Church of the Good Shepherd is a Just Peace church, believing that true peace requires justice for all, and an Open and Affirming congregation, which does not discriminate based on race, gender, age, sexual orientation, nationality, ethnicity, economic class, marital status, or physical or psychological differences.

We are also a Whole Earth church, committed to living in harmony with the earth as advocates for the integrity of care of God's Creation; a Global Missions church, committed to showing God's love and care through action for others in the world; and a W.I.S.E. congregation, welcoming, inclusive, supportive, and engaged for mental health.

Just Peace is grounded in UCC polity and covenantal theology; the Just Peace Pronouncement and resulting church movement have at their core a call to alleviate systemic injustice of all kinds using non-violence, challenging us to explore the intersections between peace and justice, offering to the world the prophetic message, grounded in the hope of reconciliation in Jesus, that "Peace is possible!".

To find out how the United Church of Christ implements its commitment to Just Peace, click on this link: https://ucc.org/justice_just-peace

As we learn in the opening pages of Genesis, our first calling as people of faith is to care for God's creation. Whether it is taking on the climate crisis or addressing the lead poisoning of children, environmental justice ministries could not have a higher purpose or calling than they do now.

Since becoming a Whole Earth congregation, Church of the Good Shepherd has seen the United Church of Christ (UCC) continue to evolve.

This evolution has led the UCC to change "Whole Earth" to "Environmental Justice," and now "Creation Justice".

To learn more about what Creation Justice means, check out the UCC website:

https://www.ucc.org/what_is _creation_justice_and _why_does_it_rock

Click below for COGS' journey

in living into this covenant.

Open and Affirming is the way many in the United Church of Christ (UCC) declare welcome and inclusion of gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT), same gender loving people (SGL) into the full life and ministry of the church. The message of love and compassion, justice and peace is at the core of the life of the life and ministry of Jesus.

Open and Affirming (ONA) ministries and resources are rooted in that Gospel message.

The testimonies of these ministries proclaim the truth of God's power to transform cultures of hate and violence into communities of healing and reconciliation. They give witness to God's continuing testament and how the gifts of God are being liberated for service in the world.

Click here to see how the UCC is open and affirming: https://ucc.org/lgbt .

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in living into this covenant.

A Global Missions covenant means we have a vision for a ministry that embraces the whole creation, connects ourselves internationally through many means, including education, prayer, and financial support, and this connection is done in every aspect of congregational life.
We support global missions and explore the theology behind global missions, partly by maintain contract with global partners.

We are well-informed of mission and carry it out in our living. We're committed to learning, supporting, and becoming involved in wider mission programs and projects.

To find out more about the United Church of Christ and Global Missions, visit:

https:/https://globalministries.org/.

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in living out this covenant

In living our commitment to be Open and Affirming to all that we join the mission to affirm that we are Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, and Engaged (WISE) in the mental health of the community and the wider world.
At the Church of the Good Shepherd, we care about the whole person and believe all are beloved by God.

We recognize that stigma related to mental health and substance use disorders negatively affects the heart of our community.

Stigma reduces the impact of prevention, harm reduction, and recovery efforts for those in need.

We recognize that a safe, stable, supportive person or network can change negative outcomes for those trying to heal.

We recognize that anyone can struggle with mental health and/or substance use disorders and that sometimes the only difference that separates those who do not from those who do is circumstances. We are committed to providing a safe, supportive, and accepting network to all persons, their caregivers, family, and friends.

We are committed to continuing to use a trauma-focused lens, seeking out education and knowledge, increasing awareness, and speaking openly about
mental health and substance use disorders.

Speaking out loud about our mental health, substance use, and recovery helps reduce the stigma around common human experiences.

As a WISE Congregation, we hope to communicate that, through sharing our vulnerabilities in safe, supportive, and nourishing environments, we find collective strength and courage to heal and grow.

Visit:

https://www.mhn-ucc.org/who-we-are/