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WHEREAS, the United Church of Christ has a long history of advocacy in social and environmental justice movements; and

WHEREAS, the General Synod has adopted numerous social justice oriented identity Resolutions and Pronouncements such as Calling Upon the United Church of Christ to Become Open and Affirming, Calling Upon the United Church of Christ to Become a Multiracial and Multicultural Church, Pronouncement on Being a Just Peace Church, Calling Upon the United Church of Christ to Be Accessible to All, Calling Upon the United Church of Christ to Become an Anti-Racist Church; and

WHEREAS, General Synod 24 affirmed the World Council of Churches' Decade to Overcome Violence and encouraged our churches to become involved in the Decade; and

WHEREAS, we affirm the reality that peace cannot be possible if injustice of any kind exists; and

WHEREAS, faithful efforts to transform unjust conditions and social inequities, such as: work to end racism; to address the destruction of the environment; to end violence against women; to seek women's full equality in society; to make all places accessible to all people; to address the devastating effects of globalization; to end human rights violations, violence, and discrimination; to end poverty; and to provide equal opportunities for meaningful work, safe communities, full access to medical care, and quality public education for all children, contribute to the creation of a culture of non-violence and peace; and

WHEREAS, the United Church of Christ is a recognized Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) of the United Nations and participates as such to address global issues and advocates for initiatives to bring peace and justice in the world;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Twenty-fifth General Synod of the United Church of Christ supports a denomination-wide peace with justice movement among our Local Churches, Associations, Conferences and the national setting which promotes a multi-issue, multi-racial, and multicultural approach to justice and peacemaking in the belief that another world is possible; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Local Churches and Conferences who are or seek to be identified as Just Peace, Open and Affirming, Accessible to All, Whole Earth, and/or Multiracial and Multicultural are affirmed in these identifications; moreover, we recognize Local Churches and Conferences who have not adopted such identities as full and active partners in a peace with justice movement in the UCC; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that while Justice and Witness Ministries will facilitate and celebrate the connection and current work of the Local Churches participating in justice issues, it is every Local Church's opportunity and responsibility to add its distinctive contributions to the peace with justice movement within its local, regional, and global contexts; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Justice and Witness Ministries will provide primary coordination at the national setting in collaboration with the other Covenanted, Associated and Affiliated Ministries, to be a resource for the development and expansion of a peace with justice movement among all settings of the UCC; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a peace with justice movement also embraces the leadership of UCC member initiated networks and organizations (such as the United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries and Mental Illness Network, the United Church of Christ Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns, the Council for Youth and Young Adult Ministries, the Council for Racial and Ethnic Ministries and its member bodies, Christians for Justice Action, the Network for Environmental and Economic Responsibility, and others) as partners in creating a culture of non-violence and peace; and

FINALLY BE IT RESOLVED that this peace with justice movement will be intentionally intergenerational, seeking to call upon the leadership of children, youth and adults of all ages.