Friends, I write days after the events of the General Assembly. My heart is full, and my spirit is stirred. As I reflect on the sacred moments we shared, I am overwhelmed with a deep sense of gratitude and renewed purpose.
One of my favorite moments of this Assembly was witnessing New Church Ministry take bold leadership in advancing GA-2515: Opposing Project 2025 and Other Policies That Are Inconsistent With Our Commitment to Justice, Mercy, and Compassion for Our Neighbors. With courage and conviction, our very own Associate Executive Minister of Administration for New Church Ministry Rev. Wesley King authored and presented the resolution before the Assembly, and it was met with resounding affirmation.
Some have asked why New Church Ministry would step so fully into the work of justice. My response is simple: for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada to be a faithful and growing church, we must embody three core commitments: True Community, Deep Christian Spirituality, and a Passion for Justice. Justice is not an add-on to our vision; it is at the heart of who we are. It is in our spiritual DNA.
As Minister of New Church Strategies, I believe with my whole heart that every emerging and affiliating leader must understand this sacred calling. New Church work is whole-church work, and the work of justice is no exception. That’s why we boldly say, “We’re ALL New Church.” Because when we work for justice, we embody the vision of DisciplesNEXT, a framework rooted in radical welcome, faithful action, and Spirit-led transformation.
In the final moments of the Assembly, three emergency resolutions were passed affirming our collective call to justice. That moment was not only history, but it was holy. I am deeply proud that New Church Ministry stands shoulder to shoulder with the prophets and peacemakers in our movement, lifting our voices for the marginalized and oppressed.
So may we continue, with courage and compassion, to be the Church God is calling us to be… for such a time as this!
An excerpt of this blog post also appeared as the opening letter of the July 2025 issue of our newsletter, the New Church Know-It-All.
Well said, Jose! and congratulations to Wesley for authoring this necessary resolution.