Social Justice & Witness Task Force

The work of the Social Justice & Witness Task Force is organized through seven communions. They are called “communions” to express our understanding of how deeply interrelated the work and issues are. Here are the leaders of the communions.

  • Environmental and Climate Justice - Rev. Rusty Eidmann-Hicks (rustyehicks@gmail.com)

  • Gender Equity - Rev. Andrea Vassell (revandrea124@gmail.com)

  • Homelessness/Housing Insecurity - Rev. Dr. Dolores Watson (thepastor.firsttccucc@gmail.com)

  • Hunger/Food Justice - Rev. Roberto Fois (roberto@thefois.com)

  • Intercultural & Multicultural Inclusivity - Rev. Hyo-Jung Kim (hyojungkim20@gmail.com)

  • LGBTQIA+ Initiatives - Rev. Alice Batcher (abhoward@@juno.com) & Rev. Shin Hong (shongucc@gmail.com)

  • Racial Equity/Voting Rights & Access - Rev. Dr. Kendall Moore (pastor@cresskillucc.org)


Social Justice & Witness Task Force News

REBATES AND INCENTIVES FOR YOUR CHURCH’S ENERGY USE TO SAVE MONEY AND AID THE SHIFT TO SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

With the passage of the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, funds are available to assist our churches with incentives and rebates for energy saving. These allow direct payments to non-profits (not tax rebates). Our UCC Cornerstone Fund is willing to offer bridge loans to fund the lag-time prior to receiving the rebate. Regional utilities like PSE&G and JCP&L offer these incentives directly, and contractors will assist with the paperwork and applications. These improvements pay for themselves over time through reduced utility bills. Also your church can sign up for community solar, allowing cost savings through access to solar power without having to install panels. These are pathways for us to participate in the critical transition to sustainable energy.  

New Jersey's Energy Efficiency Program Transition - https://njcleanenergy.com/transition

Local Governments, Schools, and Non-Profits - https://njcleanenergy.com/muni

Here’s a website with more information about Community Solar - https://communitysolar.energysage.com

Solar Landscape is one well-established developer that has over 50 approved projects in the State. They work with SustainableJersey.org to simplify the process of locating a community solar supplier: https://www.arcadia.com/lp-sl21

FAITH MESSAGE ON JUNE 2023 DANGEROUS HAZE FROM THE NJ UCC SJWTF

Many of us were shocked by the dangerous haze engulfing our communities last week. This extreme weather event was an effect of climate change and unfortunately represents a harbinger of things to come, especially if the global community does not quickly unite around moving away from fossil fuels. 

Here is an important faith message on this topic from the Racial Justice Communion and the Environmental Justice Communion of the NJ UCC Social Justice and Witness Task Force, presented by Rev. Dr. Kirk Johnson and Rev. Rusty Eidmann-Hicks. Please feel free to share / distribute / include with your Sunday worship in order to help spread the word.

Thank you very much and blessings,

Rev. James deBoer

Secretary, Racial Justice Communion


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“… Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.”

Micah 6:8

Get Involved with the Mid-Atlantic Data Justice Collaborative

The Mid-Atlantic Data Justice Collaborative, a partnership between The Central Atlantic Conference of the UCC, Interfaith Power and Light (DC.MD.NoVA) and the Center for Community Engagement, Environmental Justice, and Health (CEEJH) from the University of Maryland will, over the coming months, gather air quality data to support underserved communities in the legislative process. We know communities of color have been systematically disadvantaged and burdened with environmental degradation and pollution, but we don’t have the hard numbers right now to demonstrate the scale of the problem. At the moment, there is a lack of high-resolution data on the subject, and it is the aim of the Data Collaborative to clear up that picture through the installation of air quality monitors on the grounds of participating congregations. These monitors will form the basis of an air quality monitoring network covering the Mid-Atlantic region, focusing on the Maryland and DC areas.

We aren’t simply stopping at gathering numbers though, we’re aiming to equip communities to better advocate for themselves on matters of climate justice and environmental racism. From August 20th through November 28th we’ll be holding a series of training sessions on everything from the basics of environmental justice and faith-based community organizing to how data is best used in policymaking to give folks the tools they need to advocate for their communities. While these sessions are required for any congregation participating in the air quality initiative, they are open to all local churches in the conference should they be interested in joining us and learning. Interest forms from congregations invested in taking part are available at the link below and due by August 10.

 

Workshop Schedule:

  • August 20
    Environmental Justice Basics (9:30 AM–Noon)

  • September 12
    Air Quality Basics (5-7:30 PM)

  • September 26th
    Air Quality Monitoring & Tools
    (5-7:30 PM)

  • October 3rd
    Mapping Tools (5-7:30 PM)

  • October 10th
    Data Usage & Accessibility 
    (5-7:30 PM)

  • October 24th
    Using Data for Policy (5-7:30 PM)

  • November 14th
    Community Science (5-7:30 PM)

  • November 28th
    Faith Based Community Organizing (5-7:30 PM)

In it from the ground floor

The United Church of Christ has been working toward environmental justice since the ‘70s and we’re still growing strong. A group of UCC ministers coined the term environmental racism in the early ‘80s as a matter of fact. As a church, we’ve been doing this work for a very long time. Take some time, and read up on where we’ve been. And once you have, join us in the journey toward where we’re going next.