Human Rights

This article is the third installment of our climate justice series.  Read the other articles here.  

Reading the fifth chapter of Mary Robinson’s book, Climate Justice, introduces us to two women, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim and Jannie Staffansson. Both belong to groups of native nomads and yet their lives and experiences are worlds apart. 

Recently, a gal named Carly Pritchard sent OSJ the best kind of email. It was a creative kind of email, asking if she and the coffee company she worked for might be able to help raise some financial support for the work that the OSJ does.

Um, yes!

But who is Carly Pritchard? And why does she, or her coffee company, care about the Christian Reformed Church and its engagement with justice? We were curious, and thought maybe you’d be curious too.

Introduction to Sharing Stories: Mary Robinson, Climate Change and Us.  Find Chapter 1 in Robinson's book and read with us.  

In Climate Justice, Mary Robinson offers stories to share and promote the injustice that climate change creates.   Her first chapter: “Understanding Climate Justice” introduces her approach of first-hand accounts of witnessing climate change. 

Part 5 in the Seeing Beyond the Immigration Rhetoric series.

I met Jorge (name changed) at the Newton Correctional Facility, where my husband and I planted a church 8 years ago. Jorge came to the United States from Guatemala. Unfortunately, Jorge’s life took a turn for the worse and he ended up in prison.

If you’re not sure what to say, or how to say it, when leading a prayer for the children who are still incarcerated in camps at the U.S. southern border, consider these words.  If you want more information about the crisis, see this Do Justice article.  

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. - Ephesians 3:20-21

Immigration is our story. It’s our denomination’s story and it’s the story of most CRC and RCA congregants over the decades. It is our heritage, and we particularly recognize that this summer because June was Immigrant Heritage month -- the perfect few weeks to wrap up our “Immigration is Our Story” audio series.

“Will you give me a drink?” asked Jesus of the Samaritan woman. This story found in John 4:7-26 illustrates Jesus’ deep love for all women even those rejected by mainstream society. In this story, a Samaritan woman is at the well with Jesus, about to draw water for herself. Jesus asks her to get him a drink. Shocked at his request because Samaritans  and Jews didn’t mix, a conversation ensues.

"God, we pray for correction and justice"

Canada to Ban Single-Use Plastics by 2021

This is the first installment in the blog series "Seeing Beyond Immigration Rhetoric"

Don't miss a post in this series--sign up here. 

News broke this week of an unplanned inspection of an El Paso detention center that incarcerates immigrants and the shocking disclosure of its abusive and inhumane conditions. It’s overwhelming.