Faith In Action
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 13th at 12 pm MST or
Wednesday, November 19th at 5 pm MST
Read MoreFrom our friends at Arizona Interfaith Power and Light:
If you think Arizona should prioritize clean energy, now is the time to speak to the Arizona Corporation Commission!
For 20 years, Arizona utility companies have been intentional about incorporating renewables into our state energy profile because they have been required to. However, the ACC is currently looking to get rid of this requirement. So, we’re asking you to share your opinion on the matter, speak out against this proposal to repeal renewable energy standards, and show the ACC we're paying attention to how utilities are responding to the climate crisis.
In this article, you'll find background information, effective ways to take action, optional talking points with resources to learn more, and people you can reach out to for any questions.
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Education and dialogue are vital, but at some point, we must move to action. Decentering whiteness requires intentional steps that challenge the dominance of white cultural norms and leadership structures while uplifting the voices, experiences, and wisdom of marginalized communities. This isn't just about what we say, but about what we do.
Here are a few practical ways your church can take action, building on the learning from our program's levels
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Our local churches have been generous supporters of the UCC National's request for assistance in addressing national and international disasters. On behalf of the Southwest Conference, Dr. Gloria extends our appreciation to your congregations. Should your church decide they wish to contribute to this disaster, please send your donations to the Southwest Conference so that we can record your service and generosity along with your other special offerings.
Read More“In D.C. for Love Knows No Borders, Dr. Toni and CM colleagues prayed, met with unpaid staff workers, and called national leaders to act—now the Southwest Conference is mobilizing; connect with Rev. Dr. Gloria at gsmith@uccswc.org to join the work for justice and dignity during this critical moment.”
Read MoreFor congregations that are already engaged in ongoing anti-racism work and are ready to tackle more difficult materials and take more concrete steps, Level Three is for you. This level focuses on facing hard truths and moving from education into visible action. Here, we begin to challenge the symbols, language, and structures that have perpetuated white supremacy, even unknowingly, in our faith communities.
Our Goals for Level Three are to:
Recognize and critically examine the symbols, language, and theologies that perpetuate white supremacy within our church.
Prepare to move from education into concrete, visible action, including direct community engagement and allyship.
Become more equipped to offer solidarity, support, and pastoral care to marginalized communities.
Suggested Activities to get you started: (click through to read)
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This November, we invite you to partner with AZIPL and the Indigenous Impact Alliance to host a film screening of one (or more!) of these five powerful Indigenous-led documentaries: Bring Them Home, Singing Back the Buffalo, Sugarcane, Yintah and Remaining Native.
Resources for these free, in-person screenings are available now through November 20th. Get in touch with Gretchen (gretchen.reinhardt@azipl.org) to get started, or visit the Indigenous Impact Alliance website for more information!
Read MoreIf your congregation has some familiarity with racial justice concepts and is ready to look inward, Level Two is your next step. This level moves beyond basic definitions to engage in critical self-reflection and dialogue. Here, we begin wrestling with the more difficult questions: not just "what is this work?" but "how does it apply to us?"
Our Goals for Level Two are to:
Move beyond basic definitions to explore how whiteness shapes our specific church culture, leadership, and theology.
Begin wrestling with the discomfort that comes from self-examination and intentionally examining who is centered and who is marginalized in our worship, leadership, and decision-making processes.
Click through for suggested activities and next steps.
Read MoreMonday, October 27, 6:00 - 7:00 pm MST via Zoom
Join Sierra Club and Arizona Faith Network for this letter writing workshop where you will learn the latest regarding what is happening to our public lands, get some tips on writing letters to the editor, and then try your hand at writing a letter.
Read MorePlease watch and share the Multi-faith Vigil at Oak Flat:
Monday October 13 at 1:00 pm AZ / 2:00 pm NM & El Paso
Livestream can be viewed on Facebook here.
In solidarity, alongside joining the livestream, we are requesting “echo” vigils across the country between Oct. 11 and Oct. 20 to weave a web of prayer throughout time and space. There are many ways to protect Oak Flat: perhaps you and a couple friends come together to hold a vigil and watch the livestream recording, or maybe you offer a prayer as a part of a pre-existing gathering, or maybe you invite your community over in Presence for Oak Flat and sacred land. See our echo vigil toolkit for guidance/support, and register your gathering here.
Read MoreThe UCC Movement for Palestinian Solidarity (MPS) is launching a Southwest Conference chapter on Saturday, Oct. 25 at 10:30am (AZ) via Zoom! A presentation will be given about MPS and the resolution calling for an end to the genocide in Palestine, which was passed by General Synod this summer, and we will decide concrete ways to take action in our conference.
To register, please email: sabrinarjennings@protonmail.com
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Protests, marches, and rallies are vitally needed in democratic societies, but what happens the day after these public events and then the next day? What’s the long-term strategy for everyday people to exercise their power to influence their government? Your church can learn about the pro-democracy movement in a couple of ways. Invite Sam Daley-Harris, the author of “Reclaiming Our Democracy,” to give a Zoom presentation for members of your church. Daley-Harris is coaching UCC leaders to start Climate Hope Affiliates that are actively engaged in developing ongoing relationships with members of Congress as part of a broader pro-democracy movement to defend government institutions like the Environmental Protection Agency.
Request a presentation from a member of the Climate Hope Affiliate Leadership Team. As people of faith, we have the opportunity to help defend and promote the common good in our society.
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October 11th is National Coming Out Day and in celebration Gender & Sexuality Justice Ministries is inviting YOU to share your story of Love OUT LOUD with the wider church! Share your story with us so we can spread the message of an inclusive Jesus for all! Submit your story here.
Read MoreIs your church just beginning to explore the work of decentering whiteness? If so, Level One is the perfect place to start. This level is all about building a shared vocabulary and understanding in a compassionate and supportive environment. We believe that a strong foundation is the key to all subsequent work.
Our Goals for Level One are to:
Establish a shared understanding of terms like "decentering whiteness," "white supremacy culture," and "racial justice".
Begin to recognize how whiteness shows up in church traditions, worship, and decision-making.
Create a safe space where congregants can ask questions and engage in dialogue without fear of judgment.
Suggested Activities to get you started:
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At a time when the head of the EPA is dismantling the protections that safeguard our environment and public health, the UCC is hosting a national webinar featuring some of the best legal and policy experts on the EPA in the country. They will address not only what has happened but also what can be done to take moral action in this moment.
Speakers will include Ann Carlson from the UCLA School of Law, Jen Duggan from the Environmental Integrity Project, and Chitra Kumar from the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Even if you can’t make it for the scheduled time of Wednesday, October 8th at 1 pm ET/10 am PT, still sign-up and a link to the recording will be sent to you. Register now!
Read MoreEvery congregation is on a different part of their spiritual journey. The same is true for their journey toward racial justice. The Decentering Whiteness Task Force recognizes this and has created a structured program plan designed to support congregations at all stages. We want to meet you where you are, not ask you to jump to a place you’re not ready for.
Our approach is designed to be invitational and action-oriented. We offer three "levels" of engagement, providing a clear pathway for congregations to grow in understanding, courage, and commitment. Congregations can start at a level that aligns with their current journey and comfort, knowing that each level builds upon the last.
Level One provides foundational understanding and language. This is for churches just beginning their work, focusing on education and awareness.
Level Two encourages more critical self-examination and dialogue for those who have some familiarity with racial justice concepts and are ready to look inward.
Level Three challenges congregations to directly confront difficult historical and contemporary symbols and practices that uphold whiteness. This is for churches already engaged in ongoing anti-racism work and ready to move into concrete action.
This structured pathway is not a race; it's a pilgrimage. It allows your congregation to grow at a sustainable pace, building the necessary trust and shared vocabulary to tackle more challenging conversations and actions down the road. Our goal is to empower you to become a more inclusive and equitable faith community.
Next Step: Are you ready to find out which level is right for your congregation? Visit the Our Program: Engaging Your Congregation page on our website to learn more, and stay tuned for our next posts where we'll break down each level in more detail.
Read MoreThe Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) has placed a blanket repeal of Arizona’s Electric Energy Efficiency (EE) Standards on its Sept. 17th open meeting agenda. Buried in the agenda, Item #23 would dismantle critical standards that save families money, reduce waste, and make our grid more reliable—all while prioritizing utility profits over the interests of Arizona ratepayers. This recommendation also comes on the heels of APS’s request for a rate increase and abandonment of clean energy goals. It’s time to voice your opposition.
ACTION: Oppose the Repeal of Energy Efficiency Standards
Submit a comment to the Docket through the ACC Portal by 9/16.
Docket No. RE-00000A-24-0025
Mark “against” for your position on the Docket.
Company Name: ACC - Electric Rules as the company name.
Call ACC staff (1-800-222-7000) to leave a comment.
Post on social media & share broadly with your network.
Read MoreThe 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.
The goal of this program is to nurture a deeper understanding and care for the most vulnerable in our local contexts. We encourage participating churches to partner with other organizations in their local contexts who are engaged in similar work. We also encourage program participants to think long-term about how they might raise awareness to address systemic injustices present in immigration policy or consider how they might more completely live into a new understanding of what it means to love our neighbor.
Contact Megan Bergert (bergertm@ucc.org) with any questions.
Read MoreBefore we can begin a new journey, we need to understand the map. Two terms that are central to this work, and which are often confused, are "racial justice" and "decentering whiteness." While they are deeply connected, they have different focuses.
Click through to read more.
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We are living in a time of ecological urgency. As climate protections are rolled back and sacred lands come under threat, people of faith are called to respond—not with despair, but with moral courage and hope. The Season of Creation invites us into this sacred work: to honor the Earth, to lament its desecration, and to act boldly for its healing.
From September 1 to October 4, Christians around the world observe this liturgical season as a time to reconnect with Creation and recommit to justice. This year’s theme, drawn from Isaiah 32, reminds us that peace cannot flourish where justice is absent and relationships—between humanity, Creation, and God—are broken.
In partnership with 19 national faith organizations, Creation Justice Ministries is leading public witnesses across the country to call for “peace with Creation.” One such gathering will take place on September 9 at 8:00 AM at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, where Arizona faith leaders will lift their voices in prayer, testimony, and prophetic call for climate justice.
Let us come together in faith, in solidarity, and in action. The Earth is crying out—and we are called to listen, to respond, and to lead.
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