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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

Peace and Justice Calendar

Sep 13, 2025

First Churches of Northampton

1:00 PM

to

5:00 PM

Confronting the Immigrant Deportation Crisis: An Interfaith Valley Forum and Call to Action

The Trump agenda to detain and deport hundreds of thousands of persons of foreign origin without due process violates the very essence of "America" as expressed in the famous Statue of Liberty inscription. It also threatens to cripple many sectors of the U.S. economy that rely on immigrant workers, including construction,manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and the hotel/restaurant industry. And it inflicts needless fear and suffering upon millions of individuals and families who have come here -- whether legally or not -- "yearning to breathe free."

This event will consist of two panel discussions, a "Call to action fair," and a keynote talk from Rev. Christina Rathbone, author of "The Asylum Seekers." Click below for more details on the event schedule and panelists.

Read More

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-4pm

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129 Main Street

Northampton, MA 01060

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