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Committee
Mission Statement
To accept Christ's call to be responsibly involved in the ministry of His Church by furthering the cause of human rights, social justice, peace, and the preservation of the environment through education and contemplation, advocacy, and service.
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An Invitation from the Social Justice and Peacemaking Committee
The Social Justice & Peacemaking Committee Needs YOU! Environmental issues. Sustainable sanctuary. Immigration reform. Health care reform. Haiti. These are just some of the issues about which SJP is seeking to provide education to the congregation. If you have an interest or passion for topics of the day that affect people’s lives, come be a part of SJP.
We have a lot on our plate and can use your help! For more information, contact Laurie Fisher, 816-268-4770.
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| Committee Focus |
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Church and State
What is the role of a person of faith in the political arena? What does the separation of Church and State mean? Should the Church be involved in politics? These questions have presented a source of controversy to the Church ever since Jesus was asked, "What is appropriate for us to render to Caesar?"
During 2007, the Committee will consider various timely issues that bring the sometimes difficult, uncomfortable relationship between Church and State into sharper focus. Check Calendar of Upcoming Matters/Activities of Interest and look under the "Church and State" column. Also, check the Recommended Books and Movies link and Links of Interest for topical recommendations.
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Communicate with Your Legislator
Missouri State Senate and House by zip code (all nine digits)
(right hand blue column)
Kansas State Senate and House by home address
Kansas City Area Federal Legislators
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Environment
As Church members, we often lose sight that God deemed God's whole creation "good". While God gave dominion of it to us; we have been made the stewards of this miraculous gift since we were created in God's image. As such we are not to waste, despoil or exploit these gifts but are to use them in the service of God and man. Check Calendar of Upcoming Matters/Activities of Interest and look under the "Environment" column. Also, check the Recommended Books and Movies link and Links of Interest for topical recommendations.
Presbyterians Are Also Earthkeepers
Presbytery's Mission Outreach and Social Justice (MOSJ) Committee has a sub-committee working at sustaining God's creation. This group, Earthkeepers, is a representative group from churches in our Presbytery using the GA 2006 initiative that we should "make a bold witness by aspiring to live carbon neutral lives." Below is a questionnaire to see which Heartland Presbytery churches are doing things to make our churches and member families more "green" (Look for Earthkeepers on Heartland website). How would you answer the following questions? Please let us know what you think by printing your responses and placing them Sharon Hamil's file in the church office (
Sharon is the 2008 Moderator for SJP). Thank you.
Land Institute Field Trip 2010
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Health Care
Health care today is one of the public's most significant domestic concerns. It affects all of us in differing ways; whether it's the availability of coverage, the cost of coverage, or the adequacy of coverage. The committee has been actively involved in partnership with the local Church Community Organization ("CCO") in advocating for governmental changes in health care coverage for the poor, and it has supported recent ballot initiatives in respect of smoking. We will continue to educate, advocate and serve in this important area. Check Calendar of Upcoming Matters/Activities of Interest and look under the "Health Care" column. Also, check the Recommended Books and Movies link and Links of Interest for topical recommendations.
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| Health Care Action |
The Social Justice and Peacemaking Committee encourages all folks of Second Presbyterian Church to have a voice in national discussions on health care reform. As the editorial in the current issue of Christian Century puts it,
As…debate heats up, lawmakers will hear a lot from lobbyists about the power of "private markets" and the value of "choice" when it comes to health insurance. They should realize that the voices of the well-funded lobbyists defending the existing system do not speak for the people who have most at stake in this debate: the vast majority of doctors, nurses and (insured and uninsured) patients.
--Century editors, July 14, 2009
The SJP committee endorses no plan or solution, though we have found the principles offered by the PICO Network (CCO is the Kansas City affiliate) to be reasonable goals for any health care program that may emerge.
- Health care reform needs to provide families with quality health insurance choices that are truly affordable regardless of income;
- Reform needs to cover everyone, so that no person relies on an emergency room for their health care or delays treatment because they lack insurance or have been denied coverage;
- Reform needs to protect and enhance the health of lower-income families and children by strengthening Medicaid and SCHIP; and
- Reform needs to rest on a financially sustainable foundation, providing people with the care they need when they need it and controlling costs.
If these principles are helpful to you, you may wish to make use of them as you encourage your elected officials on this issue. Here is a link to information on how to contact your congressional representatives.
Social Justice and Peacemaking Committee
Second Presbyterian Church
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Human Rights
Each person is endowed by God with human dignity, for each of us is created in God's image. Through the ages, God has consistently liberated God's peoples from tyranny and oppression that they might do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with their God. Each of us is called to participate with God in the world by following those examples and engaging in the struggle to free people from sin, fear, oppression, hunger and injustice and to help establish God's just, peaceable and loving world. The Committee has sponsored, and will continue sponsor, educational, advocacy and service opportunities addressing timely subjects in this area. Sometimes those subjects make the front pages and sometimes, unfortunately, they are less well-known. Check Calendar of Upcoming Matters/Activities of Interest and look under the "Human Rights" column. Also, check the Recommended Books and Movies link and Links of Interest for topical recommendations.
Immigration links of interest:
Other links of interest
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Iraq War
Nothing sits on the mind and heart of the American public at the moment more than the Iraq war. It swings elections, it hangs on the front page, and it brings stories of great sadness, heroism, hate, love, treachery and hope to us daily. From its debated beginning, to its prosecution, to the incredible cost in terms of lost and broken lives and spent national treasure, to the religious slaughter that we cannot comprehend, it is a matter of great interest to all of us and it often divides us as well. The Committee has sponsored, and will continue to sponsor educational, advocacy and service opportunities in this area. Check Calendar of Upcoming Matters/Activities of Interest and look under the "Iraq War" column. Also, check the Recommended Books and Movies link and Links of Interest for topical recommendations.
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Living Wage
Last year, the Committee sponsored a group reading of the book Nickel and Dimed and a series of discussions afterward. This year, a number of people in the congregation attended a play of the same title. The Committee educated the congregation on the minimum wage increase ballot initiative that the people of Missouripassed in November 2006, and the Committee remains committed to continuing efforts to educate and advocate on behalf of efforts to promote implementation of a "living wage" concept throughout the country. Check Calendar of Upcoming Matters/Activities of Interestand look under the "Living Wage" column. Also, check the Recommended Books and Movies link and Links of Interestfor topical recommendations.
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| Recommended Books and Movies |
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| Links of Interest |
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| Calendar Of Upcoming Events/Activities of Interest |
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