I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies…Take away from me the noise of your songs…but let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. –Amos 5:21, 23-24
The Social Justice Committee is the central vessel through which our advocacy and accompaniment flows. We seek to engage people in putting faith into action, to practice what we preach. Beyond charity, which we also participate in through our benevolence offering each week, we seek to engage people in ministries of accompaniment — being WITH and LED BY those who suffer from situations of social injustice rather than doing TO or FOR them. At its core, our ministry is about relationships. We also seek to educate ourselves and others about current issues of social injustice through bringing in speakers and using our Sunday liturgy to lift up these issues.
FIRST SUNDAY EVERY MONTH, after service (12 noon – 1:15 PM). We welcome all newcomers! During COVID-19, all meetings are via Zoom. Contact the church office if you’d like to be connected to the committee chair.
The University Church board voted at its July 12 meeting to endorse the CPAC and #PoliceFreeSchools campaigns. You can read the letter the Social Justice Committee and Black Lives Matter-UChurch prepared for the board here.
CPAC: The Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC) is a legislative reform proposal currently in the Chicago City Council’s Public Safety committee. This proposal would create a democratically elected group with the sole purpose of ensuring police in Chicago are accountable to the citizens they serve. Here’s a great introduction from Block Club Chicago. CPAC Teach-In Wednesday, August 5, 2020.
#PoliceFreeSchools: This coalition is working to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline by removing CPD officers from Chicago Public Schools. The Chicago Board of Education recently voted not to cancel the existing contract with CPD, but must vote again in August to decide whether to renew the same contract for next year. Read more about this debate in the Sun-Times, and see also the summary of research that a church member prepared here for more background on why the coalition believes police officers do not belong in CPS. #PoliceFreeSchools Teach-In Wednesday, August 12, 2020.
April 24, 2015 We are on our way home – Reflection by Sharon Our group of 7 has had a great time together this week, but all good times must come to an end. Dan Dale left yesterday and Sara and Andy are leaving today for Xela to attend the wedding of Omar and Allison, Barb […]
April 25, 2015 7:00-9:00 PM at Wellington Avenue Church. Support organizations in their immigrant rights work all while enjoying great food, fantastic music, and the best people in Chicago! Don’t miss the 7th Annual El Pueblo Canta Concert! Free parking passes available if you act quickly. Find out more information here.
May 6, 2015 from 7-9 PM…Consider it, Confer, and Speak Up! is a presentation that explores methods of conversation about the difficult topics of sexuality and sexual violence via theatrical expressions as a tool to mobilize individuals to action. Artists will present an exhibition of survivor’s clothing along with their stories. Themes of violence against women, […]
On Friday, April 10th from 6:00-9:00 pm at University Church, CRLN will be hosting a viewing of the film Afraid of Dark followed by a panel discussion. This film is an official selection of the (In)Justice for All Film Fest, sponsored by the Next Movement of Trinity United Church of Christ. Afraid of Dark […]
FAIR TRADE UPDATE! As many of you know, University Church has been highlighting the need for ‘Fair Trade’ in the market place. We have focused mainly on those commodities of coffee, tea, chocolate, olive oil, as well as a few other foods — mostly foods that we do not grow here in the U.S. […]
University Church has long been passionate about immigration law and doing whatever we can to stand with undocumented persons who risk deportation. Our Guatemala group connects to these efforts on a global scale, but we also have offered SANCTUARY to persons in the past. The question is upon us again, and we’ll vote as a […]
