SPECIAL FORUM: CHOOSING A MEDICARE DRUG PLAN

 Come to the Social Hall on November 21, 1:00 PM for a special forum to help you sort through the confusing Medicare drug plan choices.  Seniors are being blitzed by phone calls and mailings and must choose from about 30 plans!!!  We are fortunate to be led through this maze by Ms. Leta Blank, a counselor with the Montgomery County Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).  The program will last about two hours.  Please come and bring your friends and neighbors.

FAIR TRADE COFFEE PROJECT   On March 27, 2004, the United Church of Christ  officially entered into the Equal Exchange Interfaith Coffee Project.  Shortly thereafter, CCC’s Executive Council voted that CCC become one of the first of the UCC congregations to support this interfaith program by providing Fair Trade coffee and tea at Sunday coffee hours and by providing the congregation the opportunity to obtain Fair Trade coffee, tea and cocoa at wholesale prices.  The Board for Social Witness is sponsoring this program and has  provided the coffee and tea to the Board for Church Life for the months of April through June. On May 9, the Board of Social Witness will make a limited supply of Fair Trade coffee and tea available to the congregation at cost.  If there is sufficient interest, this distribution program will be continued. Preferences for different types of coffees and teas to be made available in the future may be expressed on May 9. If you want easy access to Fair Trade coffee, tea and cocoa, come downstairs on May 9 and pick up a “cup of justice” to drink and to take home with you.

MORE FUN - LESS STUFF   Because of the very positive response to the showing of the video of this same title, the Board of Social Witness has purchased several educational materials on how to stop rampant over-consumption of the Earth’s resources and save the environment.  These materials are available to borrow from the Adult Library (Ethics section) on the second floor.  The materials include the video More Fun, Less Stuff, hosted by Danny Glover, the books; Sustainable Planet – Solutions for the Twenty-first Century; What Kids Really Want that Money Can’t Buy;  More Fun, Less Stuff starter kit; and the pamphlets; Good Times Made Simple – the Lost Art of Fun, Tips for Parenting in a Commercial Culture; Simplify the Holidays.

CCC STEWARDS OF THE EARTH CONCERNS   Wal-Mart’s War on Women:  To highlight Women’s History Month,  fifty copies of a fact sheet delineating numerous ways in which Wal-Mart discriminates against women have been printed and are available by the Board of Social Witness display board just inside the Entrance Hall doors.  According to the fact sheet, women are discriminated against in all levels of the company - from hourly employees to senior management -  in terms of unequal pay, advancement and job assignments.  A class action sex discrimination suit with over one million participants has been filed in U.S. District Court.  Pick up a fact sheet and judge for yourself.

CCC CHILDREN’S LIBRARY  Good news!  The first installment of new books has been purchased for the Children’s Library.  There are sixteen in all, mostly about Easter because we had so few on this important Christian celebration.  These are great books for children to read with their families during the Lenten season. They range from toddlers’ board books to chapter books.  Four of these new books will be featured every Sunday in March during “Book Nook,” after the 10:30  A.M. worship service.  To date the new books are:

     REMEMBERING THE PROPHETS OF SACRED SCRIPTURE, by Marianna Mayer (older children)
     JESUS, by Brian Wildsmith (picture book)
     THE EASTER STORY, by Carol Heyer (picture book)
     THE STORY OF EASTER, by Patricia Pingry (board book)
     YOUNG JESUS OF NAZARETH, by Marianna Mayer (older children)
     A CHILD’S EASTER, by Patricia Pingry (picture book)
    AN EASTER ALLELUIA, by Anita Reith Stohs (song book)
    THE EASTER STORY, by Allia Zobel-Nolan (board book) 
    THE EASTER STORY, by Brian Wildsmith (picture book)
    TONY’S TRIUMPHANT JOURNEY, by Doyle Patton (chapter book)
    EASTER, by Gail Gibbons (picture book)
    THE STORY OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, by Patricia Pingry (board book) 

FIRST SUNDAY POT LUCK:  Some great church traditions are worth bringing back!  Join us for wonderful food and fellowship the first Sunday of every month for a pot luck lunch in the Social Hall after the 10:30 A.M. worship service.  Please mark your calendar, PDA, hand, etc., because our NEXT pot luck is on Sunday, December 7.  Please SIGN UP on the church Life bulletin board by the coat rack so a place may be set for you.  Hot dishes may be brought to the warming oven in the kitchen before the worship service.  Other contributions may also be left in the kitchen until after the service.  December’s pot luck will have an Italian theme with two types of lasagna already planned.  So we would love some salads (lettuce or pasta), garlic bread, or whatever you can dream up. 

Non-Italian foods are also welcome.  Bon apetit!  For questions call this month’s hostess, Susan Hill, at 410-715-8923.

SHEPHERD’S TABLE Nov. 12 Every second Wednesday of the month CCC is responsible for providing volunteers to help prepare and serve meals at Shepherd’s Table at Progress Place in Silver Spring. The next date is this coming Wednesday, Nov. 12.  A number of wonderfully faithful individuals appear to help month after month; but, there is a great need for additional folks.  If you can spare a couple of hours, please sign up on the main CCC bulletin board or contact Gregg brown of the Board for Social Witness at 301-589-1080 (evenings) or gabsip@mindspring.com.  We’ll be glad to pair you with an oldtimer.  

The Board for Social Witness is also looking for persons who would be interested in serving as a volunteer coordinator for Shepherd’s Table once every four months.  This job involves recruitment of the CCC team for a particular month and coordination of its work at Shepherd’s Table.  Anyone interested should contact Gregg Brown.

SOCIAL WITNESS CONCERNS 

A Prayer for Jerusalem. Christians for Middle East Peace ("CMEP") is a Washington-based program of numerous Christian denominations and organizations, including the UCC that seeks to help heal the brokenness manifested in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. From the time it was founded in1985, CMEP has focused in particular upon the status of Jerusalem which, it asserts, "must be determined by a negotiated settlement that respects the human, political, and religious rights of both Israelis and Palestinians." CMEP continues to call for an undivided Jerusalem to be shared by two peoples and three faiths.

During this holy season CMEP is calling for prayers for peace in Jerusalem and has prepared such a prayer, portions of which are as follows: "For the Church of God, that she may work and pray for the peace of Jerusalem, we pray . . . , For political leaders, that they may take bold initiatives for the peace of Jerusalem, we pray . . . , For zealots on all sides, that they may put aside their animosities and be still for the sake of Jerusalem’s peace, we pray . . . , For peacemakers, that they may have courage and perseverance, we pray . . . , For Jews, Christians and Muslims that they may learn to be at peace with one another in the Holy Land and here in the United States, we pray to the Lord . . . ."

Religious Forum on the Middle East, Sat., March 5, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. On March 5, Westmoreland Congregational Church, 1 Westmoreland Circle, Bethesda, will host an all-day interfaith forum on present social, economic and political conflicts in the Middle East. Speakers will include, inter alia, Dr. Dale Bishop, presently at Hartford Seminary and formerly Executive Minister, Wider Church Ministries, UCC, and Middle East Director, Church World Service; Dr. Shibley Telhami, University of Maryland; Ambassador Philip Wilcox, Jr., President, Foundation for Middle East Peace, the Rev. Dr. Susan Andrews, Senior Minister, Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church; Lewis Roth, Americans for Peace Now; Dr. Zaid Asali, American Task Force for Palestine; Marla Schrader, UCC Missionary to Palestine; the Rev. David Smock, United States Institute for Peace; and the Rev. Gordon Forbes. The full schedule is posted on the bulletin board outside the church office. To register, go to mideast@westmorelanducc.org

Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice, March 11-14. On March 11-14, the UCC will co-sponsor this annual event along with more than 25 other national faith groups. The gathering, to be held at the Doubletree Hotel Crystal City, Arlington, VA, provides comprehensive issue briefings, nationally known speakers, ecumenical worship services, and advocacy training. Eight issue-tracks will be offered: the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Latin America, global economic justice, global security, eco-justice, and US domestic issues. The last day will be spent on Capital Hill with members of Congress discussing upcoming legislation. Registration is $135. To see the brochure and to register, go to http://www.ucctakeaction.org/ctt.asp?u=49+1=71687. To join with other attendees from CCC, contact Anne Weissenborn at (301) 681-6042.

Anne Weissenborn, Board for Social Witness

Equality Maryland Lobby Day 2005, Feb. 14. , 3:00-8:00 pm. The present session of the Maryland Legislature presents both opportunities and dangers for LGBT equality in Maryland. Bills introduced include the Medical Decision Making Act and Hate Crime Penalties Act which would enhance equality, and others that would write discrimination into the Maryland Constitution. Equality Maryland is the largest LGBT civil rights organization in Maryland. On Mon., Feb. 14, EM will hold its annual Lobby Day in Annapolis; events will include a briefing, rally and meetings with legislators on GLBT equality issues. Earlier, on Feb. 8 at 7:30 pm, EM and PFLAG of MD will meet to prepare for Lobby Day at the Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD. Everyone is invited to both events. Go to www.equalitymaryland.org/2005_lobby_day.htm for more information.

SpongeBob Squarepants Visits UCC in Cleveland. On Jan. 24, the UCC extended its "extravagant welcome" to SpongeBob Squarepants, the cartoon character whose participation in a national "We Are Family" children’s video was termed "insidious" by James C. Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family. This accusation was based upon SpongeBob’s allegedly having held hands with a starfish. The Rev. John H. Thomas, General Minister and President of the UCC, welcomed SpongeBob, explaining that the UCC would also "warmly receive , , , any who have experienced the Christian message as a harsh word of judgment rather than Jesus’ offering of grace." "While Dobson’s silly accusation makes headlines, it’s also one more concrete example of how religion is misused over and over to promote intolerance over inclusion. This is why we believe it is so important that the UCC speak the Gospel in an accent not often heard in our culture, because far too many experience the cross only as judgment, never as embrace." For pictures of SpongeBob at UCC headquarters, see the Board for Social Witness bulletin board or go to http://ucc.org/news/r012505.htm.

Ecumenical Letter to President Bush re. Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. On January 21, the national edition of the New York Times carried a full-page ad signed by 57 Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant leaders that called upon President Bush to "lead a political process that will end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." The Rev. John H. Thomas, General Minister and President of the UCC was one of the signers. Calling the conflict "a threat to the people of the United States," the open letter stated the belief "that the promise of peace in Jerusalem is the best defense against terrorism." "[W]e encourage you to maintain the faith, the courage and the resolve to work with other world leaders toward negotiations that guarantee two viable states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side and sharing Jerusalem as their capital."

UCC and NCCC/Church World Service Involvement in South Asian Disaster Response. The national UCC has announced that it intends to match the "extravagant welcome" message of the new TV ads with "extravagant generosity" toward the disaster victims in Southern Asia. The UCC has pledged $300,000, of which $93,000 has already been sent using One Great Hour of Sharing funds and $207,000 will be raised from church members and friends. By Jan. 3, almost $70,000 had been received through the UCC’s online appeal. The UCC is also working through Church World Service, the humanitarian arm of the National Council of Churches ("NCCC"), and with partner church bodies in Southern Asia, including the Church of South India, the Jaffna Diocese in the Church of South India (Sri Lanka), the Church of Christ in Thailand, and the Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action in India, with which the UCC already had a well-developed system in place for addressing disaster-related needs. In addition, the UCC is a founding member of Action by Churches Together, an international organization that works with dozens of denominations in coordinating disaster responses. Church World Service has already sent $1 million in immediate aid and has set a goal of $5 million to support recovery efforts. (For information on making individual contributions to South Asian relief and recovery, see "South Asian Disaster Assistance" below.)

SOUTH ASIAN DISASTER ASSISTANCE – GIVING THROUGH THE UCC. The Central Atlantic Conference of the UCC continues to be a good channel for monetary contributions to those in great need in South Asia following the earthquake and tsunami on Christmas weekend. Checks may be made payable to the Central Atlantic Conference with "South Asia" on the memo line, and mailed to the CAC at 916 Rolling Road, Baltimore, MD 21228-5318. If you have already sent in checks to the CAC written differently, do not worry as the staff at the CAC will know how to handle them. Contributions may also be made through the national UCC by writing checks to the Asia Tsunami Relief Fund and sending them to Wider Church Ministries, UCC, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115, or online by going to the UCC homepage at www.ucc.org or to www.ucc.org/disaster.

The Center for the New American Dream. This nonprofit, headquartered in Takoma Park, fosters an American dream that includes reduced, responsible consumption on the part of the American consumer. It examines how over-consumption, the current American dream, degrades the quality of everyday life and the quality of the environment. A number of publications by this group have been purchased by the Board for use by CCC members and friends and are available in CCC’s Adult Library.

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network ("CCAN"). This small, local, grass-roots organization is headquartered in Takoma Park and focuses on global warming and its impact, especially in our Chesapeake region. CCAN, in the several years it has been in existence, has had a major impact on several key pieces of environmental legislation passed by the Maryland legislature. Several videos produced by CCAN are in CCC’s Adult Library and are available to be borrowed.

Co-Op America. This national nonprofit, headquartered in D.C., promotes businesses and investments that are environmentally friendly and that promote economic and social justice worldwide. There are many periodicals form this group in CCC’s Adult Library, including (i) the "National Green Pages," a listing of green, socially responsible businesses; (ii) the "Financial Planning Handbook," instructing the public in how to go about socially-responsible investing; and (iii) periodicals such as "Real Money," "Updates," and "Quarterlies" to keep consumers up-to-date on what is happening this field.

GLOBAL WARMING ALERT!!  Stewards of the Earth and the Board of Social Witness are co-sponsoring two videos to be shown on Sunday, November 21 at noon to 1:00 P.M. in the Meeting Room.  The first video, 10 minutes in length, Fighting Global Warming One House at a Time, is a tour of Mike Tidwell’s house, which is virtually energy self-sufficient, with a photovoltaic array generating the house’s electricity, and a corn-burning stove, providing its heat.  Tidwell, the Executive Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN), has devoted his life and his career to the issue of global warming.  The second video, 30 minutes in length, We Are All Smith Islanders, produced by CCAN, documents the current dangers from global warming in the Chesapeake region and suggests possible solutions to avert the coming crisis.  CCC’s own Bill Prindle, the Deputy Director of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, is interviewed in the video regarding a comparison of the per capita energy consumption of Americans vs. the per capita consumption in other developed countries.  Bill will be available after the videos to give some comments and to answer questions.  These videos were purchased for CCC by a generous memorial donation given to the Board of Social Witness by Randy and Jean Caswell to honor their son, William Caswell, who was killed in the plane that crashed into the Pentagon on Sept. 11.  The videos will become part of the permanent collection of CCC’s Adult Library and will be available for members and friends of CCC.

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SHARP (Student Help Academic Resource Program) Doug Henley, Director of Four Corners SHARP needs adult volunteers to serve as mentors, tutors and life coaches for middle and high school students within the Blair cluster schools.  On a typical day there will be seven students, some of whom are on short-term suspensions, while others have fallen behind academically.  The program operates Monday through Thursday from 7:45 AM to 1:30 PM and Friday from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM at Marvin Memorial United Methodist Church.  Mr. Henley will provide on-the-job training for volunteers who are able to work one day a week for three hours or more, who enjoy working with teenagers and who have good listening skills.  Please call Doug Henley at (301) 592-0500.  For fuller details please see the November NewsNotes. 

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"The Twelve Tribes of American Politics."  Before the recent election, Beliefnet, an internet source of information about religion in the US, posted a summary of a study of religious groupings undertaken in May, 2004 by the Pew Religion Forum and the Ray K. Bliss Institute at the University of Akron.  This summary defined each of what it calls "The Twelve Tribes of American Politics."  These include The Religious Right (12% of the electorate); Heartland Culture Warriors (11.4%);  Moderate Evangelicals (10.6%);  White Bread Protestants (including the core members of Protestant "mainline" churches) (7.0%); Convertible Catholics (8.1%); The Religious Left (12.6%); Spiritual But Not Religious (5.3%); Seculars (10.7%); Latinos (7.3%); Jews (1.9%); Muslims and Other Faiths (2.7%); and Black Protestants (9.6%).  The summary described each group, including the issues each cares about, and predicted each one's political significance in the then-upcoming election.             

A copy of the pre-election summary is posted on the Board for Social Witness bulletin board outside the sanctuary, and copies are available on the revolving rack in the lobby.  To which tribe do you belong?  Where does CCC fit on this spectrum?  Where do you think CCC should fit?  For related post-election analysis, go to www.beliefnet.com.  

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Prophetic Justice Principles for America. The National Council of Churches’ "Let Justice Roll" campaign is urging consideration of the following ten questions about any proposed public policy. The questions have been formulated by the Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes, Jr., Senior Minister, Riverside Church, NYC. These questions "test public policy against the principles of righteousness and justice in our society."

Does the policy represent the common good of society rather than the interest of an elite few?

Is the policy based on a true analysis and does it disclose its true intention?

Does the policy hold the prospect of reducing the polarization and fragmentation of the society?

Does the policy have the capacity to be good news for the poor?

Is the policy good for children, the elderly and the disadvantaged?

Does the policy refrain from the arrogant assumption that the powerful have the right to ignore the interests and subsistence needs of the less advantaged segment of the society?

Does the policy provide for free press, free discussion, and the expansion of dissent along with fair and just methods of participation in the democratic process?

Does the policy encourage respect for persons and nations other than our own?

Is the policy based on commitment to a global vision of cooperation and mutuality of respect rather than relying on unilateral military actions for empire-building and domination strategies? Does it use diplomacy as a valued instrument of statecraft ?

Is the policy supportive of strong measures to insure ecological responsibility and sustainability?"

Mt. Olive Pickle Boycott Ends – Update.

Edie Rasell, former CCC member and presently the UCC’s Minister for Labor Relations and Community Economic Development, has posted a detailed outline of the provisions of the agreement ending the five-year boycott of the Mt. Olive Pickle Company. She ends her message with the following: "So please, go buy some Mount Olive pickles, and thank you for all you did as a boycott supporter to make the boycott a success." Edie’s message is posted on the BSW bulletin board outside the CCC sanctuary. On September 16, the 5 1/2 year-long boycott of the Mt. Olive Pickle Co. ended with an agreement permitting 8,000 agricultural guest workers in North Carolina to unionize. The purpose of the boycott was to aid field workers in the cucumber industry, mostly from Mexico, who were being paid a piece rate of 55-75 cents per 33-pound bucket and who worked and lived in deplorable conditions. More than 300 organizations endorsed the boycott, including the UCC, the National Council of Churches, and many other churches, labor unions and community and student organizations. The three-way agreement among the Farm Labor Organizing Committee ("FLOC"), the North Carolina Crowers Association and the Mt. Olive Pickle Co., signed at the Community United Church of Christ in Raleigh, covers over 1000 NC farms and will raise wages and prices to growers by more than 10% over three years. The union representation and the contract provided for in the agreement are the first in the country to be won by "H2A Program" guest workers, and the contract will be the largest union contract in NC history. For more details, see the NCCC story on the Social Witness bulletin board or go to http://www.ncccusa.org/news/04pickleboycottends.html.

World Council of Churches has new co-president from the UCC.  Bernice Powell Jackson, Executive Minister, Justice and Witness Ministries, UCC, has been elected as the WCC’s president for North America, and thus becomes one of eight co-presidents of the organization.  Dr. Jackson has stated:  “Especially in 2004, as the WCC focuses the Decade to Overcome Violence on the U.S., I look forward to finding new ways of connecting justice advocacy with ecumenical partners in my work as the World Council’s president for North America.  This is a wonderful honor, an exciting challenge, and an opportunity to share the ecumenical vision of the WCC in our world today.”  Before taking on her present UCC role, Dr. Jackson served as executive director of the UCC’s Commission on Racial Justice, as an assistant to the president of the denomination, as director of the Bishop Tutu Southern African Refugee Scholarship Fund, on the staff of NY Gov. Hugh Carey, and on the communications staff of the National Urban League.  She was born and raised in DC.

Full Funding of Millenium Challenge Account.  The UCC’s Justice and Peace Action Network is asking members and friends to contact their members of Congress to urge full funding for addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic throughout the world, including funds for the Millenium Challenge Account.  The Account “supports economic development in poor nations needed to build the health care infrastructure required to address the epidemic.”  There are more than 40 million people living with HIV/AIDS, 95% in developing countries.  The World Health Organization (WHO) has a goal of reaching 3 million by 2005.  The bush Administration has set a funding goal of $5 billion per year through the Account by FY 2006, based upon WHO cost estimates.  However, the related appropriation request in the proposed FY 2005 federal budget is only $1.5 billion, and even this may be reduced.  For more information, and to send electronic messages to Congress, go to www.ucctakeaction.org/ctt.asp?u=49=1=44567.

A UCC Seminarian’s Blog. If you are new to the idea of "blogs" and want a taste in a UCC context, you might go to http://chuckcurrie.blogs.com . Chuck Currie is a student at Eden Theological Seminary in Missouri and a long-time activist in Portland, Oregon, particularly with regard to homelessness. His website contains links to many sites potentially of interest to UCC members, as well as articles and interviews. Recently, for example, he interviewed the Rev. Dr, Robert Edgar, Gen. Sec., National Council of Churches, who talked about the purposes and work of the NCCC, and about two "high-profile" issues: Iraq and poverty in the US. In the former regard, he noted NCCC’s new project, FaithfulAmerica.org , that is airing Arabic language television commercials in the Middle East on Al-Jazerra and Al-Aribiya. The commercials express sorrow about prison abuse and pledge to "right these wrongs that have been committed in our name." Edgar states that "there had been a wonderful response to the ad in the Arab world, and to date some 100,000 Americans have endorsed the ad - and the number is growing. Visitors to the FaithfulAmerica.org site also have given $150,000 to put the ad on the air, and FaithfulAmerica has pledged to keep the ad running for as long as funds keep coming in for that purpose. We see these responses as a hopeful sign that the cycle of mutual suspicion and dehumanization between the Arab world and the United States can be broken." Edgar also discussed "Let Justice Roll," the NCCC’s campaign-related, anti-poverty initiative cited in the last issue of News Notes. The full interview is posted on the Board for Social Witness bulletin board.

The Jubilee Act (HR 4511)  The UCC’s Justice and Witness Action Network is calling upon UCC members and friends to contact their members of congress in support of The Jubilee Act.  This proposed legislation is a bipartisan bill presently in the House of Representatives that would urge “the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to cancel 100 percent of the debt of 50 nations."  Such action would help end  the stranglehold of indebtedness suffered by developing countries.”  While the G-8 countries at their recent meeting decided simply to extend their present questionable debt reduction strategy for two more years, they apparently gave serious consideration to 100 percent debt reduction, something that hadn’t happened at past meetings.  For more information about HR 4511 and to send electronic messages to members of Congress, go to www.ucctakeaction.org/ctt.asp?u=49&1=40637.

"God Is Still Speaking." This is the UCC’s message to the wider world. In addition to the television identity campaign that will go nationwide during Advent, there are ways that individuals can help to spread the word via postcards, bumper stickers, mugs and apparel. One of the CCC delegates to the CAC annual meeting came back sporting a new red t-shirt with the above message discreetly printed on the front (they also come in white and in black); she also has a new bumper sticker with the same message. Go to www.stillspeaking.com or call 1-877-437-2212 to ask about these and other products.

"Let Justice Roll: Faith and Community Voices Against Poverty." Former UCC President Paul Sherry is presently serving as coordinator of the National Council of Churches’ Poverty Mobilization. Under his leadership and in partnership with the Center for Community Change, the NCCC has established an alliance of community and faith-based groups that will hold a series of public events designed "to keep the issue of ending poverty front and center" during the presidential election campaign. These "Let Justice Roll" events will be held in Seattle, WA, Portland and Eugene, OR., Rochester, NY, Minneapolis, MN, and in Boston and NYC during the party conventions. "Participants will seek commitments from local, state and national public officials and delegates [to the conventions] that they will work to shape public policies to meet the needs of people living in poverty and, ultimately, to end poverty." The Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes, Jr., Senior Minister, Riverside Church, NYC, will be featured at least seven events. For more information, go to www.ncccusa.org/letjusticeroll/index.html or write Paul Sherry at PSher973@aol.com.

Honor the Legacy:  Petition to rededicate the USA to International Law.  Just prior ro Memorial Day, a coalition of U.S. war veterans, human rights organizations and leaders of faith communities created, in response to Abu Ghraib, a coalition “to rededicate the United States to the Geneva Conventions and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights” that are a legacy of World War II.  Named “Honor the Legacy,” the coalition was initiated by veterans and the Education for Peace in Iraq Center (EPIC), and now includes Amnesty International USA, Oxfam America, the National Council of Churches of Christ, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and Veterans for Common Sense.  The coalition is circulating a petition that calls upon President George Bush to rededicate the USA to international law.  Copies of the petition and a list of the original signers are on the Board for Social Witness bulletin board.  To learn more and to sign the petition online, go to www.epic-usa.org.  The petition will remain open until June 30.

   Save Low Income Housing.  The UCC’s Justice and Peace Action Network is calling on UCC members and friends to contact their members of Congress about full funding for Section 8 housing vouchers.  The Section 8 program is the largest program in the Department of Housing and Urban development.  “Section 8 does more to keep families out of homelessness than any other program and is a key component of anti-poverty strategies.”  The proposed FY 2005 budget would cut this program to less than is needed to maintain the current number of vouchers.  Go to www.ucctakeaction.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=19066 for more information and to send an electronic message to Congress.  

Increase of Minimum Wage  The Justice and Peace Action Network is also asking UCC members and friends to contact their members of Congress regarding an increase in the minimum wage.  The present minimum of $5.15 per hour was established in 1997.  An amendment to increase the minimum to $7.00 over two years will be attached to other legislation this year, but faces strong opposition in Congress and a veto threat from the President.  To send a message, go to www.ucctakeaction.org/ctt.asp?u=49&1=37217.

Montgomery County – Where to Call for Assistance.  The Silver Spring Regional Center has prepared a 5-page listing of governmental and utility contact numbers and addresses arranged according to problem type or service needed.  The list cites problems ranging from abandoned vehicles through hazardous materials to zoning information.  Copies are available on the Board for social Witness bulletin board.  Help yourself!  For additional information, go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov.  

SOCIAL WITNESS CONCERN - PASTORAL LETTER ON IRAQ - National Council of Churches. On May 11, 2004, leaders of the NCCC USA and of its 36 Protestant and Orthodox member communions issued an ecumenical letter calling for a "change of course" in Iraq. Signers include the Rev. John H. Thomas, General Minister and President of the UCC.

The leaders state: "We. . . write this joint pastoral letter at a time when the threat of violence hangs over the world and warfare involving United States forces is increasing in Iraq. We write out of a deep love for this country, but also out of a profound concern at the direction that this cycle of violence is taking us" . . . "In a sinful world, some of us may hold that there may be times when war is a necessary evil. But Christians should never identify violence against others with the will of God and should always work to prevent and end it. ." They continue: "We believe. . .that the guiding principle of U.S. foreign policy must be to build up the whole, interdependent human family and to promote reconciliation whenever possible. Yes, this means standing firmly against all acts of terror, but it also means envisioning a world in which war is truly a last resort. Current U.S. foreign policy, however, is not aligned with this principle. . . . We are convinced that current policy is dangerous for America and the world and will only lead to further violence. We, therefore, call for a change of course in Iraq. . . . Specifically, we are calling upon our country to turn over the transition of authority and post-war reconstruction to the United Nations – and to recognize U. S. responsibility to contribute to this effort generously through security, economic, and humanitarian support – not only to bring international legitimacy to the effort, but also to foster any chance for lasting peace." The letter ends with recognition that Christians of good will may differ about issues of national policy, but calls for all Christians to work and pray for peace and for all those caught up in cycles of violence.

To read the full text, see the Board of Social Witness bulletin board. It is also available on the national UCC website at www.ucc.org/news/record/iraqpastoral.htm.

Montgomery County - Where to Call for Assistance. The Silver Spring Regional Center has prepared a 5-page listing of governmental and utility contact numbers and addresses arranged according to problem type or service needed. The list cites problems ranging from abandoned vehicles through hazardous materials to zoning information. Copies are available on the Board for Social Witness bulletin board. Help yourself! For additional information, go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov.

NCC Human Genetics Policy Development Committee. In February, the National Council of Churches announced the formation of a multidisciplinary Human Genetics Policy Development Committee to address issues of human genetic technology over the next two years. The Committee is to be chaired by Ms. Clare Chapman, a lay leader in the United Methodist Church. Included on the Committee is the UCC’s own Dr. Olivia White, Exec. Min., Wider Church Ministries, who preached at CCC earlier this year. The UCC is also represented by Dr. Christine Holland of Laytonsville, MD, who is a retired medical researcher and public health educator and who will be one of the "Senior Sages" asked to support the work of the Committee. The Committee will write a new policy on genetic science and biotechnologies which will then guide both educational outreach and public policy stands of the NCC. For additional information on the Committee and its mandate, go to www.ucccusa.org/news/04genetics.html.

Equal Marriage Rights.  The UCC’s Justice and Action Network is urging UCC members and friends to contact their members of Congress in opposition to a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages. The Network states that “the right to marry is not only about constitutional theory, it is about access to over a thousand rights and responsibilities afforded to married couples under federal, state and local law.”  For more information and to send electronic messages, go to www.ucctakeaction.org/ctt.asp?u=49&1=26430.  Educational resources under the title “God is Still Speaking About Marriage’ are available on the UCC website at www.ucctakeaction.org/ctt.asp?u=49&1=26420.

UCC Spending Cuts.  National UCC leaders are facing the necessity of cutting $2 million from the 2005 budgets of the four covenanted UCC ministries:  Justice and Witness Ministries, Local Church Ministries, Wider church Ministries, and the Office of General Ministries.  The cuts will come on top of the $3.2 million already cut over the past three years and are the result of a $1.5 million one-year decline in giving to Our Church’s Wider Mission (OCWM), as well as drops in investment income.  The series of test UCC television ads airing at present in six markets represents an attempt to stem this negative tide by raising the profile of the denomination; a national roll-out of the ads will begin in November.  For more on the UCC’s financial situation, see the April issue of United Church News.

Act for Haiti’s Poor.  The UCC’s Justice and Witness Action Network is asking members and friends to call pon President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell “to support a peaceful and thoughtful political solution to the present crisis” in Haiti, to support congressional investigation into how the “transfer of power” has taken place there, and to release $587 million in financial aid held up since 2000.  The appeal should also include requests that the Dept. of Homeland Security grant Temporary Protective Status to Haitians already in the U.S. for a period of 18 months so that they may have safety and work authorization.  To send e-mails to the President and Secretary of State, go to www.ucctakeaction.org/ctt.asp?u=49&1=21847.  The UCC/disciples of Christ partnership, Global Ministries, has served nearly 4,000 people through our missionaries in Haiti and is in steady contact with our partner church, the National Spiritual Council of churches of Haiti, during this difficult time.

Mentally Ill Offenders. In her Feb. 23, 2004 "Witness for Justice" column on the UCC website, Bernice Powell Jackson, Exec. Min., UCC Justice and Witness Ministries, cited a recent Human Rights Watch study that found one in six U.S. prisoners to be mentally ill. She writes: "In fact, there are three times more mentally ill persons in U.S. prisons than in mental health hospitals. And those numbers do not include mentally ill persons who are in jails or juvenile detention facilities. . . . They estimate that there are between two hundred and three hundred thousand mentally ill prisoners in U.S. prisons. Moreover, the rate of mental illness in our nation’s prison population is three times higher than in the general population. . . . . Now federal legislation is being proposed by Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH) and Congressman Ted Strickland (D-OH) which would provide federal grants to divert mentally ill offenders into treatment programs rather than jail or prison and to improve the quality of mental health services inside our prisons and jails. Called the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act, it begins to address some of the problems highlighted in the Human Rights Watch report . . . . Unless we do something about this, we are no better than our 19th century ancestors who locked up their mentally ill in their attics and basements and threw away the key . . . ." For Dr. Jackson’s full column, go to  www.ucc.org/justice/witness/wfj022304.htm .

SOCIAL SECURITY PROTECTION  The UCC’s Justice and Witness Action Network is urging members and friends to contact President George W. Bush and their representatives in Congress to oppose efforts to privatize social Security and to cut its benefits.   The suggested letter provided by the Network states in part:  “Social Security is not only a vital program for those in need because of disability or age, it is a major contributor to the health of the current economy by offsetting federal budget deficits and by counter-cyclical stimulation of spending.” For more information and to send electronic messages, go to www.ucctakeaction.org/action/index.asp?step=28&item=15616.

“Eye witness to Occupation:  Ten Months in Baghdad”  On Thursday, March 18, the Bethesda Monthly Meeting, Edgemoor Lane and Beverly Road, Bethesda, MD (on the campus of Sidwell Friends Lower School), will present a public forum featuring Rick McDowell and Mary Trotochaud, Iraq Country Representatives for the American Friends Service committee (AFSC).  Since May, 2003, they have lived in a neighborhood of Baghdad where “[t]hey have witnessed nights of terror; days of profound sorrow, hope and anger.  They have seen inspiring grassroots efforts to rebuild an Iraq struggling to come to terms with its past and the present reality of occupation.  Sharing their insights and the voices of Iraqi friends and colleagues, they will speak to the human cost of war and occupation….As outsiders on the inside of occupation, they provide a channel for understanding and cooperation….”

Support for Haitian Churches.  The Latin America and the Caribbean Office of Global Ministries is urging support for the National Spiritual Council of Churches of Haiti (CONASPEH), a council of 4,000 grassroots churches working for justice and peace. For further information, including an open letter from CONASPEH dated February 16, 2004, and a letter from Global Ministries missionaries in Haiti, Daniel and Sandra Gourbet, about the conditions under which they are working, go to www.globalministries.org/lac.  Global Ministries is a common witness of Wider Church Ministries, UCC, and the Division of Overseas Ministries, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

A Call on Israel to Tear Down the Separation Wall.Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), a Washington-based program of mainline Protestant denominations including the UCC, National Council of Churches and Roman Catholic and Orthodox organizations, is urging concerned individuals to call for the tearing down of the wall now being put up by Israel on the West Bank.  According to CMEP, “the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem [call it] the Separation Wall.”  The “wall” is in fact “a combination of concrete walls (up to 25 feet high with gun turrets), steel barriers, razor wire, electronic sensors, trenches and patrol roads.” CMEP cites a UN estimate “that the barrier will disrupt the lives of 600,000 Palestinians  -  nearly  one-third of West Bank Palestinians. This includes [those] encircled by the barrier as well as those who need to cross it to reach farms or jobs.  The plan would put nearly 15% of West Bank land on the Israeli side.”  Additional information and suggested talking points are available in the CMEP publication entitled “The Holy Land Needs Bridges, Not Walls,” which is posted on the Board for Social Witness bulletin board.  Appeals for pressure on Israel from the White House and Congress can be made by calling the White House Comments line at 202-456-1111 or the offices of members of Congress through the Capital Switchboard at 202-224-3121.

UPDATE – Response to call to assist Ricardo Esquivia, Colombia, SA. The UCC Justice and Peace Action Network reports that, in response to its recent appeal, over 1,000 messages were generated to Colombian officials and the office of the US Ambassador on behalf of the freedom of Ricardo Esquivia. The volume of messages "prompt[ed] several offices to shut down their machines due to the high volume of faxes." Sr. Esquivia has written: "Perhaps you do not even imagine the impact that your work is having on the Colombian governmental officials. The international response has been great. In the office of the High Commissioner for Peace, they told us that we were ‘mobilizing the world’. Everyday I am more convinced that the only possible security for a human rights and peace worker is community. Thanks and may the God of Life continue to bless you."ACTION ALERT - A call for letters in support of Ricardo Esquivia Ballestas, director of Justapaz and national coordinator of the Commission for Restoration, Life and Peace of the Evangelical Council of churches of Colombia, SA (Cedecol).

UPDATE – Response to call to assist Ricardo Esquivia, Colombia, SA.  The UCC Justice and Peace Action Network reports that, in response to its recent appeal, over 1,000 messages were generated to Colombian officials and the office of the U.S. Ambassador on behalf of the freedom of Ricardo Esquivia.  The volume of messages “prompt[ed] several offices to shut down their machines due to the high volume of faxes.”  Sr. Esquivia has written:  “Perhaps you do not even imagine the impact that your work is having on the Colombian governmental officials.  The international response has been great.  In the office of the High Commissioner for Peace, they told us that we were ‘mobilizing the world’.  Everyday I am more convinced that the only possible security for a human rights and peace worker is community.  Thanks and may the God of Life continue to bless you.”

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Support for the Millenium Challenge Account.  The UCC’s Justice and Peace Action Network is asking all UCC members and friends to urge their U.S. Senators to support the Millenium Challenge Account (“MCA”).  According to the Network, “One of the most positive initiatives of the Bush Administration is to expand foreign aid for economic development through economies who otherwise show signs of being able to constructively utilize such aid.”  The President has requested $1.3 billion for the MCA.  The House of Representatives has approved $800 million.  The Senate version, attached to the State Department Reauthorization bill, includes $1 billion.  For more information and to send a letter, go to www.ucctakeaction.org/action/index.asp.

Reauthorization of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF).  The UCC’s Justice and Peace Action Network is asking that members contact their US Senators to urge opposition to any TANF reauthorization bill that increases the work requirement for beneficiaries.  TANF is the welfare program passed by Congress in 1996.  TANF rolls have been reduced from 12 million to about 5 million, with those remaining facing multiple barriers to entering the workforce.  The Bush Administration has been pushing for a work requirement of 40 hours a week, a more narrow definition of “work,” and a higher % of the caseload subject to sanctions.  The House-passed bill closely follows this approach.  The bill approved by the Senate Finance Committee is less harsh, but raises the work requirement to 34 hours a week.  For more information and to send a letter, go to www.ucctakeaction.org/action/index/asp. 

Debate on Continued Aid to Colombia.  Once again the UCC Justice and Peace Action Network is asking UCC members to contact their US senators, urging that there be a floor debate on the portion of the 2004 foreign aid bill devoted to Colombia.  Included in the bill is $500 million in largely military and police aid that the Senate is apparently set to approve with no debate.  The Network argues that, while “[m]ore than $2.5 billion… has gone to Colombia in the last three years,…there is no indication that the broad and vague goals of Plan Colombia have been met.”  For more information and to send a letter to your senators, go to www.ucctakeaction.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=5083.

School Vouchers in the District of Columbia.  The UCC Justice and Peace Action Network has also asked members to urge members of the US Senate to oppose the funding of school vouchers included in the District of Columbia’s appropriations bill for fiscal year 2004.  Vouchers were approved in the US House of Reps. By one vote, against the wishes of a majority of the DC City Council and of the DC school board.  To see and send a letter that urges opposition to vouchers and also asks for full funding of mandates under the No Child Left Behind Act, go to www.ucctakeaction.org/index.asp.  

Protection of Children.  The UCC’s Justice and Peace Action Network is asking UCC members to address the following two issues involving children.

1.       Unaccompanied Alien Children.  Last year Congress transferred the care and custody of unaccompanied alien children to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, thus taking them out of government detention facilities.  Further action is needed to provide more protection for some 5,000 children (toddlers through 17) who will be detained by the Dept. of Homeland Security this year.  We are asked to urge our Senators to support “The Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act of 2003” (S.1129).  Go to www.ucctakeaction.org/action/index.asp?step=27item=5052 for a sample letter and more information.

2.      Child soldiers.  UCC members are asked to urge their Senators to support U.S. ratification of the Child Soldier Protocol, part of the UN treaty on the Rights of Children.  Human Rights Watch reports that there are 300,000 children who are being forced to serve as soldiers in some 33 armed conflicts around the world.  Certain members of the Senate are resisting support of the protocol.  For more information and a sample letter, go to www.ucctakeaction/org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=5054.

DEACONS’ FUND Contributions to the Deacons’ Fund will be received on every Communion Sunday.  The financial secretaries request that the special Deacons' Fund envelopes found in the envelope boxes or in the pews be used for this purpose.  Please use cash or a check separate from other contributions in this envelope.