Justice and Advocacy -- The Lehigh Conference of Churches

Resources – Responding to Racism

Thursday, October 22nd, 2020

Being Black in America Equity Film Series and Discussions – A 10-part Film Series, Discussion and Reflection by Promise Neighborhoods of the Lehigh Valley, hosted by Dr. Hasshan Batts and Julie Thomases.
Second & Fourth Thursdays of the month, beginning Nov. 12th at 7:00 PM.
For further information, contact: HasshanB@promiseneighborhoodslv.org
Register for the film series here.

(more…)

File: issues, news, racial justice

More Resources on Racism and the Church

Monday, September 7th, 2020

Several Faith in Action training sessions from the summer of 2020 are posted at vimeo.com/fianational:
- White Faith Leaders Denouncing White Supremacy Media Call (June 5)
- What does it mean to defund the police? – Rev. Ben McBride (June 24)
- A Conversation about Whiteness and Liberation – Rev. Michael-Ray Mathews (July 7)
- A Brief History of Whiteness (July 28)
- The Spiritual Crisis of Whiteness – Ruby Sales (Aug 11)

Also, here are two new books along with links to author interviews: (more…)

File: news, racial justice

Responding to Racism in the Church during COVID – Resources

Sunday, August 16th, 2020

There has been intense discussion this summer about racial/ethnic bias in police practices, including discussions in city councils and county government. However, there has been less attention to structural racism in the church. While systemic racism is best addressed with intense face-to-face dialog, here are a few resources to begin the conversation in the context of COVID. (more…)

File: news, racial justice, resources

More Resources During the Pandemic – Spring 2020

Friday, May 15th, 2020

The organizers of Ecumenical Advocacy Days have posted this list of national events:
Ways to Engage During the Quarantine
An overwhelming list of congregational resources have been created – many of them available through denominational offices – in response to the pandemic. Here’s just one:
48 questions to ask before reopening your church
( kenbraddy.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/48-questions-to-ask-prior-to-reopening-your-church-3.pdf )

File: news, resources

Episcopal Peace Fellowship – Earth Day videos

Friday, May 15th, 2020

The Green Faith working group has put together a list of climate change video resources to explore in honor of Earth Day. Feel free to share any others you find with your community! (more…)

File: environmental justice, news, resources

Resources for Public Policy Advocacy during the pandemic

Friday, May 15th, 2020

(How Quakers redesigned FCNL’s Spring Lobby Weekend in response to COVID-19)

Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
Spring Lobby Weekend – March 30-31 on Climate Change legislation:

plenary and breakout sessions were presented on-line, and recordings are posted.
there were also virtual meetings of local groups to plan lobbing visits, and virtual lobby visits with Members of Congress after the program presentations.
See details here

Also see FCNL resources on virtual meetings with Congressional offices.

File: environmental justice, news, resources

Webinar Series on COVID-19 and Social Justice Issues

Friday, May 15th, 2020

(United Methodist Church — Church and Society)

The weekly series, called “Pre-existing Disparities Revealed,” explores how the pandemic intersects with topics such as systemic racism, the carcel system, and access to food. “COVID-19 revealed societal injustices that already existed. This pandemic has magnified familiar societal, political, and economic disparities—now with the added urgency of a public health crisis,” said Aimee Hong, Senior Executive Director of Education and Engagement.”

Webinars will occur every Thursday, starting May 21 at 2 PM ET. Topics include:

May 21: Systemic Racism and Discrimination during COVID-19
May 28: Confined and Vulnerable: Detained and Incarcerated during COVID-19
June 4: From the Ground to the Table: Food Insecurity during COVID-19
June 11: A Just and Peaceable Global Relief from COVID-19
June 18: Imagining a Just Economy post COVID-19

All webinars are free and open to all, but you must register for individual sessions. See details and register
here.

File: news, racial justice, resources

Allentown Spring Events on Justice and Advocacy

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2020

COVID-19 Advisory – Due to the corona virus pandemic, the following events have all been cancelled or postponed indefinitely

(click on event titles for more details)

“Embracing the Full Household of God” (on Immigration)
March 28, 2020 (Saturday, 9am-3pm) at First Presbyterian Church, Allentown

The Color of Justice: “Bail Reform: The Time Has Come!”
April 15, 2020 (Wednesday, 7-9pm) at Muhlenberg College

Spring advocacy event: “The Bread of Justice”
April 18, 2020 (Saturday, 9am-3pm) at First Presbyterian Church, Allentown
making the connections between racism, poverty, and hunger
• Poor People’s Campaign: A Call for Moral Revival
• Bread for the World: Nutrition and the Racial Wealth Gap
• Traces of the Trade: Slavery, Racism, and Reparations

Campbell Lectures with Katrina Browne
“Reparations: A Faith, Spiritual and Biblical Engagement”
April 23, 2020 (Thursday, 7:00-8:30pm), April 24, 2020 (Friday, 9:00-10:30am)
responding to America’s legacy of racism, slavery, reconstruction,Jim Crow, red-lining, and mass incarceration
at Dubbs Center (Lehigh Conference of Churches – 5th and Allen Streets)

File: news

Celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Tuesday, December 24th, 2019

Allentown Events – January 19-20, 2020

January 19, 2020 (Sunday, 6:00pm) “Traces of the Trade”
A special screening of the feature documentary, “Traces of the Trade” which examines the largest slave-trading family in U.S. history. Given the myth that the South is solely responsible for slavery, viewers may be surprised to learn that they were Northerners.
Sponsored by the Lehigh Conference of Churches and First Presbyterian Church, Allentown.
Location: First Presbyterian Church, Allentown. For details and [free] registration, see www.lehighchurches.org.

January 20, 2020 (Monday, 9:00am) Interfaith Prayer Breakfast with Sheryll D. Cashin who will be speaking on “A Case for Reparations from the Faith Perspective.” Dr. Cashin is a Professor of Law, Civil Rights and Social Justice at the Georgetown University Law Center. Please join us for prayer, breakfast, and fellowship.
Location: First Presbyterian Church, Allentown. Cost: $25. For details and registration, see www.lehighchurches.org.

January 20, 2020 (Monday, 11:00am) Allentown NAACP Celebration with
Dr. Tina Q. Richardson, Chancellor, Penn State University, Lehigh Valley campus.
Location: St. James AME Zion Church, 410 Union St., Allentown.

File: news

NCC Peace & Social Justice Conference

Thursday, September 26th, 2019

October 1, 2019 (Tuesday, 9:00am-9:00pm) Northampton Community College
Peace and Social Justice Conference with workshops and presentations
on prisons and restorative justice.

9:30 – 10:45am – Lipkin Theatre – Restorative Justice Workshop
2:00 – 3:15pm – College Center 220 – Prison 101: Prison Industrial Complex
3:30-5:30pm – Lipkin Theatre – Documentary Inside/Outside, with Nandini Sikand.
5:30 – 6:30pm – Lipkin Theatre – Panel Discussion: “At the Intersection of
Education and Punishment on Prisoner Education Initiatives”
7:15 – 9:00pm – Lipkin Theatre – Climbing PoeTree musical performance
(… and more … See program schedule for details).

All events during the day are free and open to the public.

File: decarceration, news, restorative justice

Justice & Advocacy

Advocacy Resources

Ecumenical Resources:

Resources – Responding to Racism

Resources – Responding to Racism

More Resources on Racism and the Church

More Resources on Racism and the Church

Responding to Racism in the Church during COVID – Resources

Responding to Racism in the Church during COVID – Resources

More Resources During the Pandemic – Spring 2020

More Resources During the Pandemic – Spring 2020

Episcopal Peace Fellowship – Earth Day videos

Episcopal Peace Fellowship – Earth Day videos

Resources for Public Policy Advocacy during the pandemic

Resources for Public Policy Advocacy during the pandemic

(How Quakers redesigned FCNL’s Spring Lobby Weekend in response to COVID-19)

Webinar Series on COVID-19 and Social Justice Issues

Webinar Series on COVID-19 and Social Justice Issues

(United Methodist Church — Church and Society)

Allentown Spring Events on Justice and Advocacy

Allentown Spring Events on Justice and Advocacy

Celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Allentown Events – January 19-20, 2020

NCC Peace & Social Justice Conference

NCC Peace & Social Justice Conference