“Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.”

-Micah 6:8

Social Justice Ministry at First Pres is a group of individuals committed to acting out our faith by working for positive change in our community and throughout the world. Micah’s call is our core theological affirmation, providing a framework for all that we do.

We take seriously the call of Jesus both to “feed the hungry and clothe the naked” and also to identify, make visible, challenge, and change the systems of injustice in our world. We affirm that nonviolence and peacemaking are essential to our faith in God’s reconciling work in Jesus Christ, as written in our commitment to being a Peace Church.

Our work and our giving focus on maximum impact toward achieving our mission. Our primary commitment is to work with and support well-managed nonprofit groups who share our mission of working toward social justice. For a summary of the groups we supported in 2018, click here.

We sponsor numerous events so that our congregation can engage in Hands-On Social Justice Ministry. Please take a look at “What We Do” below to find fun ways to help out weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly…

Our committee meets monthly, usually after the main service on the 3rd Sunday of the month. We’d love to have you join us. If you have questions, please contact the Session member for Social Justice Ministry.

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News and Announcements:

On Sunday October 7, a First Pres CROP Hunger Walk team once again walked to raise funds for Church World Service projects. Our team collected over $2K, and of the ~$17K total for our Mid-Peninsula Walk, 25% (over $4k) stayed locally to benefit the Ecumenical Hunger Project.

In December, the Christmas Connections program at First Pres will once again gather donations and organize holiday activities for the Day Worker Center, which connects workers and employers in a safe and supportive environment. For more information, and to make an online donation, see our news item about Christmas Connections.

What We Do:

A Sampling of Social Justice Ministry Work at First Pres

•  Supporting Cool Planet, a working group at First Pres committed to addressing the issues of climate change and environmental justice.
• Collecting donations every Sunday for the Downtown Streets Team Food Closet.  For a list of foods needed at the Food Closet, click here.
• Providing a LifeMoves Breaking Bread Hot Meal every Wednesday evening in our Fellowship Hall. To volunteer to help with a meal every 5th Wednesday, contact Joy Sleizer.
• Organizing monthly letter writing to legislators on social justice issues such as hunger, fossil fuel divestment and immigration policy,
• Promoting and attending a monthly interfaith Peaceful Presence service  organized by Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice.
• Planning a quarterly inter-generational hands-on Fifth Sunday activity, such as packing lunches for the Front Door Ministry of First Pres San Jose or working with Rise Against Hunger to pack meals for refugees around the world.
• Hosting Hotel de Zink every July, providing shelter and meals for unhoused adults.
• Facilitating the Christmas Connections program at First Pres that gathers donations and organizes holiday activities for the Day Worker Center, which connects workers and employers in a safe and supportive environment.
• Educating our church about becoming a Peace Church as described in this resolution and working with Presbyterian Peace Fellowship.
• Working with the More Light ministry, a group that supports members of the LGBTQ community in the church, surrounding community, and nationwide.
• Volunteering with partner organizations such as  Puente de la Costa Sur in Pescadero, CA, a resource center that serves immigrant workers and others on the South Coast and Youth Community Service in its work to support underprivileged youth in our community.
  
• Lending ongoing support to the United Campus Christian Ministry at Stanford.
• Forming a team for the annual Church World Service CROP Hunger Walk that also benefits the Ecumenical Hunger Project.
• Advocating for social justice with the City of Palo Alto on issues such as the Buena Vista Mobile Home Park.
• Offering financial support to nonprofits of distinction, including Peninsula Peace & Justice, Immanuel House, and South Bay Sanctuary Covenant. For a summary of the groups we supported in 2018, click here.

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