Ministries: Social Justice Commitee

Register for Classes and Events

Social Justice Classes

Prison Ministry: Mentoring 101 will be held at the Denver Inner City Parish

Tuesdays, January 24-February 14, 2012; 7:00-8:30. Pastor Richard Lewis, who has worked with ex-offenders and others in his deliverance ministry for ten years, will lead a four-week training program for people wishing to learn about this vulnerable population. If you are interested in exploring mentoring an ex-offender, contact Patrick Hellman, 303 807 6990 or visit the Outreach page on the St. Andrew website.

Just Desserts

Join us for Just Desserts on 3rd Fridays, through May, in the chapel for Social Justice’s film series, discussion and dessert. Sometimes provocative, always informative and helpful. Contact Heidi Parish or Daryl Shute.

All showings start at 7:00 pm on Friday in the chapel and are followed with desserts and moderated discussion.  Caution: Some of the films have content not appropriate for children.  Questions or ideas?  Contact Heidi Parish, 720-206-5733 or Daryl Shute, 303-903-0653.

 

Just Desserts 2011-2012 Schedule

February 10 - Bag It

This is a touching and often funny documentary about how we use and abuse plastic. The film is an eye-opening look at the environmental and health dangers posed by the global use of disposable, non-biodegradable plastic products. Told with wit and humor, Bag It follows “everyman” Jeb Berrier as he embarks on a global tour to unravel the complexities of our plastic world.  

March 16 - The Story of Citizens United

Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United ruling that corporations have a “right” to spend unlimited money influencing elections, we have overwhelming evidence of the damage done to our democracy.  This short film explains the ruling, its fallout and why we need to overturn it.

April 20 - The Better Life

Carlos Galindo, a simple, decent, 40-year-old Mexican man, doesn't ask much from life - just to keep tending the yards of L.A.'s wealthy and to give his estranged son Luis a better life than he had. But when a business opportunity that would have allowed him to take control of his destiny is stolen from under his nose, his life is thrown into chaos. 

May 18 - I Am

Ace Ventura director Tom Shadyac takes a sharp left turn in the documentary I Am. After a bike accident that results in cuts, bruises, and a concussion, he sinks into a depression, and considers the state of the world. He wonders why it's in such a mess, and decides it's because of aggressively competitive people like him: Americans who strive to amass wealth at the expense of their well being, their interpersonal relationships, and the environment that sustains them.

 

Fair Trade

FAIR TRADE COFFEES, TEAS, CHOCOLATE BARS, COCO MIX and BAKING COCO are sold every 3rd Sunday in Fellowship Hall.
This ministry helps small farmers in underdeveloped countries by using co-ops to gain better pricing and distribution of their products. There are several new teas being offered, so stop by and check us out. Join us in being “fair” to small farmers and their families.

 

St. Andrew Green Team

Are you interested in joining St. Andrew’s Green Team? We have ideas: Eco-Justice Section in the St. Andrew Library, “Big muscle” activities for young and old, Seedlings for Peace tree planting for young and old - Sunday, May 6----What would YOU like to see St. Andrew’s Green Team doing? Our first meeting is Sunday, March 11, 11:30am, Rm. B249. Sound like fun? Join us. Contact Joy Jamison, 303-937-0872, jnlparkies@comcast.net

 

Social Justice Committee

Come learn about current and vital social justice issues and actions you can take to address the root causes of injustice. All are welcome to attend our regular meetings on the 2nd Sunday of each month, 4:30–6:30pm. For information, please contact Jeri Dwyer, Chairperson.

For More Information: Hunger Issues / Eco-Justice / Fair Trade / Peace Issues / SJ Classes

 

Do you know the difference between charity and social justice?

Charity; Social Service * Private, individual acts * Responds to immediate need * Provides direct service: food, clothing, shelter * Requires repeated actions * Directed at the effects of injustice: symptoms

Justice… Social Change * Public, collective actions * Responds to long-term need * Promotes social change in institutions: i.e. changing corporate policies, legislative advocacy * Resolves structural injustice * Directed at the root causes of social injustice

Click here to download a copy of our brochure

As guided by the Social Principle of the united Methodist Church and the teachings of the Gospel, join us in learning about the complicated issues behind social injustice and change offered through the following subcommittees:

Hunger Issues / Eco-Justice / Fair Trade / Peace Issues / Classes and related offereings

 

What are the Social Principles?

The Social Principles of the UMC are a prayerful and thoughtful effort on the part of the General Conference to speak to the human issues in the contemporary world from a sound biblical and theological foundation as historically demonstrated in United Methodist traditions. www.umc-gbcs.org

To see the 2009-2012 Social Principles, click here

 

Hunger Issues

Offering of Letters - Sunday, April 10

Who is Bread for the World?

Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging our nation’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad. Bread for the World members write their US Congress representatives on bi-partisan legislation that helps poor and hungry people both here in the United States and around the world. Bread for the World members write personal letters and emails and meet with our members of Congress. Working through our churches, campuses, and other organizations, we engage more people in advocacy. Each year, Bread for the World invites churches across the country to take up a nationwide Offering of Letters to Congress on an issue that is important to hungry and poor people.

Hunger facts:

• 1.5 billion people are in extreme poverty, living on less than $1.25 a day.
• Even though there has been an overall percentage decrease, 925 million people still suffer from chronic hunger worldwide, nearly 90 million higher than in 2000.
• More than 350,000 women die every year from complications during pregnancy, childbirth, or in the six weeks after delivery.
• 24,000 children die every day from poverty, hunger, and preventable diseases. That’s one child every 3.6 seconds.

2011 Offering of Letter’s campaign

This year, Bread for the World is seeking changes on four fronts:

• A stronger U.S. government focus on reducing poverty
• Clearer accountability for how U.S. aid dollars are spent and their results
• A transformed U.S. development agency
• U.S. aid that meets the needs and wants of local people

Sample letter for this year's campaign:

Dear your U.S. senators or your U.S. representative ,

I’m asking you to reform the way the United States delivers foreign assistance so it will help millions of people in poor countries move out of hunger and poverty. Streamlined and more efficient U.S. foreign aid programs will ensure that our tax dollars are used effectively and that the aid we give is what local people in poor countries such as Haiti and Liberia really need.

By focusing our aid dollars on moving people out of poverty, we help foster economic growth and opportunity. Fewer people struggling with poverty and stronger, growing economies in developing countries contribute to our own national security as well.
This is why I am asking you to support reforms in the ways we deliver and administer U.S foreign aid. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Your Name and address

 How to Compose an Effective Letter

 

Hunger Booklets

For the past two years Schawn Kellogg and her daughter and nieces have written and illustrated books for children to raise awareness about hunger issues. These books have been used by Bread for the World and local churches in their hunger campaigns. Download a pdf of the books below. Just click on the cover.

          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eco-Justice at St. Andrew

Green Fact: - Energy at St. Andrew UMC We all know how much positive energy exists at St. Andrew, but did you know how much energy we also save? A series of efforts are underway to reduce energy consumption by increasing efficiencies and conserving energy use. Why is saving energy such an important issue? Although our new building was built to high standards of efficiency and conservation, it is a large complex and the energy bills are quite high. Given that energy costs are expected to rise in the future, it behooves us to be good stewards of our operating budget and reduce costs where we can. In addition, most of the electricity in Colorado comes from coal-fired power plants, which emit pollutants such as mercury, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen compounds, carbon dioxide and particulate matter. As stewards of God’s earth, including water, air, soil, and other natural resources, we seek to lighten our load on the planet. Current energy-saving steps at St. Andrew include: use of curtains which maximize sun in winter and minimize heat and glare in summer; high quality windows; caulking and weather stripping on doors; and maintaining an inside temperature that attempts to maximize comfort while not wasting energy.

Steps which have just recently been implemented include: carbon dioxide monitoring to control the amount of outside air brought into the building for ventilation, reduction of light use in parking lot after 11 PM and before 6AM, and posting signs near light switches and computers requesting that all of us turn them off when not in use. Turning off lights and computers is quite beneficial as computers draw the equivalent of 70 watts of power even when in sleep mode. We can all assist by turning off lights and computers when they are not needed, and by increasing our use of sweaters when we are sensitive to drafts!

All creation is the Lord's and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it. Water, air, soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space are to be valued and conserved because they are God's creation and not solely because they are useful to human beings. God has granted us stewardship of creation. We should meet these stewardship duties through acts of loving care and respect. Economic, political, social and technological deve3lopments have increased our human numbers, and lengthened and enriched our lives. However, these developments have led to regional defoliation, dramatic extinction of species, massive human suffering, overpopulation, and misuse and over consumption of natural and nonrenewable resources, particularly by industrialized societies. This continued course of action jeopardizes the natural heritage that God has entrusted to all generations. Therefore, let us recognize the responsibility of the church and its members to place a high priority on changes in economic, political, social and technological lifestyles to support a more ecologically equitable and sustainable world leading to a higher quality of life for all of God's creation. 2004 Book of Discipline, Social Principles ¶160

More from the Social Principles of the UMC

Paragraph 160.1 B Energy resources Utilization- "...We urge wholehearted support of the conservation of energy and responsible development of all energy resources, with special concern for the development of renewable energy sources, that the goodness of the earth may be affirmed."

Paragraph 160.1.C Animal Life- "We encourage the preservation of all animal species including those threatened with extinction."

Eco-Justice Activities

  • Visit to National Center for Atmospheric Research in June, 2006
  • Gather volunteers to build a sight barrier for church recycling bins
  • Guest Speaker to discuss global warming in September, 2006
  • Sunday School class for adults on Living Sustainably in fall 2006
  • Show film, "An Inconvenient Truth" in October 2006 and in January 2007
  • Recycling Bring your extra packing material (bubble wrap, Styrofoam, popcorn, plastic sheets) and a volunteer will take it to be used to pack art for shipment. Bins are on the Lower level in the open space near the Children’s reception desk at the base of the stairwell leading from the West Gathering Space on Sunday and the material is picked up after the final service. Thru mid-January.
    • StepItUp! at Climate Change Rally, Sat, Apr 14, 10am-12pm at First Plymouth UCC

200+ Computers & Electronics Recycled! - More than 50 St. Andrew’s families recycled computers, printers, and electronics at the Viva Verde Green Team’s drive in cooperation with G&S Mountain Recyclers on Sunday, September 9. This Longmont company completely disassembles and recycles outdated electronics, and refurbishes newer models to be donated to non-profits. Families who delivered unused equipment help to provide jobs for developmentally disabled adults, keep hazardous wastes like lead and phosphorous from their computers from entering landfills, and provide recycled materials for building new computers and electronics. Some materials, like crushed glass from the monitors, is shipped all the way to Brazil to be reused. For more information on reducing your family’s waste and sustaining our planet, visit http://www.greenteamproject.org/Denverindex2.htm. For information on computer and electronics recycling pick-ups from G&S Mountain Recycling, go to www.mountainrecyclers.com

How Can I Help to Care for God's Creation?

Take Action

  • Conserve energy: turn off the lights, lower your thermostat, and investigate using "green energy" such as wind or solar power
  • Drive smart and drive less: use a fuel-efficient car or choose carpooling, public transit, biking or walking
  • Write your Member of Congress and the president and urge them to address the global climate crisis now! Take action at www.umpower.org
  • Reduce: buy less stuff! Reuse: use reusable container for lunch and coffee hours! Recycle3: paper, glass, aluminum and even plastics
  • Save water: turn off the tap while you brush your teeth and take shorter showers
  • Other actions to reduce global warming at www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/whatyoucando/

Research

  • Eco-Justice Ministries - www.eco-justice.org Detailed curriculum reviews, tips for a range of church programs, Eco-Justice Notes
  • National Council of Churches eco-justice program - www.nccecojustice.org A mix of theological statements, congregational resources and political advocacy
  • UMC General board of Church and Society - www.umc-gbcs.org This UM website has a Natural World page with links to relevant publications and organizations
  • Web of Creation - www.webofcreation.org A very helpful ecumenical resource

Educate

  • The Ethos of the Cosmos: The Genesis of Moral Imagination in the Bible, William P. Brown
  • Earth Community, Earth Ethics, Larry L Rasmussen
  • Life is a Miracle, Wendell Berry
  • Living Downstream: A Scientist's Personal Investigation of Cancer and the Environment, Sandra Steingraber
  • A Sand County Almanac: With essays on conservation from the Round River, Aldo Leopold
  • Silent Spring, Rachel Carson
  • Super, Natural Christians: How we should love nature, Sallie McFague

United Methodist Church Resolution


Peace And Related Issues

War and Peace - We believe war is incompatible with the teachings and example of Christ. We therefore reject war as an instrument of nation foreign policy, to be employed only as a last resort in the prevention of such evils as genocide, brutal suppression of human rights, and unprovoked international aggression. We insist that the first moral duty of all nations is to resolve by peaceful means every dispute that arises between or among them; that human values must out weigh military claims as governments determine their priorities; that the militarization of society must be challenged and stopped; that the manufacture, sale, and deployment of armaments must be reduced and controlled; and that the production, possession or use of nuclear weapons be condemned. Consequently, we endorse general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control. Social Principles ¶ 165.VI.C

A Statement of Conscience from the United Methodist Bishops

********General Board of Church & Society

 

Some Important Links

Eco-Justice links

Fair Trade

War and Related Issues

Hunger Issues

 

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