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Volume X
Issue 14
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10 November 2015
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Right after graduating from college, I attended the Fellowship of Reconciliation's Peacemaker Training Institute in Washington, DC. It was there, after exploring concepts of non-violent civil disobedience, meeting peace-seekers like Coleman McCarthy, and learning how to plan and enact grassroots actions, that I felt the call to attend seminary in order to figure out the connection between faith and justice. What a long, wild ride it has been!
This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of representing the Methodist Federation for Social Action at the Centennial celebration of the Fellowship of Reconciliation at Riverside Church in New York City. In an interfaith worship service, we heard the words of Arun Gandhi reminding us that "we commit passive violence everyday...that fuels the fire of physical violence."
Later that evening, Anthony Grimes, founder of the Denver Freedom Riders, asked those of us under 40 to stand (almost wasn't able to stand!) and reminded those gathered of the importance of defining a contemporary movement for peace and justice: "We have to resist the temptation to live another generation's movement."
Indeed, the movement for justice is multi-faith, multi-cultural, and multi-generational. May we continue to hope and pray and work so United Methodists can loudly proclaim, "We are justice-seeking people of faith!"
Standing up and seeking justice,
Chett Pritchett Executive Director
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Supreme Court Takes on Religious Freedom and Reproductive Health Cases
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A woman's right to birth control, along with the right to proper health coverage from her place of employment, is once again coming under fire, as the Supreme Court takes on yet another case of an organization challenging the contraception mandate in the Affordable Care Act.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the challenge by a number of non-profit, religiously-affiliated groups against the mandate that requires group health plans to provide full range coverage to women that includes contraception. If the Supreme Court rules in favor of the plaintiffs it would mean another blow to the Affordable Care Act and women's right to full health coverage. The court will begin hearing the case early next year, with a ruling expected by June.
Want to learn more about reproductive health, choice, and justice (HCJ)? Email reproFAN@mfsaweb.org and we'll add you to upcoming Action Alerts, webinars, and planning as part of our new Reproductive HCJ Faith Action Network (FAN)!
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Transgender Day of Remembrance
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Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), which honors the memory of those murdered in acts of anti-transgender violence, is recognized annually on November 20. To date in 2015, 72 known transgender or gender non-conforming persons have died across the globe. Check here for local events - and add to it if your church, organization, or community is not listed. MFSA will highlight stories and prayers on November 19 and 20.
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Moral Mondays in Chicago
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United Methodist clergy and laity have joined the Moral Mondays movement in Chicago and we celebrate their willingness to witness as justice-seeking people of faith, even if that includes arrest. Keep using your voice - and your bodies - as a witness to God's justice and care for all people!
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#GivingTuesday
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Now in it's 4th year, #GivingTuesday is an annual event to celebrate philanthropy and volunteerism. MFSA has three opportunities for you to participate:
1) Donate! Even if you can only afford $10, every bit helps! 2) Post on Twitter and Facebook on Tuesday, December 1 why you give time or talent to MFSA. Use hashtags #WhyIGive and #GivingTuesday 3) Thank those who post their stories of #WhyIGive. Thanking one another is a lost art and we want to celebrate the diversity of ways in which people give!
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MFSA ON THE ROAD
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Saturday, November 14: East Ohio MFSA Fall Meeting, Brecksville UMC. Rev. Steve Clunn, Coalition Coordinator, speaking.
Sunday, November 15: Brecksville UMC, Brecksville, OH; 8:45am and 11:15am; Rev. Steve Clunn, Coalition Coordinator, preaching
Saturday, January 16: Winter Warming, sponsored by Northern Illinois Reconciling United Methodists; First UMC of Arlington Heights, 2:00pm; Chett Pritchett, executive director, presenting
Sunday, January 17: First UMC of Arlington Heights, Arlington Heights, IL, 9:30am; Chett Pritchett, executive director, preaching.
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Justice in the News
Job Postings
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