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This is not over - faithful witness for a just America

8/16/2017

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Dear Friends,

Charlottesville was not the end. It was the beginning.

The vicious hate we saw displayed last weekend began Friday night with events largely unmarked by media – groups of peaceful people of faith, standing in witness for justice and equality, were assaulted, spat on, jeered.  A synagogue with Friday night celebrants, faced an armed group standing across the street, intentions unknown. 

The events on Saturday repeated the violence. A death occurred – a hate crime as it is now being investigated – and two police officers died when their helicopter crashed while monitoring the events unfolding below.  Both officers also died.

And into this yesterday we had our president affirm his acceptance of and support for this vicious display of racism, anti-Semitism, fascism.

This is not over. These are not normal times.  This is not normal American politics.

We are being called on as rarely before to bear witness for American values of inclusion, equity, anti-fascism, and democracy.  It is terribly scary since we tend not to be violent people and have scant knowledge of how to confront violence.

But we cannot be silent. We cannot turn away.

We turn to an excellent ecumenical statement from Called to Resist (calledtoresist.org) that laid out our role as people of faith:

As Martin Luther King Jr. put it, “The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state but rather the conscience of the state.”

Yes, Call to Resist is a direct critique of our president, but if we do not call out the perfidy of his dreadful racism, xenophobia, proto fascism, and other sins, then who will?

But we must remember he did not cause the racism – he is a manifestation of it.  The sin of racism and hate of “the other” is as much a part of our history as is the dynamic of inclusive and loving change. Those exist, side-by-side and always have in America.

We are thus called to stand against the hate, the fear, the selfish greed that drives the rage against fully inclusive democracy.

You don’t have to put your body on the line to make a difference. You don’t have to be a part of a dangerous situation. You do have to speak out, make your views on loving inclusiveness manifest.

We recommend that an excellent guide from the best anti-racist, anti-hate group we know, the Southern Poverty Law Center, become part of your personal and congregational discussion on what to do and how to do it.

You can find the link here

We urge you to find your own voice and strength, however it works – from continued phone calls to care for victims of hate such as scrubbing off hateful graffiti, to quiet but forceful presence at city council and county meetings.  

Whatever you do, however you do it – do something. Be silent no more. Our survival not just as a nation but as a nation of justice is at stake.

We need you.   America needs you.

Thank you.

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Join CA Forward and many others in the 2017 annual Economic Summit

8/3/2017

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Dear Friends:

California Council of Churches has long partnered with CA Forward to visit issues of work and jobs, environment, infrastructure, capital resources and many other concerns.  We get a chance to work with some of the best minds in the state seeking solutions that work for our whole society.    Some years ago, many of  you participated in the roundtables with us regarding reform you wished to see.  Join us all again to participate in building out your ideas, vision, work.

Please consider being a part of this year's discussion at the 2017 California Economic Summit

Hurry! Early Bird Discounts End August 31

Haven’t registered yet for the 2017 California Economic Summit taking place in San Diego on November 2-3?  Do it soon!  The 20% early bird discount – a savings of $100 – ends August 31.

Register now.

Now in its sixth year, the Summit, co-convened by California Forward and the California Stewardship Network, is an increasingly influential venue for regional and business leaders to identify state policy actions that support efforts to build competitive and resilient economies, improve opportunities and upward mobility, and develop livable and sustainable communities. 

Regional partners and action team members work strategically through the Summit to refine the Roadmap to Shared Prosperity and then collaborate throughout the year to put its ideas into action.

Each year, the project gains momentum and has more impact – progress is tracked at www.CAEconomy.org.

Each year, the Summit’s steward leaders become more focused on the need to address trends of growing income inequality and to apply a “triple bottom line” standard for major public policies.

Each year, more state leaders recognize the unique and essential value of a forum that is politically neutral; intentionally brings together public, private and civic sector leaders from throughout the state; and advances a comprehensive agenda so that:
  • more workers can move up to middle-income jobs,
  • more families can afford a safe place to live, and
  • more communities have access to reliable water supplies.
Join us.  View the program, speakers and sponsors.

Register today for the 2017 California Economic Summit. 

And learn here how you and your organization can contribute to this vital, statewide effort!

Thank you!

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Join the Oakland Peace Center in celebrating Peace Sunday on September 17!

8/1/2017

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In solidarity with those celebrating Peace Day all over the world, the Oakland Peace Center invites houses of worship to participate in Peace Sunday on September 17, 2017. Click HERE to sign up!

In this political moment, it is easy to despair, even for church folks. One of the greatest gifts the church has to offer, though, is hope, which is needed now more than ever.

International Day of Peace is September 21, and at the recommendation of one of our faithful supporters, the Oakland Peace Center (OPC) would like to invite you to participate in Peace Sunday on the Sunday before, September 17.

I'm writing to ask that you consider incorporating themes of peace into worship on September 17, and if you're able, share some information about the Oakland Peace Center and even consider taking a special offering. Here's the blog post describing Peace Sunday in a little more detail, and here's where you can sign up. If you are local and would like a speaker from the OPC, that is also an option. Also, please feel free to share with your church friends and colleagues. If you would like to learn more about the Oakland Peace Center (a collective of forty organizations working together to create equity, access and dignity as the means of creating peace), these videos capture a little of our story: the OPC emerged from First Christian Church of Oakland and in this political era we hold fast to the value of love over hate in some very concrete ways.

If this isn't interesting to you, there's another fun way to support peace and possibly the Oakland Peace Center in September: the Reading is Resistance Readathon happening all across the country! Click here for more details on that. Sign up is still in process. :)

With deep gratitude for the many ways you are working for peace in a time of war,

Sandhya Jha, director
the Oakland Peace Center


The International Day of Peace (“Peace Day”) is observed around the world each year on 21 September. Established in 1981 by unanimous United Nations resolution, Peace Day provides a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to Peace above all differences and to contribute to building a Culture of Peace.

2017 Worldwide Theme: Together for Peace: Respect, Safety, and Dignity for All

The Oakland Peace Center, with St. Mary’s Center, will host a community gathering on September 21.  Join the OPC email list for details. 

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    The Rev Dr Rick Schlosser

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