See our Mission Statement

Today the mainstream and progressive spiritual communities of faith are at a crossroads. We are hungry for a world where our values are made manifest in justice, kindness, and peace. We work diligently to care for those in need, to bind up our nation's wounds, to embrace our fellow humans with compassion, understanding, and respect. And yet the words of faith that are heard loudly in our land are too often those that are angry, limiting, and mean. They do not reflect who we really are as people of belief, people who seek a better, more humane world.

Since 1913 the California Council of Churches and California Church IMPACT have labored to be present for you, helping to create a world that cares for all of its citizens regardless of economic class, ages, gender, race and ethnicity, religious belief, or sexual orientation. Together CCC and CCI operate a Sacramento-based public policy office representing 51 different denominations and judicatories with over 1.5 million members from the mainstream Protestant and Orthodox Christian communities as well as allies from other faith traditions. The Council offers you thoughtful support for congregational and individual discernment on difficult topics while IMPACT has a strong spiritual activist presence at the state and federal capitols lobbying around legislation that has changed people's lives.

" California Church IMPACT, incorporated as a separate non-profit in 1996, is the advocating arm of CCC and advocates for social justice on behalf of member congregations and denominations. Publishing the electronic ACTION ALERT and ballot proposition recommendations for each statewide general election based on the faith-based Legislative Principles set forth through CCC.

" We strive to be the voice of our member denominations and judicatories in the state Capitol, representing the authentic Christian moral values of compassion, tolerance, peace and justice in the California legislative process.

" We work with member churches to plan events and legislative visits, and provide training for your justice-based priorities both in Sacramento and in legislative districts. Planning rallies and legislative visits in Sacramento can be very complicated and daunting. We have the experience and contacts to help facilitate these efforts for and with our members.

" We produce highly acclaimed faith-based ballot guides on the statewide Initiatives for each election, which help people of faith discuss the issues from a biblical perspective. Over the years we have acquired a reputation for providing a most sought-after faith-based, politically astute analysis of ballot measure issues.

" We are an urgent action response network. As significant issues arise in the state legislature relating to the needs of poor people, the marginalized and the oppressed, we are committed to mobilize the Christian community in an orchestrated response of letter-writing, E-mailing, calling and making visits to legislators, urging our them to craft policies which protect the most needy and vulnerable in our state.

" We are an important and critical liaison to over 400 secular advocacy groups that advocate for specific issues related to human needs. In this way we receive the most up-to-date information to provide for our congregations and activists on welfare, children, hunger, and other important issues.

" We provide an ecumenical and interfaith advocacy connection to other religious communities. We are routinely working in partnership with the Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Unitarian Universalist and other religious groups to present a genuine interfaith voice in the state Capitol.

" Our Director of Public Policy, Elizabeth Sholes, and Executive Director, Rick Schlosser speak to judicatory gatherings and committees, conduct advocacy training events in churches, and provide training and resources on a variety of social justice issues important to a faithful witness to the Gospel.

" We provide monthly articles and resources on important social justice issues for possible inclusion in denominational, judicatory, and local congregation print and electronic publications.