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Peace and Justice Action Team

First Churches Peace and Justice Action Team (PJAT) is the voluntary group and formal entity that serves the congregation by hosting, sponsoring, implementing, educating and celebrating faith-inspired social justice and peace activism.  Meeting regularly, we create the opportunity for congregants, community partners, lay leaders and community members to participate in and support various peace, justice, social activist activities.  

 

Our values are informed by our commitment and embodiment of faith: The PJAT:  

  • Amplifies social activism, peace and justice

  • Articulates and shares social justice opportunities with our congregation and community

  • Catalyzes and facilitates ongoing social activism  

  • Collaborates with diverse faith communities and community partners

  • Crafts and facilitates courageous spaces to do our social justice work

  • Embodies our faith and believes in a loving, justice-seeking God

  • Hosts, sponsors and supports social activism that can be sustained and has impact    

  • Is both agile and grounded in our work

  • Makes the distinction between intention and impact and recognize that we are all on a learning journey in how we practice and embody social justice

  • Practices deep listening, openness and radical hospitality

  • Responds with swiftness and flexibility to pressing and ongoing contemporary challenges

  • Supports and engages in the continued resiliency and sustainability of social activism within the congregation and our communities

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To get in touch with PJAT, please email peaceandjustice@firstchurches.org

Upcoming Peace and Justice* Events

5/14/25

12:30 PM

First Churches Front Steps

Faithful Witness Wednesdays

All are invited to join us out in front of First Churches for Faithful Witness Wednesdays, every Wednesday starting on April 2 from 12:30-1:30 out on our front steps. Faithful Wednesdays is an interfaith non-partisan movement calling on concerned citizens to gather weekly to call on Congress to exercise greater moral courage in upholding its Article 1 powers and preventing executive overreach. It is a vigil - literally a time to keep watch and keep awake - rather than a protest.

Register:

5/15/25

2:00 PM

Virtual

PROCLAMATION LAB: PL7 - Responding to Christian Nationalism

The Rev. Corey J. Sanderson, S.T.M, has served local churches in the United Church of Christ for the last twenty-five years. During those same years, he has taught college courses in Philosophy, Ethics, and Religious Studies, including a recent course on Progressive Protestant Christianity at Emmanuel College in Boston. Corey is excited to share some insights, resources, and practical suggestions of how our progressive churches might help deconstruct the current Christian Nationalist narratives and offer people in our communities a much better story.

Register:

https://sneucc-reg.brtapp.com/PROCLAMATIONLABPL7RespondingtoChristianNationalism

5/18/25

11:15 AM

First Churches Chapel

PJAT Meeting

Agenda TBD

Register:

5/19/25

6:30 PM

Virtual

Confronting Islamophobia & Anti-Muslim Hate

Join Congregations Organized for a New Connecticut to learn about these forms of bias and hatred and how to act in solidarity with our Jewish & Muslim peers.

Register:

https://form.jotform.com/250925705949165?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=duplicate-of-q1-2025

5/21/25

6:30 PM

Virtual

Confronting Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate

Join Congregations Organized for a New Connecticut to learn about these forms of bias and hatred and how to act in solidarity with our Jewish & Muslim peers.

Register:

https://form.jotform.com/250925705949165?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=duplicate-of-q1-2025

*Not all events are hosted by the First Churches Peace and Justice Action Team, but all are in line with its goals and mission

General Resources for Action

The following advocacy resources have been compiled by PJAT, to be publically available to anyone in our community. They have been sorted by issue area, and are regularly updated. 

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Protecting Democracy, Resisting Authoritarianism:

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Immigrant and Refugee Rights:

Environmental Justice:

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Humanitarian Aid Abroad

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Transgender Rights and Safety:

  • Trans Relocation Support Western MA, an organization which provides assistance for transgender individuals and families who need to relocate from areas of the country that are passing anti-trans legislation : https://trswmass.com/

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Federal Budget:

 

Keeping Hope Alive:

First Churches of Northampton

Contact Us

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Phone: 1-413-584-9392

Email: admin@firstchurches.org

Office Hours M-F, 9am-3pm

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129 Main Street

Northampton, MA 01060

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