This is at the very core of the calling of Justice and Witness Ministries in particular and the United Church of Christ in general. We have a history of loving kindness through our generous support of such programs as Habitat for Humanity. The World Council of Churches has declared the decade beginning 2001 as a Decade to Overcome Violence. It has invited churches around the world to declare ending violence as part of their mission.
Every local church can do something to end violence.
Together we can be a strong voice for change, a powerful network of prayer for peace, a strong example of doing justice in our world today. The new staff of Justice and Witness Ministries has spent time doing Bible study focusing on overcoming violence. Each of our teams has been studying, praying and trying to discern God's word for us today. The results will become the first resource of the new Justice and Witness Ministries and will be available in January for local churches to use in their own discernment processes. Let us join together with churches around the world in working to overcome violence.