Justice and Peace
“Seeking ways to promote the Just Peace message
within the church and wider world community.”
Plymouth Church became a "Just Peace" church by vote of the congregation, January 1990. That resolution reads in part, "the biblical description of a world faithful to God is a world of justice, peace, and well-being as seen in many references in the Bible including Isaiah 9:1-7, 11:1-9, and Micah 4:1-4. We understand that as the Church of Jesus Christ we are called to be the body of Christ, to carry out the will and way of our Lord and Saviour. This shall mean that in and through all aspects of our corporate life we will hold up and work on behalf of God's Just Peace. In a climate where all points of view can be shared, we will seek ways in which we, as a church and as individuals, can promote justice and peace in our lives, in the life of our community and in the world."
News and Upcoming events
- M-DOT Clean-up
Plymouth
recently completed its first season of participation in MDOT's Adopt -A-Highway
litter pick-up program. Pick-up begins anew in April of 2009. Our
stretch of highway is northbound and southbound US 131 between mile marker 71 and 73; just
south of 84th Street in Byron Center. That's four miles of trash
pick-up, numerous times during the spring, summer and fall. We
meet at the Marathon gas station (which is on the east side of the
northbound lane) at the 100th Street exit, which is the first exit south
of 84th Street. More photos
...
- Michigan's Prison System - How Does It Affect You?
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Michigan spends more on prisons than it does on colleges and universities.
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Michigan has one of the highest incarceration rates in the nation.
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For the cost of one prisoner, Michigan could:
Send 10 at-risk four year olds to pre-school
Pay tuition costs for eight laid-off workers to obtain associate's degrees
Provide 134 days of crisis residential service to people with mental illness*
It was an unseasonably warm day this past September 20 when over 120 people gathered in Plymouth's sanctuary to learn about ways in which Michigan can restore justice to its prison system. The response from ex-offenders, their families, friends, and community members was overwhelmingly positive. So much so that the Task Force hopes to host another conference in 2009.
*www.balancingourpriorities.org
Keynote speaker Barbara Levine of CAPPS
- Where do you Wage Peace?
It's official - the new WAGE PEACE tees are in!
Our friends at Clothing Matters in Grand Rapids have provided these excellent hemp/cotton blend shirts in a variety of sizes. To purchase your own, look for Plymouth's Justice and Peace Task Force members at local peace events or visit Plymouth on any given Sunday and track one of us down!
Waging Peace at Mackinac Bridge Labor Day walk
Panel discussion at Restorative Justice Conference
L-R David Moore, Doug Tjapkes, Penny Ryder, Kay Perry, Miriam J. Aukerman
These sites can provide more information about Justice and Peace
activities in the area and throughout the UCC*:
West Michigan Justice and Peace Coalition
Michigan Interfaith Power and Light
West Michigan Environmental Action Council
*Plymouth's Justice and Peace Task Force does not participate in nor endorse every
opportunity listed.
Plymouth's Justice and Peace Task Force meets the third Sunday of every month unless otherwise noted. The Task Force is open to members and non-members of the congregation.