Celebrating Our Collective Power
Cheers to You!
You’ve heard us share that the Church Council builds collective power through organized people and organized resources. As we wrap up 2023, we wanted to thank YOU for building collective power with us, and invite you to give a gift if you have not yet done so this year.
The next year will be critical for creating sustainability in our faith-rooted community organizing work in the Greater Seattle area. We ask for your continued partnership in fueling our mission for transformational change toward liberation and justice.
Because of your financial support, this year we are celebrating:
Organizational Transitions
This fall, we wished our former Executive Director Michael Ramos well on his next endeavors and celebrated his 19 years of service at the Church Council. On the same weekend, we ushered in our new bylaws which created a framework for Co-Executive Directors and shared board president leadership, installing Tara Miller and Joey Lopez as Co-Executive Directors. Most importantly, our bylaws affirm our our organizing principles, and for the first time we are excited to welcome interfaith leaders and members of community organizations to serve on our board.
Faith Land Initiative
We celebrate our 2022-2023 Faith Land Discernment Cohort! Our faith communities have big dreams for the future of their land, and have taken concrete steps to make those dreams reality. They are listening within their congregations, learning from their neighbors and local experts, and faithfully moving forward in their discernment processes.
We are excited to go into the New Year with abundance thanks to new foundational support for FLI from Trinity Wall Street! See their grant awards announcement here.
Immigration Organizing
We welcomed Marina Ortiz as our Organizadora Comunitaria (Community Organizer) to reignite our Grupo de Solidaridad (Solidarity Group) as a gathering place for folks navigating the immigration system to organize together and be in community. This new excitement for Grupo has meant more 1:1 meetings, connecting with each other across countries of origin and diverse experiences, supporting one another, and restoration of dignity.
Our organizing work also responds to emerging needs in the community, so we have been active in standing in solidarity with organized labor and in interfaith coalition for peace and justice in Palestine and Israel.
Your support makes all of this possible! Once again, if you have not given in 2023 and would like to, now is your opportunity! If you give annually, consider giving monthly and support the Church Council in each season of our organizing year.
Finally, as we move into 2024, one of the big goals we identified as a team is to build active relationships with our donors. So please feel free to reach out for coffee or to hear the latest updates. We’d love to learn how you got connected to the Church Council and why you partner with us!
We wish you joy in the traditions you celebrate this season, and a peaceful start to the New Year!
The Staff and Board of the Church Council
