PEACE & JUSTICE
PEACE AND JUSTICE COMMISSION
Mission: The Peace and Justice Commission extends God’s blessing out from the congregation into the local community and beyond by creating opportunities for congregants to work for peace and justice and environmental sustainability, partnering with organizations doing good work, and supporting the work of our regional conference of churches.
WHAT WE DO
Land Acknowledgment: PMC honors the ancestors who lived on this land before us, including the Monongahela, Osage, Iroquois (Haudenosaunee), Delaware (Lenni-Lenape), and Shawnee, and we mourn the harm done to their people and culture. We commit to practicing continued gratitude for the gifts of creation, along with ongoing respect, care and stewardship of the land, each other, and future generations.
We enable members of the congregation to live out our Gospel values, moving our concern outward into the community and world.
Focus Areas
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Peace and Justice and Environmental Sustainability Work
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Build Local Partnerships
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Support global initiatives and partners
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Types of Work and Events
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Criminal Justice Reform: Helped gather nearly 300 signatures in support of a successful ballot initiative on solitary confinement reform at the county jail and an end to no-knock warrants in Pittsburgh.
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Environmental Justice: Hosted 30 cross-country bike riders and friends raising awareness on environmental justice and climate change.
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Refugee Solidarity: We participate in the Overground Railroad/Abuelas Responden network aiding asylum seekers passing through Pittsburgh via Greyhound bus, a project related to Casa San Jose. Abuelas Responden stores material aid at the church and Casa San Jose uses an office at the church for their refugee housing work.
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Neighborhood Action: In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, we sewed dozens of masks for vulnerable seniors in Swissvale.
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Global and Local Anti-Hunger Action: Participated in the annual Pittsburgh Crop Walk Against Hunger for many years and supported Just Harvest’s local policy action.
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Partnerships: Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network, Mennonite Brethren Council for LGBT Interests, among many others.