Church of the Palms Social Justice Champion for 2022: Beth Moore

The Volunteer Engagement Committee working with Social Justice Leadership Team has selected Beth Moore for the 2022 Social Justice Champion Award. Beth attributes much of her social activism to her upbringing in the Methodist tradition where John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, worked among the marginalized coal miners of Great Britain in the early 1700s.… Continue reading Church of the Palms Social Justice Champion for 2022: Beth Moore

Our New Sacred Place: Notes from the Mission and Outreach Team & Social Justice Action Team

A sacred place is defined as a space distinguished from other spaces. The rituals that a people either practice at a place or direct toward it mark its sacredness and differentiate it from other defined spaces. At The Church of The Palms, we have several sacred spaces: Our beautiful Sanctuary, the Memorial Garden, our Chapel,… Continue reading Our New Sacred Place: Notes from the Mission and Outreach Team & Social Justice Action Team

Criminal Justice Reform Update from Social Justice Action Team

Did you know that 14 million students in the U.S. are in schools with police but no counselor, nurse, psychologist, or social worker? From the poll taken following our Mass Incarceration presentation in May, many people were interested in more information about the school-to-prison pipeline. Research from various professional and governmental sources shows that schools… Continue reading Criminal Justice Reform Update from Social Justice Action Team

Update from the MOD(erator) Squad

Greetings from the Moderator Team. We are rounding the corner of the calendar year and sending you an August Palm Leaf. We don’t normally send a Palm Leaf in August, but we are in unprecedented times and facing unprecedented issues, challenges, and opportunities to show who we are as followers of Jesus and members of… Continue reading Update from the MOD(erator) Squad

From the Prison Ministry/Criminal Justice Reform Action Team

By Nancy Nonini, Social Justice Action Team-Criminal Justice Did you know? According to the Death Penalty Information Center: Arizona reportedly has “refurbished” its gas chamber and has spent more than $2,000 to acquire ingredients to execute prisoners with cyanide gas, the same gas used by the Nazis to murder more than one million men, women,… Continue reading From the Prison Ministry/Criminal Justice Reform Action Team

Injustice In Our Justice System: The Stories of Mass Incarceration

by Nancy Nonini, Social Justice Action Team—Criminal Justice Following Pastor Jim’s sermon on “The Facts vs. The Stories” about Jesus’ Resurrection, we’d like to follow up on our presentation on the facts of Mass Incarceration with some stories. One story is about someone who was wrongly convicted, but served over 14 years in prison. One… Continue reading Injustice In Our Justice System: The Stories of Mass Incarceration

Social Justice Action Team—Criminal Justice hosts Breakfast in Your PJs

Tuesday, June 15, 8:30–9:30 am Arizonans serve 40-percent longer sentences for drug crimes and twice the national average for nonviolent property crimes. These long sentences are not making Arizona any safer. Please join us for some of these Arizona stories and ideas on what we can do to decrease the Injustice In Our Justice System:… Continue reading Social Justice Action Team—Criminal Justice hosts Breakfast in Your PJs