Synod 34 Reflections: Kayla Bonewell
This year at Synod we passed some amazing and forward-thinking resolutions. These social justice issues will be advocated for by our National Setting, but it's important for our local churches to brainstorm ways to contribute towards each resolution in our neighborhoods and towns. You can find all of the resolutions here, and below are 4 ways you can incorporate these resolutions in your local church.
1) Present the resolutions in a newsletter, maybe highlighting one per month
2) Use the resolutions as the focus for your next adult education class or even youth group lesson
3) Discuss each resolution at a different table during your next potuck
4) Preach about each resolution. You could do a sermon-series, or preach on one per month.
At my churches, we will be covering one resolution per month for the next year during worship. The resolutions line up nicely with the different various "awareness" month themes.
Faithful Advocacy for Intersectional and Transformational Healing in Harm Reduction (September is National Recovery month)
Closing the Digital Divide: Calling on the UCC to Seek Digital Justice and Inclusion (October includes Digital Inclusion week)
Actively Affirming the Human Dignity of Transgender and Nonbinary Persons (November is Trans awareness month)
Supporting Public School Educators, Academic Freedom, & Equity Efforts in Schools (January)
(For February we're going to study the new UCC Book "Afro-Christian Convention | The Fifth Stream of the United Church of Christ for Black History Month)
Denouncing the Dobbs Decision and proclaiming abortion as healthcare (March is Women's History month)
Free from Plastic Pollution (April has Earth Day)
A Resolution Urging Planning for and Implementing Electrification (April has Earth Day)
Condemning Prolonged Solitary Confinement as a Form of Torture (June is Torture Awareness month)
Affirming Guns to Gardens and Other Gun Violence Prevention Ministries (June is Gun Violence Awareness month)