Just Peace Church
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| Congregational Church of Laconia United Church of Christ |
At the Annual Meeting of the Congregational Church of Laconia that was held on
January 27, 1991 the following resolution was passed.
Be It Resolved, that we, members of this church, declare ourselves to be a Just
Peace Church. We thus commit ourselves to speak and act for peace and justice,
recognizing that each depends upon the other. We do this supported by prayer,
worship and education.
Reasons:
1. God calls us to bring about justice and to make peace in our world.
2. Enactment of this resolution will formalize our status as a church which is
and has been seeking to bring justice and peace to our community and to
the world through:
a. Biblical and theological study
b. Study and discussion of contemporary peace and justice issues
c. Stewardship of resources
d. Spiritual witness
e. Advocacy of public policies which promote peace and justice
What we have done: Each * represents each additional time this item was mentioned
1. Study: biblical, theological, contemporary peace and justice issues
• Education series
• Talking about Peace/Justice
• Bible Study
2. Stewardship of resources
• Habitat ******
• Friendly Kitchen *****
• Common Pantry ***
• Community space: AA/Al-Anon etc ******
• Mission Trips ***
• Share our $ resources for projects and World Wide Mission ****
• Rummage Sale cheap prices for needy ***
• Refugee Resettlement
• Thanksgiving Dinner
• Paper instead of styrofoam
• Pennies for Afghanistan*
• Visit those in prison
• Knit for others
• Dorcas Fund
• Meals/support for families during illness or grief
• Nursing home visits
• Helping Zimbabwe
• Heifer project
3. Spiritual witness and advocacy of public policies which promote
peace and justice
• Peace Vigils
• Peace and Justice Group
• Talk about open & affirming
• Worship
• Give spiritual support, hope, honesty
What we can do in the Future:
1. Study: biblical, theological, contemporary peace and justice issues
• serious bible study
• more education
• have a discussion group regarding social justice issues , that is
political issues or problems
• continue meeting after church to discuss, put references in church
bulletin & notes
• study, book discussion
• develop a clear understanding of just what Peace and Justice are
2. Stewardship of resources
• bread for the world
• more habitat
• more LRPH
• work groups
• e-mail partner organizations
• relief
• reuse, reduce, recycle both as a church and as individuals
• be more intentional about supporting local food pantries here in Laconia
3. Spiritual witness & advocacy of public policies which promote peace & justice
• celebrate what we do
• get out the video to ill people
• befriend the Iraqi people and build a working relationship/friendship
with the people who want to work for Peace
• political action to promote diplomacy over war
• raising awareness of opportunities to get involved through
UCC Justice & Peace Network
• continue to be more welcoming
• become an Open and Affirming Church*
• reach out to those in need in community, homeless and those with
mental health issues, and developmentally disabled.
• more education as Christian witness and immigration issue
• more open and honest talk about economic issues and diversity issues
• more active concerning political and social issues
• speaking up to moral issues
• move to the next level and be more overt in our response to peace
and justice issues
• talking about current justice and peace issues eg. the Iraq War, Darfur, etc.
• stand with all oppressed people in the world