Become a Member and a Local Church Covenant Partner
The Justice & Witness Action Network (JWAN) is a justice movement of justice leaders, clergy and local churches of the Central Atlantic Conference (CAC) of the United Church of Christ (UCC) building and organizing power to secure a just and compassionate world for all. JWAN serves as the primary arm for the Conference to carry out its mission and agenda for justice and witness ministries. It is a grassroots advocacy network composed of individual members, clergy and local churches across the Conference. Our work is grounded in a biblical understanding of justice, CAC and UCC General Synod resolutions, consonant with a historic UCC witness, prophetic ministry and action, and a set of guiding principles to define our witness.
We are building a powerful, faithful and impactful organizing network that educates and engages members in community organizing, grassroots advocacy, prophetic witness and action, civic engagement and political action and shaping public policy.
JWAN HISTORY
JWAN was organized in 2019 as a new justice movement of CAC with the purpose of having a transformative impact and creating lasting change around issues of justice. Our first campaign was the Faith & Democracy 2020 campaign. This campaign engaged more than a 60 local churches in non-partisan civic engagement to empower and encourage citizens to vote in the 2020 Election. Since, justice leaders and clergy have organized issue-based networks through engagement in campaigns and initiatives on issues including racial justice, environmental and climate justice, Palestine-Israel, immigration-sanctuary, human rights for LGBTQAI+, and voting rights and promoting democracy. We have also organized state-regional action networks in Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland through the leadership of justice leaders and clergy. And, we hope to do the same in Delaware and New Jersey. We are exploring 501c3 non-profit status as a related organization of the Conference to strengthen our capacity and live more fully into vision and mission.
JWAN MEMBERSHIP & LOCAL CHURCH COVENANT PARTNERSHIP
Covenant is about relationship, a relationship built upon love, unity, and common purpose. Covenant is key to responding to God’s call to be a united and uniting church working for justice.
We invite justice leaders and clergy from across CAC to become members of JWAN. Local churches can become a Covenant Partner of JWAN. Members and Local Church Covenant Partners will have the opportunity to shape the agenda and programming of JWAN through their participation in campaigns, initiatives, and JWAN’s state-regional action and issue-based networks. JWAN will provide guidance and support to members and Local Church Covenant Partners, including:
Grounding in theological and biblical calling and understanding of justice.
Education and training in community organizing, grassroot advocacy, power building, prophetic witness and action, voter engagement and public policy advocacy.
Building a Local Church based Justice & Witness Action Team
Local Church Covenant Partners can also contribute annually to JWAN financially above and beyond their annual giving to Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM), but it is not a requirement.
Here are recommendations:
Small Congregation (<100 members) - $500-$1,000
Mid-Size Congregation (100-249 members) - $1,000-$3,000
Large Congregation (250+ members) - $3,000-$5,000
JWAN spends its dollars on investing in the strength, capacity, and voice of our justice leaders, clergy and local churches. We look forward to you joining us in this important justice movement as a member and local church covenant partner.