Doug Renick, a member of the Peace and Justice Steering Committee, recently offered the Opening Words in worship. He used the occasion to talk about Haydenville Congregational Church’s social justice mission. And he offered scripture passages and other readings to explain why we do the work we do. The text of his remarks can be found in the Inspiration Blog on our website. 

 PEOPLE WE PAY ATTENTION TO AND CARE FOR:

• The hungry
• The houseless
• The different
• Those treated unfairly (inequity)
• The excluded
• Those denied justice
• Women who are denied reproductive rights
• LGBTQ+ who are denied their human rights
• Those living amidst the killing, maiming and destruction of war and violence:
• Reducing the risk of nuclear war
• Centering and embedding diplomacy in foreign policy; peace, not war
• Decreasing the military/defense budget
• Eliminating nuclear weapons
• Ending endless wars
• Poor and low wealth people–abolishing poverty
• Welcoming refugees and asylum seekers
• Ending incarceration in an unjust criminal justice system
• Those denied their voting rights; their right to speak up