In witnessing to God’s call to be a prophetic church of justice, peace, diversity, inclusion, and love, the Social Justice Ministry Board will:  study the gospel in its bearing on people in society; provide and publish information on social issues; formulate and promote programs of social justice education; and cooperate with the agencies of the UCC and other organizations to plan and implement activities that promote the progressive Christian principles and values of the United Church of Christ and effectuate the gospel commandment to love our neighbor in our local community and in the larger community.

We are an Open and Affirming(ONA), Accessible to ALL(A2A) congregation.

The Social Justice Ministry Board meets the Third Tuesday of the Month at 6PM

Christian Fellowship Congregational Church of San Diego

Statement on Palestine and Israel War

March 21, 2024

Lent 2024 – From Minneapolis to Palestine: Nourishing the Rising Up Journey – Join The Movement (jointhemovementucc.org):

“We enter this season surrounded by the violence and death of the war in Israel and Palestine. As we remember and are guided by the rising-up journey of Jesus through life-denying occupation and violence in his own Palestinian context, we must also recognize that we undertake our Lenten journey in today’s context of the ongoing systematic killing of people in Gaza (over 10,000 children in the first 100 days) and the decades-long apartheid conditions in all of Palestine. Our racial justice work this Lent – our loving accountability to God’s vision of justice and compassion – requires that we remain awake to the truth so eloquently put by Fannie Lou Hamer: nobody’s free until everybody’s free. So, in this season, we explore the inextricable links between the Movement for Black Lives and Palestinian liberation as a Lent practice of prophetic action, beloved community, and spiritual nourishment. We hope you’ll join us on this rising up journey and reconnect and recommit to joining the movement toward racial justice!”

The United Church of Christ has an extensive and extraordinary history of “doing justice, seeking peace, and building community.” Our denomination is deeply involved in social justice, human rights, and anti-racism work. From supporting and defending the 39 African refugees who led a rebellion against their captives on the Amistad, to the founding of Black colleges and universities in the South for newly freed African slaves, to playing a vital role in the Civil Rights Movement, the United Church of Christ continues to be at the forefront on the struggle for social justice worldwide. Our Faith in God has been the foundation for the UCC’s commitment to the work of social justice. Today, we see the suffering and dying of thousands of Palestinian people in Gaza at the hands of the Israeli military. The unjust and genocidal military campaigns call us – members of Christian Fellowship Congregational Church of San Diego, UCC to join the cries of others around the world to demand an immediate cease-fire of the war in Gaza.

On October 7, 2023, almost 1,500 Israelis were slaughtered, and hundreds more were injured and taken hostage by Hamas, who led an attack on Israel from Gaza. In response to this horrific terrorist attack, the Israeli military invaded Gaza. It carried out a brutal campaign, resulting in the deaths of almost 40,000 Palestinians, including thousands of innocent and unarmed women and children. Israel’s use of 1,000- and 2,000-pound bombs is on par with the bombing campaigns of WWII. This large-scale bombing has resulted in the destruction of almost all of Gaza’s hospitals, along with many houses of worship and cultural centers, leaving large portions of Gaza uninhabitable. Over 1 million Palestinian people in Gaza have been displaced from their homes, and large-scale famine and starvation are imminent. Israel has cut off water, gas, and electricity for most of Gaza, which has caused unconscionable suffering and harm to hundreds of thousands of people who live in Gaza. Israel has dramatically reduced humanitarian aid, and this lack of food, fuel, medical supplies, and other life-sustaining materials continues also to have a devastating and catastrophic impact on the people of Gaza.

Under international law, genocide is a “crime committed with the intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, in whole or in part.” The collective punishment of the Palestinian people of Gaza by Israel must be condemned, and it must come to an end. We lend our voices to the millions of people around the world, including more than 1,000 African-American pastors and clergy in the United States, and call for an immediate cease-fire and an end to this war.

Social Justice Ministry Board

Christian Fellowship Congregational Church of San Diego

United Church of Christ

• Lent 2024 – From Minneapolis to Palestine: Nourishing the Rising Up Journey Link
  • Statement on Palestine and Israel War

    March 13th, 2024

    “We enter this season surrounded by the violence and death of the war in Israel and Palestine.  As we remember and are guided by the rising up journey of Jesus through life-denying occupation and violence in his own Palestinian context, we must also recognize that we undertake our Lenten journey in today’s context of the ongoing systematic killing of people in Gaza (over 10,000 children in the first 100 days) and the decades long apartheid conditions in all of Palestine.  Our racial justice work this Lent – our loving accountability to God’s vision of justice and compassion – requires that we remain awake to the truth so eloquently put by Fannie Lou Hamer: nobody’s free until everybody’s free.  So in this season, we explore the inextricable links between the Movement for Black Lives and Palestinian liberation as a Lent practice of prophetic action, beloved community and spiritual nourishment.  We hope you’ll join us on this rising up journey and reconnect and recommit to join the movement toward racial justice!”

    Lent 2024 – From Minneapolis to Palestine: Nourishing the Rising Up Journey – Join The Movement (jointhemovementucc.org)

• Witness for Justice Link
• The Disciples and UCC Address the Crisis in the Middle East Link
• Justice Training Resources Link
• Environmental Justice Links:

1. 1. 1. • UCC Council for Climate Justice
         • Toxic Waste and Race
         • Toxic Wastes and Race and Toxic Wastes and Race at Twenty
         • GRID Alternatives Values
         • NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program 
         • Vote Solar
         • Climate Action Campaign
         •  SAN DIEGO URBAN SUSTAINABILITY COALITION
         • Interfaith Power & Light 
         •  SanDiego350
         • San Diego Green New Deal Alliance

• Local Social Justice Organizations

1. 1. 1. 1. • Alliance San Diego
            • Activist San Diego
            • Interfaith Justice Coalition 
            • ACLU American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego & Imperial Counties
            • NAACP National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, San Diego Branch
            • NAACP National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, North San Diego Branch
            • Pillars of the Community
            • San Diego Organizing Project
            • Southeast Disaster Response Team (Community Collaborative) 
            • Urban League of San Diego County

•  Criminal Justice Issues 

1. 1. 1. 1. • San Diego Police Stop Black People at a Rate 219 Percent Higher Than White People.
            • You have rights—don’t give them away!

• Notes and Blogs

1. 1. 1.  Articles by CFCC Members
         • Dr. Darwin Fishman
           • Respect for Own Mothers of the Movement – Part 1 Excessive Use Of Force By San Diego Police by Dr. Darwin Fishman
         • Clovis Honoré
           • The Spirit of San Diego
           • Is The NAACP Lynching Its Leadership?
           • Power…
           • Black Power – Who are the “leaders”