Justice Ministry is a ministry of First Church
Raising awareness, educating, sharing resources and information, and actively addressing core issues of injustice and inequality in our community and beyond.
Learn to do good. Seek justice: help the oppressed;
defend the orphan; plead for the widow.
Isaiah 1:17 CEB
Our Social Principles 2020
Since its founding, the United Methodist Church has spoken to the issues of the day as an expression of the Wesleyan commitment to social holiness. The 2020 revised Social Principles continues this tradition. The Social Principles are not church law. Instead, they represent the prayerful and earnest efforts of the General Conference to speak to issues in the contemporary world from a sound biblical and theological foundation that is in keeping with the best of our United Methodist traditions. Click the image to read the Social Principals 2020 document.
EndRacism
The Justice Ministry Team suggests
the following resources to learn more about this
important justice issue and how you can help.
Reconciling Hearts
First Church is a member of Reconciling Ministries Network.
Reconciling Ministries Network is committed to intersectional justice across and beyond the United Methodist connection, working for the full participation of all LGBTQ+ people throughout the life and leadership of the Church.
First United Methodist Church is part of the Reconciling Ministries Network. As a Reconciling congregation, this means we support full equality in membership, ordination, and marriage for God’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender children. This issue has caused some divisiveness in the denomination and some next steps will be considered in the upcoming General Conference in 2024. To learn more, the following resource provides current information on the way forward for United Methodists.
A Conversation with Mark Holland
Recorded Video: February 18, 2024
Lawrence First United Methodist
Speaking: Rev. Dr. Mark Holland
Church Mainstream UMC Executive Director
April 23 – March 3, 2024
Charlotte, North Carolina
Completed in 2020, this new draft document reflects the United Methodist response to today’s most pressing social issues and is pending adoption at The General Conference 2024.
To learn more about the global movement toward inclusion
check out these important Methodist partners in the struggle for Justice.
Justice Matters
Justice Matters is a collaboration of 21 religious organizations that have joined together in order to research viable solutions to systemic situations that exist in the city. Members of First Church participate as Justice Network Members (JNM), who agree to work alongside clergy in building a powerful justice ministry within the congregation that promotes love, hope, promise, and abundance and extends into the life of the local community.
Interested in being part of the Justice Matters Network? Contact one of our Team Leaders:
Deb Engstrom, Janelle Johnson, Rose Schmidt, Gary Schmidt, Ann Spangler and Sara Wentz.