Strategic Vision update: Introducing the new Commission on Justice, Peace, and Racial Reconciliation

A year ago, the leaders of the various justice ministries began to meet regularly to examine the recommendations in the Diocese’s 2023 Strategic Vision and develop a plan of action. At first, they focused on communicating with each other and diocesan-wide, so that they could support each group’s efforts and coordinate activities. As these conversations continued, they realized that they were all facing similar challenges, including overlap of mission and membership between the various groups.

In the Fall of 2024, during one of their regularly scheduled meetings with Bishop Hughes, they discerned that it might be time to merge some of the existing groups into one commission and create a structure that would allow the other groups to continue to communicate and coordinate activities with each other. After much discussion, they eventually decided to merge the Commission for Justice and Peace and the Racial Justice and Healing Commission to act as an umbrella group for all of the justice ministries. The other groups would then appoint liaisons to attend quarterly meetings with the new commission and the Bishop. This structure would provide more bandwidth for existing volunteers, while enhancing collaboration. In addition, it would realize a key strategic initiative: to “engage current diocesan bodies and committees to research & track issues and opportunities for action.”

Immediately after the Diocesan Convention in November 2024, short term action groups were formed to address topical justice issues, such as immigration, climate, LGBTQ+ support, and others. The forming of the umbrella Commission would also allow activities that are continuing with active action groups to be coordinated and communicated to have a greater impact. Diocesan leadership and others could also send new initiatives or issues to the Commission for further discernment and action.

In May, the Bishop invited the interested parties to form the Commission for Justice, Peace, and Racial Reconciliation. The merged group, which we are co-leading, is currently forming plans to offer ways for Regional Ministry Networks, local congregations, and individuals to learn about and share ideas and resources relating to our Baptismal covenant to “strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being.” We have already launched a new resource, the Justice Action Newsletter, which will be issued weekly to provide opportunities to engage in advocacy work in the region. More resources will be added to the Commission’s webpage on the diocesan website as they are developed.