Lead a Prayer

Immigrants Are a Blessing Litany

Headlines about immigration often expose deep pain and suffering. Use this litany in your Sunday worship as a way to remember our many brothers and sisters whose immigration status puts them in need of prayers. Order a free printed copy from Faith Alive's online catalogue.

 

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 work for justice and seek righteousness, that we are to go before God and implore that he will redeem this world already now. Use me,...

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.

 

Creation Care Preaching Challenge

In the summer of 2017, the Climate Witness Project, a campaign of the CRC Office of Social Justice and World Renew, launched the Creation Care Preaching Challenge to encourage pastors to incorporate creation care and climate change into their preaching. Numerous pastors participated in the challenge, and three finalists were chosen. You can read the Creation Care Preaching Challenge submissions here! 

 

Belhar Confession - Background and Resources

The Belhar Confession is a gift from the church to the church. By highlighting God’s call to unity, justice, and reconciliation, the Belhar reminds us that when we profess our faith in Christ, we do so as part of the global church. And belonging to the global church comes with responsibilities, each part...

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 Immanuel, Incarnate; 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.