Lead a Prayer

Prayer for the Stranger in Our Midst Litany

This litany is a call and response written for congregations across the United States who have a heart for Immigration Reform. Not only does this litany include prayers for political figures who ultimately make decisions, but also prayers for the church to better welcome the stranger and prayers for the immigrants in our midst. Click here to order a copy of the prayer.

 

Sign Up for Weekly OSJ Prayers

OSJ Prayers is a weekly email with 3-5 prayers addressing issues that we think are most pressing from around the world. You can forward them to your pastor for Sunday’s congregational prayer, print them for use in small groups, or supplement your personal devotions. Click here to subscribe to the weekly prayers. Be sure to check the 'OSJ Prayers' box on the signup form.

 

You can also view archives of past prayers here.

 

Prayers for Justice, Reconciliation, and Peace

These prayers appeared in the June 2014 issue of Reformed Worship.

“Scripture is full of visions of the future day when righteousness and peace will infuse our world. But Christians should not be content to sit back and wait for that day to come. Scripture is also clear that we are accountable for the havoc we’ve wreaked in God’s world, that we are to...

Select an Offering

OSJ Offering Sunday

The CRC’s offering schedule gives the Office of Social Justice one offering Sunday a year – June 26. On our offering page, you’ll find a variety of resources that are suitable for informing members about OSJ’s role in ministry including PowerPoint slides for both the U.S. and Canada and a litany and prayer for worship. It would be wonderful to hear that your congregation participated in that support this year! In addition to Ministry Share support, it is the yearly offering from CRC churches like yours in the U.S. and Canada that makes our work possible.

 

World Renew Global Hunger Month

Our denomination's own World Renew provides a wonderful tool each year for World Hunger Sunday. Each year's materials include great education resources that are appropriate for individuals, families, and church congregations.

 

Bread for the World Offering of Letters

Each year, Bread for the World encourages churches, campuses, and other faith communities to join in their Offering of Letters campaign. An Offering of Letters consists of people writing letter, usually as a group, and presenting them as an offering to God before mailing them to Congress. Each year, the Offering of Letters focuses on a specific legislation or legislative emphasis that can make a real different in people struggling with hunger and poverty. Click here to learn...

Preach or Plan Worship

Immigration Preaching Challenge

In the summer of 2015, the CRC Office of Social Justice launched the Immigration Preaching Challenge to encourage pastors to address this important issue. Many pastors accepted the challenge and submitted their sermons, and nine finalists were chosen. The sermons that the finalists submitted can be found in this Do Justice blog post titled Immigration Preaching Challenge Finalists.

If you feel encouraged to preach your own sermon on immigration after reading through those sample sermons, you can read our initial challenge to pastors here for more resources and places to start.

 

Four-week Worship Series: Just Amos

This worship series, written by CRC Office of Social Justice staff, appeared in the June 2014 issue of Reformed Worship. Each week includes a passage from the book of Amos and a complementary passage, sermon notes, a confession, a word of assurance, a sending, song suggestions, prayers, and a sample litany. Click here to view the four-week worship series. Below is a description of the series.

 

Four-week Worship Series: The Abundance of God

This worship series also appeared in the June 2014 issue of Reformed Worship. Each week...

Lead Devotions

Ash and Oil Lent Devotionals

During the season of Lent, the CRC Office of Social Justice is pondering the connection between our mortality, sin, and creation's limitations through our Lenten series Ash and Oil: Remembering we are Dust, Leaning toward a New Creation. Click here to view the devotionals.

 

Recommended Justice Devotionals 

Here are 12 devotional resources that Shannon Jammal-Hollemans, our collaborative program developer, has used and would recommend for ordering one’s life around the worship of God while seeking to serve God as an agent of God’s justice and peace.

 

Advent Devotionals

Every year, the CRC Office of Social Justice and World Renew put together a daily devotional series for Advent. Each year has a different theme to orient your Christmas season. Some of the most recent themes have included The Things that Make for Peace, Displacement and Belonging, and Reconciliation Breaking Through. Visit crcna.org/advent to learn more about this year's devotionals and to view past devotionals. Or sign up to receive these devotionals below.