Faith In Action
For my UCC siblings who are delegates to General Synod, I would appreciate your prayerful consideration of the resolution the Southwest Conference UCC and the UCC Movement for Palestinian Solidarity are bringing to Kansas City this week. Thank you, and please share with your network. - Christopher Schouten
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Dear Conference Ministers, General Synod Delegates, and Siblings in Christ,
At this General Synod you will be asked to consider a resolution from the Southwest Conference, "Declaration for An End to Genocide in Palestine." In order to help you prepare for this important discussion and vote, we encourage you to review the resources found in the links below.
Last weekend, the launch of the seventh Climate Hope Affiliate was celebrated in Atlanta, Georgia. Affiliates address the interconnected crises of climate change and societal injustice by developing ongoing relationships with Members of Congress, local media, and others in the broader community. Let us know if you are interested in starting an affiliate where you live.
The UCC Office of Public Policy & Advocacy is excited to share our new Advocacy Toolkit—a free resource designed to equip individuals and congregations with the tools to build a just world for all. Whether you're new to advocacy or looking to deepen your impact, this toolkit offers:
▹ Faith-rooted guidance for public witness
▹ Talking points on pressing justice issues
▹ Practical tips for building relationships with elected officials
▹ Much, much, more!
Download the toolkit today and take the next faithful step in speaking truth to power.
Arizona Faith Network has already welcomed over 15,000 visits to their Heat Relief Centers this summer. Each visit represents a neighbor seeking refuge from triple-digit temperatures, often with no other place to go.
But the need keeps growing. Right now, vulnerable individuals and families are facing historic challenges, limited shelter access, overwhelmed services, and life-threatening exposure.
See how you can help: Donate supplies, attend a bag-packing event, or volunteer at a cooling & hydration center.
As a faith-rooted organization committed to justice, stewardship, and the flourishing of all creation, the Arizona Faith Network strongly opposes the public lands sell-off proposal embedded in the Senate budget reconciliation package, introduced by Senator Mike Lee.
Selling over 2 million acres of public lands, lands that belong to all Americans, betrays our shared moral and spiritual obligation to care for the earth and ensure equitable access to its abundance. These lands are sacred: They hold ecological, cultural, and spiritual significance for Indigenous communities, sustain local economies, and provide sanctuary for all who seek renewal in creation.
This proposal is not only reckless but also a violation of public trust. Congress is prioritizing short-term political and corporate interests over the long-term well-being of our communities, our climate, and our common home by attempting to force through this sell-off under the guise of budget reconciliation without public input or environmental review.
As people of faith, we say clearly: public lands are not for sale. Their purpose is not to fund tax breaks for the wealthy, but to support life, biodiversity, and intergenerational justice. Once these lands are privatized, they are lost forever, fences go up, access is denied, and the public loses an irreplaceable gift.
We call on Arizona’s Senators to reject any provision that authorizes the sale of public lands. Let us uphold our sacred trust to future generations by defending our shared landscapes, not auctioning them off.
Let us act with courage and care now for public lands.
Apache Stronghold vows to continue fighting to save sacred site from destruction
Washington, DC: On June 23, the Apache Stronghold will be filing a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking it to reconsider its refusal to hear our appeal. As you heard, two Justices voted to hear our case, calling it "vitally important," and criticizing the Ninth Circuit's ruling against us as "highly doubtful as a matter of law." In addition, any day now, the Supreme Court will issue its ruling in Mahmoud v. Taylor, which is another case about government-imposed burdens on religious exercise. We think the Supreme Court's decision in Mahmoud will add further support to our case.
The fight to protect Apache Religious Freedom and the sacred land of Chi'chil Bildagoteel (Oak Flat) from destruction IS NOT OVER! Dr. Wendsler Nosie, Sr. and the Apache Stronghold will begin their journey to the Supreme Court on Thursday, June 19. We ask all our supporters to join with us in praying that the Supreme Court will reconsider its terrible decision not to hear our case.
Dr. Wendsler Nosie, Sr. reminds us that while we are petitioning the Supreme Court of this nation, there is a higher court with the Creator as judge that guides our journey. Just as Moses spoke in the Bible warning the people of breaking from God’s ways, we pray that this nation’s people and the Supreme Court will finally change their path of death and choose life. “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” (Deut. 30:19)
Today’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth is a moral failure and a heartbreaking injustice. This ruling abandons vulnerable children and their families to the political whims of state governments, disregarding the lived realities, medical consensus, and human dignity of transgender youth.
As people of faith committed to justice and radical inclusion, the Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ grieves this ruling and the harm it inflicts. We reject the idea that any government has the right to deny life-saving, evidence-based healthcare because of a young person’s gender identity. We reject a theology that would permit such cruelty. And we reject the misuse of power that seeks to control, erase, and endanger trans lives.
The Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ is honored to partner with the Alzheimer’s Association to offer two powerful new resources: the Purple Sunday Toolkit and Clergy Guide. These tools are designed to help ONA congregations raise awareness, extend care, and build inclusive communities of support for those affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementias especially within LGBTQ+ communities.
We received this update from Melanie Beikman of Arizona Power & Light:
Greetings Amicus Brief supporters of Apache Stronghold,
We have updates for you today. Last month we shared with you the news that Apache Stronghold’s case was not taken up by the Supreme Court. With the Trump Administration preparing to start the land transfer on June 16, the timeline for saving Oak Flat was very short. Now, the timeline has extended a bit. We want to share that development and the next steps for Apache Stronghold. And we will invite you to take action.
The US Supreme Court has refused to hear the petition of the Apache Stronghold to overrule a lower court ruling that transfers the Holy Ground at Oak Flat to the Resolution Copper Company for total destruction of this sacred ground in the mining process.
We are saddened and upset to learn of this decision by the US Supreme Court not to hear and rule on this petition. We remain in solidarity with the the Apache Stronghold, the Apache Nation, and the many Native peoples and their allies in this fight to Save Oak Flat.
Arizona Poor People's Campaign
Click HERE for the press release provided by the Apache Stronghold and its legal representative, Becket Law.
Click HERE for the news article from the Arizona Republic.