it (Genesis 2:15). As followers of Jesus, we are committed to God's mission of reconciling people with each other and with the whole of creation.
Withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord is a tragic mistake, and we applaud the Parliament of the World's Religions'
strong condemnation
of the President's decision. We concur that this decision is scientifically, economically, medically, politically and morally wrong.
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IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE CONCERNS
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A blog by John Allen
Immigration and Refugee Concerns Task Team
A few months ago I scheduled a meeting with the Chief of Police in my community.
We had run into each other around town in the past, and he was kind enough to come over and introduce himself when I was new to the community. In prior conversations we had spoken in general terms about our town. Both its beauties, and its hidden struggles. This afternoon though I had just one question to ask him: "What would you do if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) asked for your help?"
This is something that any of us could do today to work toward the safety of immigrants and refugees in your community. Go and ask key civic leaders how they see their relationship with ICE. At the bottom of this article is a list of questions you could take to leaders. Take notes on their replies.
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SAVE THE DATE
Justice and Witness Revival!
Saturday, November 4, 2017, approximately 9-2. Revival will take place in Western Massachusetts, exact location TBA. All are welcome! More details to come on macucc.org.
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NEW RESOURCES FOR OUR CONGREGATIONS
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We at the Justice and Witness Council realize the difficult task placed upon our clergy to preach week in and week out in a time when we are, more than ever, called to be "the guide and critic of the state...
We invite clergy to submit sermons that they feel speak to this moment through the lens of the Gospel."
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Have you visited the Massachusetts Conference UCC's new resource for action
? Whether planning mission work in your church, finding ways to advocate for justice, or supporting disaster relief efforts around the world, you'll find helpful links to resources on these pages.
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