Just Peace Convenant

The Just Peace Church vision is a hallmark of United Church of Christ theological identity. For 30 years, the Just Peace Church pronouncement has inspired a grassroots movement of UCC congregations committed to corporately naming and boldly proclaiming a public identity as a justice-doing, peace-seeking church. The Just Peace pronouncement articulated the UCC position on war and peace distinct from other approaches such as crusade, pacifism, or “just war.” Grounded in UCC polity and covenantal theology, the position focuses attention on alleviating systemic injustice of all types using non-violence and calls us to offer the message, grounded in the hope of reconciliation in Jesus, that “Peace is possible.” FCCGE adopted the Just Peace Covenant in the June 3, 2018. Read more from the UCC here.

JUST PEACE COVENANT

He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? — Micah 6:8

Our Beliefs
Just Peace invites all of us to testify with our actions and lives. As a Just Peace Church, it is our commitment to act in love, faith and spirit as we live and work toward:

Just Peace in the community – so that all may live free from fear
We pledge to recognize everyone as a child of God, celebrate diversity to promote peaceful resolutions to conflict, and engage in non-violent resistance to evil.

Just Peace with the environment – so that life is sustained
We pledge to respect and preserve God’s earth and to accept responsibility for loving our planet and its living creatures through care and conservation; and recognize that the environmental crisis is profoundly an ethical and spiritual crisis that disparately impacts the marginalized.

Just Peace in society – so that all may live with dignity
We pledge to be in kinship with people of limited economic, health and social resources and to collaborate with other organizations who advocate for justice and peace, working to bring about systemic change in societal ills and issues.

Just Peace among the nations – so that human lives are protected
We pledge to be a voice in the world, use our resources to disrupt inequality and injustice, and provide opportunities for education, engagement, and public witness on issues of social reform and public policy.

Therefore, we resolve to grow in love of God and neighbor as a Just Peace congregation and faithfully live out our vision to be grounded in tradition, centered in worship, called to serve, fortified by justice, sustained by peace, and free to dream.

Adopted by the First Congregational Church of Glen Ellyn June 3, 2018.