First Congregational Church has joined the Palm Sunday Path. Endorsed by the Wisconsin Council of Churches and Wisconsin Conference United Church of Christ, this is a growing movement. Our churches have decided that now is the time for Christians to stand up to rising authoritarianism and white Christian nationalism in a new way. Palm Sunday places before us a lasting contrast. Jesus enters Jerusalem not through force or spectacle, but in humility and mercy-exposing the limits of power built on fear and domination. Matthew tells us that when Jesus entered the city, the whole city was shaken. Not by an army, but by truth. The Palm Sunday Path is anchored by the Matthew 25 values of feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and welcoming the stranger, visiting those in prison, and envisions actions of tens of thousands of Christians across multiple states on Palm Sunday afternoon.
In the Fox Valley, ten other churches (listed on reverse) from many denominations have banded together to pool resources and collaborate in leadership. Further, we have extended this invitation to circles wider than the Christian faith. We see this taking place through an informational meeting, an immigration training, an inter-faith rally, and organized sustained action.
Interested? Want to get involved and do something to live out your faith values by aiding immigrants and refugees who are being targets and mistreated? Then this is your chance to educate and advocate as a Christian!
• Sunday, February 15, 10:45-11:15AM: First informational meeting in Fellowship Hall at First Congregational.
• Sunday, February 22, 6:00PM: Community Singalong: Songs of Justice, Songs of Peace in the Sanctuary at First Congregational.
• Thursday, March 5th 6:00-8:00-pm: Know Your Rights and Supporting Immigrants in our Community, a multi-church immigration training. Program with Molly Smiltneek, JD, Immigration Attorney who works with World Relief Wisconsin. Learn about the current state of the immigration system and prepare ourselves for government enforcement here in the Fox Valley at First Congregational.
• Sunday, March 29, 1:00-3:00PM: Multi Church & Interfaith Rally in Houdini Plaza. Come join hundreds to voice our scriptural mandate to love our brothers and sisters.
• TBD- April Sustained Action Organization:
Prepare and organize for sustained advocacy. We will learn how to resist harmful legislative efforts through local, state and national governance.
These are the faith communities that attended the first organizational meeting.
We continue to reach out to other faith communities and organizations.
First Congregational UCC, Appleton
First Congregational, Neenah- Menasha
First English Lutheran, Appleton
First Methodist, Neenah- Menasha
Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
ESTHER
Memorial Presbyterian, Appleton
Prince of Peace, Appleton
St. Joseph Parish, Appleton
St. Mark’s Lutheran, Neenah
St. Paul’s Lutheran, Neenah
St. Thomas More, Appleton
In Faith,
Pastor Katherine, Pastor Nick, Vince, and Cindi Ritcey-Fox, Moderator; Mike Radtke, Vice Moderator; Jerry Dees, Treasurer; Susan Houston, Vice Treasurer; Bill Lenz, Secretary
