Our faith calls us to stand for justice, invest in sustainable peace, and to build a just world where all God’s creation can thrive. That is why we are calling on Congress to invest our tax dollars into protecting God’s planet and people instead of increasing funding for war.  

On Just Peace Sunday, UCC congregations around the country took time during their worship to be reminded of the values we have professed as a Just Peace denomination. As a Just Peace Church, we have stood in “opposition to the institution of war” and affirm that “Peace is Possible” and can only be brought about through our continued commitment to building peace, with justice.  

As our congregations recommit to peace, our government appears to be recommitting to warfare. Congress is currently negotiating the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), an annual bill which sets the budget for the Department of Defense. Each year, the military budget rises at the expense of other critical line-item spending. This past year saw devastating cuts to Medicaid and SNAP benefits, as well as massive cuts to foreign assistance around the globe. These decisions directly harm our local communities and our global neighbors.  

It is unacceptable that Congress would defund so critical programs that encourage peace, education, and health worldwide while investing tax-payer dollars in more military machines. Furthermore, the devastating effects of global military on our environment are well documented. Global military activity is responsible for an estimated 5.5% of global emissions, meaning that if the world’s militaries were a country, they would be the fourth largest emitter in the world. 

Join us to urge our congressional members to have compassion for God’s planet and people by not increasing the defense budget and instead fund for programs that would benefit all God’s people. Urge your Congress members to say "No to War, Yes to God's Creation” today!