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

First adopted by the 1972 General Conference, the Social Principles document stands in the Wesleyan tradition of forthright moral witness and ethical action.

 

During an eight year timeframe, Church and Society managed a global process to revise the Social Principles in their entirety (2012 – 2020). The momentous effort was adopted by General Conference Charlotte, 2024.

 

The Social Principles as adopted by General Conference Charlotte, 2024, will officially take effect January 1, 2025. Cokesbury, the United Methodist publishing house will print the updated, official UMC Social Principles booklet in 2025.

EndRacism

The Justice Ministry Team suggests
the following resources to learn more about this

important justice issue and how you can help.

UMC.org/EndRacism

UMC Dismantling Racism

Council of Bishops The Scourge of Racism

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.

To learn 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.

JUSTICE MATTERS CELEBRATION
MONDAY | JUNE 15 | 6-8 PM
FUMC WEST CAMPUS
867 W HWY 40, 66049

Join us as we celebrate our work and invest in our future! 

JUSTICE MATTERS!

Great Plains News: Justice advocates across Great Plains gather to solve community problems.

During the last week of April, thousands of justice-craving volunteers — many of them affiliated with Great Plains Conference United Methodist churches — gathered in churches, college campuses and hotel ballrooms across Kansas and Nebraska in an effort to make their communities better places during Nehemiah Assemblies. ….

Justice Matters moves toward nurse-family partnerships

LAWRENCE — After celebrating advancements in the eldercare workforce and working toward ending chronic homelessness, Justice Matters turned its attention to better care for young, expectant mothers during its Nehemiah Action Assembly on April 26. …..

Rev. Dr. Kirstie Engel is co-vice president
of Justice Matters. Photo by David Burke

Interested in being part of the Justice Matters Network? Contact one of our Team Leaders:

Deb Engstrom, Janelle Johnson, Ann Spangler and Sara Wentz.