The Ministry of Peace and Justice

WHEREAS the God of our forebearers and our faith, the Creator, redeemer, and Sustainer, is a God of peace (Rom. 15:33) and through Jesus Christ has given us a ministry of reconciliation, calling us to love our enemies and to follow Christ who is our peace and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility (Eph. 2:14) and

WHEREAS Jesus taught that peacemakers are blessed, "For they shall be called the children of God," and Jesus grieved when the people of Jerusalem did not see and do the things that make for peace (Luke 19:42), and

WHEREAS our tradition makes clear that peace is inherently tied to justice, for the Psalmist writes, "The effect of righteousness will be peace," and Pope John XXIII taught, "The path to peace is found in the struggle for justice" and

WHEREAS Paul calls the Church of Christ to "shod (its) feet with the equipment of the Gospel of peace," and exhorts the Church to pursue what makes for peace and mutual support (Rom. 14:19); and

WHEREAS our denomination in the 13th General Synod and again in the 14th made peace a priority and enlisted all parts of the church, as witnesses for Christ and humanity, to study and act on behalf of the Gospel of peace; and

WHEREAS the Connecticut Conference through several previous resolutions ("Reversing the Arms Race" 1980, "Nuclear Arms Freeze") has declared its resolve to witness for peace and justice and against the continuing nuclear arms build-up that threatens God's creation;

BE IT RESOLVED that as, the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ is committed to the ministry of peace and justice, and that our commitment to this ministry be incorporated and pursued in every phase of our life as a conference, specifically in the priorities and programs of the Ministry Coordinating Teams and Departments of Christian Education, of Church Life and Leadership, of Church and Society, of Mission and Stewardship, and in our worship life, in our investment policy, and in our witness to the state.

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Conference Departments and Ministry Coordinating Teams shall each year report to the whole conference through the annual reports their work and progress toward deepening and extending this ministry of peace and justice.