Southwest Conference UCC - Justice & Witness News

Justice News

Negro Spirituals

By Ruth Randall, the SWC correspondent for multi-cultural, multi-racial issues
There are those who would argue that former enslaved people have no history when quite the opposite is true. People of African descent that were held in bondage in this country have a rich history. One aspect of that history is the manner in which they used their inner strength and ingenuity to survive the daily cruelties they endured. One of the sources of their inner strength was music in the form of songs they created. Several of those songs, which came to be known as Negro Spirituals, can be found in The New Century Hymnal that is used in many UCC churches. > Read more

Read Ruth Randall's previous articles

Would we be welcomed? Dec 2009

Are we there yet? Oct 2009

Justice LED (Leaders Engaging and Developing)
The Rev. Liana Rowe of Phoenix took part in a pilot training program designed to equip congregations with theologically and biblically grounded tools to address local, national and global social justice issues in their communities.
A preliminary goal is to bring all Justice LED trainees to the 2011 General Synod in Tampa. Look for announcements seeking applicants to participate in the next tier of training after the first of the year.

Justice & Witness Listening Sessions

Members of the Justice and Witness Committee are holding listening sessions in each church to hear, reveal and envision ministries of justice and witness within and among our covenant partners of the Southwest Conference United Church of Christ.

The six goals for our Justice and Witness Listening Sessions:
1) To sustain the excitement and momentum that grew from the Justice Forum
2) Discern a few Conference-wide projects and/or meta-issues
3) Broaden the reach that was achieved by the Forum
4) Build a clearinghouse of information for social justice efforts in the local church
5) Develop and share resource
6) Discern the unique justice identity resident in the SWC

Has your church scheduled their listening session?
Call the Southwest Conference office to find out how you can schedule yours!

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Volunteers find note
On September 5, members of Desert Palm UCC who were filling the water barrels at the stations south of Ajo found this handwritten note.

On it is written:

GOD

Bless you

you saved my

life

GRACIAS

An immigrant looking for his

american dream

Southwest Conference of the United Church of Christ	Serving Arizona, New Mexico & El Paso, Texas
No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.

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