PC(USA) - Presbyterian Women, Justice


	Justice and Peace Links Links is the electronic newsletter of Presbyterian Women’s Justice and Peace Committee. Each issue explores a topic of justice and peace and offers suggestions for how to be involved and advocate on the topic. Read the current and previous issues.


	Justice and Peace Alerts for Women Subscribe to the Justice and Peace Alerts for Women, an email list that provides information on all concerns affecting women and families, sponsored by the Office of Women’s Advocacy and Presbyterian Women’s Justice and Peace Committee. We will send alerts as often as issues arise, calling for action on legislation or community organizing. This is a distribution-only list designed to inform and the system will not let you respond to messages you receive. If you have questions, please contact Molly Casteel.


	Initiatives and Emphases Antiracism Initiative The voting representatives to the 2000 Churchwide Business Meeting of Presbyterian Women unanimously approved a resolution declaring Presbyterian Women an antiracism organization and reaffirmed their 1997 commitment to strive to eradicate racism. The voting representatives acknowledged that “racism is imbedded in the very structure of our society and thus requires a very intentional effort to eradicate it” Learn more about the Antiracism Initiative.


	Racial Ethnic Dialog The Racial Ethnic Dialog Group consists of 21 women, including white and racial ethnic members-at-large from the Churchwide Coordinating Team of Presbyterian Women and women from each of the six racial ethnic women’s constituency groups (African American, Asian American, Hispanic/Latin, Korean American, Middle Eastern American and Native American). The group seeks to honor the gifts of all people while finding ways to dialogue and work together as an inclusive caring community. Following the success of the racial ethnic dialog on a churchwide level, Presbyterian Women established funding for synods to create their own racial ethnic dialogs. Learn more about the racial ethnic dialog.


	Highlight of PW’s Involvement in Justice and Peacemaking Presbyterian Women and its predecessor organizations have been involved in advocacy on many issues of justice and peace, including hunger, racism and domestic violence. Learn more about the history of advocacy.


	Theological Basis for Social Justice and Peacemaking Presbyterian Women affirms that advocacy on issues of justice and peace is part of living out one’s faith. Scripture verses as well as church documents and statements call Presbyterian Women to be involved in working toward justice and peace for all of God’s people. Learn more about the theological basis for justice and peace advocacy.


	Other Offices and Organizations Several offices of the Presbyterian Church’s General Assembly work on justice and peace issues. Women’s Ministries A ministry that supports and coordinates the various programs for women, including women’s advocacy and young women’s ministries Mission Responsibility Through Investment A committee of the General Assembly that advocates for socially-responsible financial investments for the denomination as well as its members Presbyterian Health, Education and Welfare Association A community of ministries organized around 10 networks that provide programmatic, organizational and technical assistance to justice issues having to do with health and wellness Presbyterian Hunger Program A ministry that works to alleviate hunger and eliminate its causes, responding with compassion and justice to poor and hungry people in local communities in the United States and internationally Presbyterian Peacemaking Program A ministry that provides resources, events and programs to help the church grow in its witness and commitment to peacemaking Presbyterian United Nations Office Part of the Presbyterian Peacemaking Office that advocates the concerns of the PC(USA) to the United Nations and also educates Presbyterians about how to put faith into action in the global arena Presbyterian Washington Office The public policy information and advocacy office of the General Assembly that advocates and helps the church to advocate the social witness perspectives and policies of the General Assembly In addition to Presbyterian ministries for justice and peace, various secular and ecumenical organizations are working toward justice and peace. The following links will take you off Presbyterian Women’s and the PC(USA)’s Web site; neither the PC(USA) nor Presbyterian Women endorses or controls the content of the external pages. Church World Service A relief, development, and refugee assistance ministry of 35 Protestant, Orthodox, and Anglican denominations in the United States Children’s Defense Fund A nonprofit organization that advocates for children’s rights, including education, healthcare, economic security and other social justice issues ECPAT-USA (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes-USA) A network of organizations and individuals working together for the elimination of child prostitution, child pornography and trafficking of children for sexual purposes