Members of St. Andrew’s may represent our church in local marches for justice. These have included the Women’s March, Science March, Families Belong Together March, Gun Control March, Pride March, Black Lives Matter.
St. Andrew’s Peace and Justice Committee
Mission Statement
We strive to follow Jesus in the way of love by advocating for laws, policies, and practices that counter discrimination based on skin color, national origin, faith, economic status, gender identity, and who people choose to love. We also work toward minimizing our impact on the environment. We engage by voting, direct action, policy advocacy, mobilizing resources, and prayer.
The Committee is aware that we may not all be of one mind, but that we all share the Baptismal vow to “strive for peace and justice.” We aim to embrace our differences and come together, learning from and listening to each other always.
During 2022, the group discussed the materials in the “Sacred Ground” series from the Episcopal Church. These remain available for our use. For more information or to join the committee, please contact Kathy Cartelli.
Other helpful resources:
- https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/racial-reconciliation/
- https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/office-government-relations/advocacy-resources/
Support for a Refugee Family
St. Andrew’s established a committee to work with the diocesan program Interfaith Refugee & Immigration Service (IRIS) to help support a family who have recently immigrated to the United States. After several meetings with the head of IRIS at the diocese a family has been identified for us to work with.
The family is from Afghanistan and are just moving into an apartment in Woodbridge. There are two parents, twin 13-year-old boys, and a 6-year-old girl.
They have been promised some needed items such as beds and dishes from friends, but will need other things as well.
Click here to view a Google Doc which lists things they have requested. If you have any of the items on the list you would be willing to donate, please complete and submit the form and send a photo of the item(s) to Donna Catalano.
Take Action Against Gun ViolenceHere is a link to the Orange County Women’s Chorus March 2024 Concert, “Arms,” music raising awareness about gun violence.
Since at least the 1970s, The Episcopal Church has resolved to support legislation that would reduce the risk of gun violence. More than a dozen times, General Convention has urged Congress to act to restrict the ownership, sale, and use of firearms, to do all it can to prevent gun violence…
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Voices of Justice
Prof. Jane Stoever is the director of the domestic violence clinic at the University of California, Irvine, and a member of St. Andrew’s. She works to support and empower abuse survivors, teaching the law students who seek justice for those clients in court, and advocating for protective policies and legislative changes to a system that can victimize rather than restore. On March 17 she gave the first of our 2024 Peace and Justice talks. A link to her slide presentation, including helpful resources, is here.
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Prayers for Peace in the Holy LandThe Episcopal Church has consistently advocated for peace and justice, teaching us all what it means to walk in the way of Jesus—the way of love. The Most Rev. Hosam Naoum, Archbishop of Jerusalem, calls upon all congregations to unite in fasting and prayer for reconciliation and end to the war. Read his letter of October 14, 2023, here. Bishop Taylor has written to him on our behalf and invites us to make a gift to the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, which supports the Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City.
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