Faith and Justice Ministry
Zion’s Faith & Justice ministry creates a space to learn, pray, read, discuss, and reflect on all issues of social injustice that we believe we are called to confront as Christ’s disciples. Our prayer and study of Scripture informs and inspires the work we undertake as we strive to live out Christ’s commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Sacred Conversations About Race
We meet weekly on Thursdays at 7:30pm on Zoom for a vulnerable conversation, learning together how to confront our history and embrace God’s promise for justice in our future. First timers are always and especially welcome!
Our conversation will be followed by Compline around 8:30 (which is also streamed on the Zion Facebook Page).
We are currently using a curriculum produced by the Episcopal Church called Sacred Ground. The series is built around a powerful online curriculum of documentary films and readings that focus on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian/Pacific American histories as they intersect with European American histories.
Sacred Ground is part of Becoming Beloved Community, The Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in our personal lives, our ministries, and our society. This series is open to all, and especially designed to help white people talk with other white people. Participants are invited to peel away the layers that have contributed to the challenges and divides of the present day – all while grounded in our call to faith, hope and love.
Our Guiding Principles
The Faith & Justice ministry is committed to striving for justice and peace among all people by respecting the dignity of every human being. We seek tangible, theologically-based inspiration into ways we can be more faithful witnesses and deepen our resolve to pursue justice, mercy and reconciliation.
The ministry acknowledges that injustice encompasses many areas including race, gender, sexual orientation, immigrant status, refugee status, disability, age status and the poor. The ministry chose to focus on the issue of racism at this time because as Bishop Curry puts it, “this is the house that is on fire.”
Our Journey
So far, we have discussed the following books, articles, and films:
“Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Video: “Spirituality and Racial Justice with Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
TED Talk: “We Need to Talk about An Injustice” with Bryan Stevenson
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
TED Talk: “The Future of Race in America” with Michelle Alexander
13th directed by Ava DuVernay
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
America’s Original Sin by Jim Wallis
Our Mission
Through our Faith & Justice ministries, we strive to become:
- faithful witnesses who will learn the truth of a divided society through discernment and share the new narrative
- Christ’s ambassadors who will seek reconciliation in our local and larger community by working to change unjust systems and structures that continue to divide us.
