04/07 Wednesday Email_AAPI (Apr 2021)
All are welcomed, tell a friend! Click here to view the the latest Online Life of the Community newsletter. MISSION & SOCIAL JUSTICE Race to Action: Anti Asian American and Pacific Islanders Racism Thursday, April 15 I 7:00 pm - 9:00 p.m I Via Zoom Join Riverside’s Antiracism Taskforce on Thursday, April 15 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. for a special Race to Action lab that focuses on anti-Asian American and Pacific Islanders Racism. The lab will cover the history of anti

Live Justice Now -- RISE UP! Antiracist Day of Action (May 2021)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. RISE UP! Antiracist Day of Action June 5, 2021 Background   It is time to take a stand against systemic racism. Faith communities have a critical role to play in fighting injustice.    Details   Mission and Social Justice at Riverside Church has developed a day of action against Systemic Racism in Three Parts: Advocating for Voters' Rights, Ending Environmental Racism, and

Live Justice Now -- Haiti Earthquake Relief (Aug 2021)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. Put your Faith Into Action: The People of Haiti Need Your Help Now! Background On Saturday, August 14 a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti killing over 1900 people, injuring thousands, displacing many from their homes and destroying their sources of livelihood. The situation is precarious, complicated by hurricane Grace and by political instability.   Details   Members of The R

Live Justice Now -- National Appeal to Congress to Act on Climate (Sep 2021)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. National Appeal to Congress to Act on Climate Background “Global warming is upon us, and it’s going to get worse and worse and worse unless we do something about it, and that’s why it’s so imperative to pass the two bills [before Congress], the infrastructure bill and the budget reconciliation bill.” So said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Sept. 2, after thirteen people had died

TWMF - 120 (Apr 2023)
The Word Made Fresh (Matthew 28:1-10) Click here to watch more videos from The Riverside Church. Preaching Easter should not be an intellectual exercise but something we experience with all of our senses. After all, the sermon is just one part of the Easter celebration, with sights (light) and sounds (trumpet and timpani) and smells (flowers) and more. Join Rev. Adriene Thorne and Rev. Jim Keat as they talk about how Rev. Thorne is approaching her Easter sermon and what it

Live Justice Now -- Climate, Jobs, and Justice Action Week (Apr 2021)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. Climate, Jobs, and Justice Action Week, April 5 - 9th 2021 Background As climate change intesifies, it is increasingly seen as a moral and existential issue.  Faith communities have a critical role to play in this crisis.   Details   During the week of April 5-9, 2021, NY Renews, Indivisible groups, and other partners across the state and nation will be pushing hard for both

Live Justice Now -- REMINDER: Faith-Based Day of Advocacy! (Feb 2021)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. #LessIsMoreNY Faith-Based Day of Advocacy Background The Riverside Church is actively engaged in the #LessIsMoreNY campaign to reform New York's parole system.  As the NY legislative session is currently underway, the #LessIsMoreNY campaign is making a big push to get the bill passed this session.     Details   This bill will:  Restrict the use of in

Live Justice Now -- Faith Day of Advocacy! (Feb 2021)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. #LessIsMoreNY Faith-Based Day of Advocacy Background The Riverside Church is actively engaged in the #LessIsMoreNY campaign to reform New York's parole system.  As the NY legislative session is currently underway, the #LessIsMoreNY campaign is making a big push to get the bill passed this session.     Details   This bill will:  Restrict the use of in

Live Justice Now -- Take Action for #JustReentry (Feb 2021)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. Take Action for #JustReentry Background Last week, several members of our church gathered to discuss the ongoing work of Faith Communities for Just Reentry.  As part of a larger coalition of faith communities, we helped to launch this campaign last summer because we saw the City of New York fail to care for our neighbors at Rikers Island as the greatest public health crisis in a c

Live Justice Now -- REMINDER: Just Reentry Coalition Convening Copy (Feb 2021)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. Faith Communities for Just Reentry Coalition Convening Background Fifteen to twenty thousand New Yorkers are caught each year in the cycle of homelessness and incarceration.  Four in every five are people of color.  During the COVID-19 pandemic, over 2,500 people have been released, many without identification, critical medication, or coronavirus testing.  This is unconsciona

Live Justice Now -- Just Reentry Coalition Convening (Feb 2021)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. Faith Communities for Just Reentry Coalition Convening Background Fifteen to twenty thousand New Yorkers are caught each year in the cycle of homelessness and incarceration.  Four in every five are people of color.  During the COVID-19 pandemic, over 2,500 people have been released, many without identification, critical medication, or coronavirus testing.  This is unconsciona

Live Justice Now -- Parole Justice Virtual Advocacy Day (Jan 2021)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. Parole Justice Virtual Advocacy Day Background Two weeks ago, several organizations across the state partnered to launch The People's Campaign for Parole Justice.  Now, with the legislature in full swing, we demand the passage of Elder Parole and Fair and Timely Parole to free our elders and bring justice to the parole process.   Call to Action   On Wednesday, January 27,

Live Justice Now -- MLK Virtual Day of Service (Jan 2021)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. MLK Virtual Day of Service Background Today, as we reflect on the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we are reminded of all the work he did to fight for a more just world.  Given the current state of our nation, I’m particularly reminded of the fact that his last advocacy campaign was supporting sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee.   “All labor that uplifts human

Live Justice Now -- Criminal Justice Reform and #LessIsMoreNY (Jan 2021)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. Criminal Justice Reform and #LessIsMoreNY Background Some of the highest rates of COVID-19 have been in jails and prisons across the country, and New York is no exception. Today, there are thousands of vulnerable New Yorkers behind bars, several are there for non-criminal violations of parole.  New York is only one of two states in the entire country which jails thousands of people for

Live Justice Now -- Justice for Breonna Taylor (Jul 2020)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. Justice for Breonna Taylor Background On March 13th, in the middle of the night, Breonna Taylor was killed by Louisville police as they illegally executed a drug raid at the wrong address for a person they had already arrested earlier that day. An aspiring nurse, she had dedicated her whole life to serving others. Until her death Breonna had been working as an EMT in Louisville when the cor

Live Justice Now -- Faith Communities for Just Reentry (Jul 2020)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. Faith Communities for Just Reentry Background Fifteen to twenty thousand New Yorkers are caught each year in the cycle of homelessness and incarceration. Four in every five are people of color. During the COVID-19 pandemic, over 2,500 people have been released, many without identification, critical medication, or coronavirus testing. Details On Tuesday, several faith leaders gathered at the

Live Justice Now -- Faith Communities for Just Reentry Copy (Aug 2020)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. Automatic Voter Registration Background Today is the 55th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965.  While we celebrate this monumental victory for civil rights, we also know there is still much work to do to effectively combat voter suppression. Details The New York State Senate has recently passed major voting reforms, including the

Live Justice Now -- Vote Safely (Aug 2020)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. Let New York Vote Safely Background Last month, New York passed seven important election reform bills designed to help New Yorkers access the vote safely and fairly throughout the pandemic and beyond. This package included bills to improve and expand early voting and absentee voting.  Four of those bills are on the Governor's desk, awaiting action. Details The bills currently awai

Live Justice Now -- The "Ain't I a Woman" Campaign (Aug 2020)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. Joining with the Aint I a Woman?! Campaign Background On August 12, 2020, dozens of home attendants—most of whom were current or former members of 1199SEIU—held a press conference in front of 1199SEIU’s office to demand that the union stop its collusion with home care agencies and insurance companies to maintain the racist, sexist, and unjust 24-hour workday. They were joined by other worker

Live Justice Now -- Poor People's Campaign Open House (Sep 2020)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. The Poor People's Campaign Open House   The NYC Poor People's Campaign is hosting virtual open meetings September 1st, 2nd, and 3rd! We want to see you and create space to share your involvement with one another. We recommend joining the one meeting that fits best with your schedule. Each of the open meetings will be the same but with different facilitators and

Live Justice Now -- Justice for Jacob Blake (Sep 2020)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. Justice for Jacob Blake Background Last week, a video went viral showing police shooting Jacob Blake, an unarmed Black man who lives in Kenosha, Wis., seven times in the back.  Mr. Blake was helping to de-escalate a situation in his community when the police arrived and the video shows Mr. Blake walking away from officers with weapons drawn as bystanders yelled in the background moments b

Live Justice Now -- Restore the Refugee Admissions Program (Sep 2020)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. Restore the Refugee Admissions Program Background Each September, the administration sets a Presidential Determination (PD), concerning the maximum number of refugees that may be admitted into the country for the year. Since taking office, the current administration has drastically slashed the number of people able to find safety in our country. Details Now is the time to save the U.S. Refu

Live Justice Now -- Beloved Earth Program on Plastic Pollution (Sep 2020)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. Beloved Earth's Program on Plastic Pollution Background Faced with plunging profits and a climate crisis that threatens fossil fuels, several U.S. companies are now demanding a trade deal that weakens Kenya's rules on plastics and on imports of American trash.  This move has spread concern among environmental groups in Kenya that have been working to reduce both plastic use and waste.

Live Justice Now -- Climate Justice through Racial Justice March (Sep 2020)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. Climate Justice through Racial Justice March Background Tomorrow is the start of Climate Wek and the People's Climate Justice Movement of New York is hosting the "Climate Justice  through Racial Justice" March tomorrow, Sunday, September 20, at 1:00p, at "Columbus Circle." By kicking off Climate Week with a march prioritizing Black, Brown, and Indigenous peoples, we are aiming to make c

Live Justice Now -- Protect the Right to Vote (Oct 2020)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. PROTECT THE RIGHT TO VOTE Background In 2020 voter suppression is a disturbing reality affecting  people of color as they try to exercise their right to vote. Eligible voters are being purged from voter rolls, and tactics such as strict new voter id laws, reduction in polling places,  locating them in places that are difficult to reach, reduction in the number of days for early voti

10/21 Wednesday Email_Riverside Race to Action-Anti Racism Lab (Oct 2020)
Tell a friends, join the conversation! Click here to view the the latest Online Life of the Community newsletter. RACE TO ACTION: ANTI RACISM LAB Thursday Oct 29th | 7:00 pm | Zoom   Join the Riverside Church Anti-Racism Task Force and Education Commission for our next gathering focusing on transformation and action! In this lab we'll dig deeper into key themes explored in our Race To Action Series. Register to reserve your spot below to join us. Invite friends,

Live Justice Now -- Election Day Box Lunch Distribution (Nov 2020)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. Election Day Lunch Distribution Background Tomorrow’s General Election is perhaps the most important election in our lifetimes.  The Riverside Church has been a polling place for many years and, if early voting was any indication of what to expect, there will likely be long lines for those waiting to vote. With this in mind, in a spirit of hospitality, our church’s Mission and Social J

Live Justice Now -- Lift Every Voice! (Dec 2020)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. JANUARY 5 GEORGIA RUNOFF ELECTION Background Our Lift Every Voice and Vote ministry invites you to be involved in the crucial runoff election for the two senate seats that are now being contested in the state of Georgia.   Details   This is a crucial state election that will have national implications concerning post-pandemic economic policies, and policies on voting rights, healt

Live Justice Now -- #SaveAsylum (Jul 2020)
Click here to find out more about Riverside's Mission & Social Justice commission. #SaveAsylum Background The Trump administration's newest proposed regulation would gut what is left of our asylum laws. The new laws propose nearly a dozen new bars to asylum which will violate not only international treaties, but our own Constitution. This law would abandon hundreds of thousands of vulnerable families and individuals with nowhere left to turn for safety--including