“Seek justice, love kindness, walk humbly with your Lord.”
The people of Davis United Methodist Church intentionally engage with those in need in our community – actively trying to help them while also working to address underlying injustice. Our first focus is local, yet we are also energized by national and global needs. We have a wide range of projects, from small to large, as well as one-time to ongoing, and they often include others beyond this church. Along with our service and justice projects, we are engaged in interfaith dialogue and activities to promote understanding and acceptance of people of all backgrounds and religions.
Specific and ongoing ministries of service and justice include the following:
Contemporary Issues Forum
At the Contemporary Issues Forum, which meets each Sunday between services, we have speakers, films, and book studies on a wide range of current social justice and community issues. Some of the forums have led to follow-up actions such as letter-writing or individuals volunteering for a related service organization.
Social Justice Sundays (third Sunday of each month)
| Special Offerings As part of our engagement with local and global community, our Service and Justice ministry sponsors monthly collections to raise funds for a variety of projects and organizations, including community non-profits, international mission projects and disaster relief organizations. | |
| Postcards for Peace and Justice Once a month, after each service, postcard writing tables are set up in fellowship hall to advocate for legislation and social justice. Postcards, stamps, and scripts are provided. | |
| Feed My Sheep Food Collection The church collects cans and other non-perishable food items each month for Grace in Action, STEAC, and the Yolo Food Bank. |
Reconciling Ministry
As a Reconciling Congregation, we oppose official United Methodist policies that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and we are committed to mobilizing United Methodists to transform the Church and the world into the full expression of Christ’s inclusive love. We are part of the Reconciling Ministries Network, a national group of United Methodist churches that actively works to remove discriminatory policies. We also work with community organizations, including the Davis Phoenix Coalition, to strive for full equality for LGBTQ persons in our society.
Current Areas of Focus:
Based on interviews with members of the congregation, we found that the issues the congregation is most interested in are homelessness/housing, immigration, and the environment. We hope to keep these central to our work. We are fortunate that we have leaders in these areas who are deeply involved in these issues.
HOMELESSNESS & AFFORDABLE HOUSING
- The Housing and Homelessness Taskforce is working with Housing Now! to lobby our government representatives to provide affordable housing and enact policies which help renters and those without shelter. We have also participated in advocacy and fundraising for the City homeless resource facility and for Paul’s Place, a project to provide housing and homeless resources.
- Grace in Action. In this ministry, volunteers prepare and serve lunch to low-income people every Monday at our Church.
- Interfaith Rotating Winter Shelter. Various faith communities in Davis provide meals and overnight shelter from November to March each year. Our church hosts one week of the shelter.
- Christmas giving tree. We provide gifts for the families spending Christmas at the Empower Yolo safe shelter.
IMMIGRATION
This issue is currently of great importance as immigrants face increased attacks and deportation.
- We work closely with Yolo Interfaith Immigration Network on immigration issues.
- Many members of our church are also involved with the Families Together Project (initiated by St. Martin’s Episcopal Church) which includes financial and day-to-day support of two Guatemalan families living in Davis while pursuing political asylum cases.
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
Our church is committed to working to sustain the wonders of God’s earth and ensure a safe environment for all God’s children. Some of the actions we have taken include but are not limited to:
- Going solar—see our sanctuary roof
- Going paperless for coffee time and receptions
- Using free trade coffee at church and setting up a buying club through the church
- Sponsoring “May is Bike Month” to encourage church members to use their bikes instead of cars as transportation
- Meatless Monday to encourage church members to not eat meat in order to mitigate the damage that raising cattle does to the earth
- Joining California Interfaith Power and Light, the Cool Davis Initiative, and becoming certified as a Greening Congregation through Earth Ministry.
- Postcard writing and lobbying for environmental causes.
If you would like to volunteer for any of these ministries, please contact the Church Office at davisumc@davisumc.org