JUSTICE AND WITNESS
Seeking to fulfill Cross Creek’s visionof embodying the ministry, message, and hope
of Jesus Christ by working for justice
About us
The Justice and Witness Ministry is chaired by David Lauri (justice@crosscreekchurch.org). We do not meet on a regular schedule, instead meeting as needed.
Justice and Witness has four core teams (visit each team’s page to learn more):
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Feeding Friends, which deals with hunger issues and runs Cross Creek’s monthly food pantry |  |
Eco-Justice Cross Creek AKA The Green Team, which deals with environmental issues | |
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Beyond Color, which deals with racial justice issues |  |
Equality Cross Creek, which deals with LGBT issues |
In addition to these four core teams, a new team is forming:
This new team, being led by the Rev. Bill Youngkin, will work with the Industrial Areas Foundation’s new Greater Dayton chapter, a group of communities and people of faith coming together to create a more just society in Dayton.
The Justice and Witness Ministry’s work is not limited to these teams. In addition to working on special projects such as periodic “work-ship” worship services, we work to help anyone at Cross Creek who is passionate about a particular justice issue — see our Empowerment Statement summarized below and in detail on its own page.
Mission
Justice and Witness leads the church to engage in missions and ministries that reach out to our community and beyond
- by creating places of refuge and renewal for those who are wounded and/or ignored by the church
- by acting with compassion and siding with those who are poor
- by pursuing and advocating for justice with and for those who are oppressed
- by caring for the earth
- by working for peace
- and by coordinating the distribution of the church’s financial resources locally and through our church’s wider mission through the United Church of Christ and the Alliance of Baptists
In keeping with our church’s vision and mission; honoring its distinctive values of being an open and affirming, just-peace church that is accessible to all; in its tradition and heritage as a church of the United Church of Christ; and seeking to love the world wastefully and extravagantly in the best tradition of Jesus; Cross Creek Community Church, through its Justice and Witness Ministry, offers an Empowerment Statement to empower the people of Cross Creek to engage in the work of justice and witness through the church and the world.
#1: Work for equal rights for LGBT people
There are LGBT civil rights groups at the local, state and national levels. Locally Diversity Dayton works on projects such as a billboard campaign to raise awareness of anti-gay discrimination. Equality Ohio works throughout the state on activities such as the annual Lobby Day on which hundreds of LGBT Ohioans and allies talk to legislators in Columbus about LGBT issues. The Human Rights Campaign and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force lobby in Washington DC for federal legislation and support state and local groups across the country. To find out how you can support these groups with your time and money, visit their websites:
There are LGBT civil rights groups at the local, state and national levels. Locally Diversity Dayton works on projects such as a billboard campaign to raise awareness of anti-gay discrimination. Equality Ohio works throughout the state on activities such as the annual Lobby Day on which hundreds of LGBT Ohioans and allies talk to legislators in Columbus about LGBT issues. The Human Rights Campaign and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force lobby in Washington DC for federal legislation and support state and local groups across the country. To find out how you can support these groups with your time and money, visit their websites:
#2: Help disadvantaged youth
Programs across Dayton work to help disadvantaged youth through after school programs and tutoring. St. Paul United Methodist Church offers after school tutoring to children in grades K-5 through its Young Peacemakers Club. Memorial Church runs Kids in New Directions (KIND), an after school program for neighborhood youth ages 4-17. Dayton Urban Ministries (278-1167) is a cooperative venture between College Hills Community Church and the United Theological Seminary offering after school programs for kids 6-12 and GED training for older teens and adults. The Dakota Center offers a range of children's programs including tutoring and homework help, art and music classes and computer and job training. To find out how you can support these groups with your time and money, visit their websites:
Programs across Dayton work to help disadvantaged youth through after school programs and tutoring. St. Paul United Methodist Church offers after school tutoring to children in grades K-5 through its Young Peacemakers Club. Memorial Church runs Kids in New Directions (KIND), an after school program for neighborhood youth ages 4-17. Dayton Urban Ministries (278-1167) is a cooperative venture between College Hills Community Church and the United Theological Seminary offering after school programs for kids 6-12 and GED training for older teens and adults. The Dakota Center offers a range of children's programs including tutoring and homework help, art and music classes and computer and job training. To find out how you can support these groups with your time and money, visit their websites:
 www.stpauldayton.org |
 www.memorial-church.com/Youth.html |
 Call Dayton Urban Ministries at 278-1167 |
 www.dakotacenter.org |
#3: Help the hungry
Dayton area groups prepare free meals and stock food pantries for those in need. The House of Bread provides free lunches daily and free breakfasts the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Saturdays of each month as well as delivers meals to after school programs at four community centers. St. Paul United Methodist Church runs a food pantry providing supplemental food to people in east Dayton and serves free Tuesday lunches and Saturday breakfasts. The Wesley Community Center operates an emergency assistance food pantry serving people in west Dayton. And the Foodbank provides food to over 90 local food pantries and community kitchens. To find out how you can support these groups with your time and money, visit their websites:
Dayton area groups prepare free meals and stock food pantries for those in need. The House of Bread provides free lunches daily and free breakfasts the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Saturdays of each month as well as delivers meals to after school programs at four community centers. St. Paul United Methodist Church runs a food pantry providing supplemental food to people in east Dayton and serves free Tuesday lunches and Saturday breakfasts. The Wesley Community Center operates an emergency assistance food pantry serving people in west Dayton. And the Foodbank provides food to over 90 local food pantries and community kitchens. To find out how you can support these groups with your time and money, visit their websites:
#4: Work for peace
It's been 12 years since the Bosnian peace talks, aka the Dayton Accords, were held in Dayton, but there are still groups in Dayton working for peace. The Dayton International Peace Museum works for a local, national and international culture of peace through exhibits, activities and events focusing on nonviolent choices. The American Friends Service Committee, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, works to resolve conflicts nonviolently and has a local office in Dayton. The Greater Dayton Mediation Center works to provide a peaceful process for responding to conflicts. To find out how you can support these groups with your time and money, visit their websites:
It's been 12 years since the Bosnian peace talks, aka the Dayton Accords, were held in Dayton, but there are still groups in Dayton working for peace. The Dayton International Peace Museum works for a local, national and international culture of peace through exhibits, activities and events focusing on nonviolent choices. The American Friends Service Committee, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, works to resolve conflicts nonviolently and has a local office in Dayton. The Greater Dayton Mediation Center works to provide a peaceful process for responding to conflicts. To find out how you can support these groups with your time and money, visit their websites:
UCC Justice and Peace Action Network
The UCC Justice and Peace Action Network (JPANet) is our denomination's grassroots advocacy network composed of individual members and local UCC congregations across the country. Check the JPANet website for actions you can take or to sign up for weekly action alerts.