Social Justice

ISAAC – Healing Whiteness through Somatics Practice ISAAC 2023 Body of Work Please find the registration form here: HEALING WHITENESS REGISTRATION FORM 2023 Why: “White-body supremacy trauma” is a trauma that we all – including white identified individuals, communities and systems – integrate into our bodies and structures. We need to address this trauma directly […]

Each year, Kalamazoo Pride brings together over 8,000 people of all ages, genders, sexual orientations, and racial identities from South-west Michigan and beyond to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride. The festival at Kalamazoo’s Arcadia Creek Festival Place features show-stopping drag performances, incredible music, exhibitors, food, dancing, and more. This year, People’s Church is again partnering with the […]

Special Collection: El Concilio May 7th   Fulfilling the Promise for All campaign El Concilio serves Latinx residents of Kalamazoo through preschool, translation services, educational mentoring, bilingual counseling, cultural programs and much much more. To keep up with the demand for the services they provide, they are launching a multi-year capital campaign called ‘Fulfilling the […]

Several training opportunities related to dismantling white supremacy culture will be offered over the rest of the year to member congregations. New small groups will be formed for the Healing Whiteness somatic training, a small group experience for white ISAAC family members. Invitations will be sent to member congregations for our interested members to apply […]

Special Collection: April 16th The special collection for April will benefit Southwest Michigan land Conservancy’s (SWMLC) Stewardship Fund to support their efforts to promote climate resilience. SWMLC, a local nonprofit conservation organization, works with people in the community to improve habitat, protect water quality, support biodiversity, connect people with nature, and conserve the landscapes – […]

ISAAC Update Many important efforts are underway: With ISAAC advocacy, Gun Violence Prevention was declared a public health crisis. Funds for youth-oriented prevention programs were moved from the City to United Way to assure that program recipients are competent to conduct this work effectively and accountably for impact. Brother Ed Genesis has been hired by […]

Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) announced the six national 2023 Cool Congregations Challenge winners. The annual contest awards religious congregations around the United States for outstanding efforts to addressing climate change in their facilities by reducing their carbon footprint and creating models of sustainability within their communities. Read more HERE! COMMUNITY INSPIRATION, […]

What is Kalamazoo’s Culture? Sat, March 25, 2023, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM EDT KNAC (First Baptist building @ Bronson Park) 315 West Michigan Avenue Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Kalamazoo is a diverse community. But what about the stories, artworks, songs, food, and more that make up our culture? Hear from local cultural producers about […]

Transgender Day of Visibility Service and Celebration Saturday, March 18, 2pm at People’s Church The Faith Alliance of OutFront Kalamazoo invite people of all ages to attend this service to celebrate trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people and observe Transgender Day of Visibility, which actually falls on March 31. Religious leaders from various traditions […]

March Special Collection: Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes Sunday March 12 Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes got its start in several downtown Kalamazoo congregations in the early 1980’s. A group of individuals recognized that their neighbors were struggling to put food on the table so they took up the charge to fill the food gap. […]

February Special Collection: Legacy House Sunday February 5th The Legacy House is a program of OutFront Kalamazoo. Legacy House offers transitional housing for LGBTQ+ young adults ages 18-24, who are navigating homelessness in Kalamazoo County. In addition to a place to live, Legacy House provides residents with services, resources, and skill-building to encourage and […]

TRHT (Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation) Kalamazoo will be hosting three free racial healing experiences to the public on Monday, January 16th, 2023.  Space is limited. You can RSVP as a participant https://docs.google.com/forms/de/1FAIpQLSf7SW22sDT2cITXy4KQGlwu8t9Aui1EVigyXxpruFLboa18cg/viewform These are being offered as part of TRHT’s community celebration of the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. […]

Special Collection: Community Homeworks Maternal Wellness and Small Child Pilot Program January 8, during the service Community Homeworks provides critical home repairs and education to low income homeowners that allow them to be safe and warm, avoid homelessness, and build generational wealth. In partnership with Cradle Kalamazoo (a previous special offering recipient), Community Homeworks […]

A review of ISAAC’s work in 2022 shows powerful impacts throughout our community on all issues tackled. We are grateful for the support and participation of People’s people in these endeavors and for the opportunities ISAAC provides for us to help build the Beloved Community. Voter Engagement Working with key partners El Concilio […]

MUUSJN Membership December 2022 marks the 20th anniversary of the Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network (MUUSJN), a statewide network of people from 24 UU congregations and fellowships — and our activist friends — who are working together for justice.  It’s been a challenging and rewarding year for making justice happen in Michigan.  Click this link: https://conta.cc/3P5izky  to […]

The upcoming December Special Collection will be held on December 11th to benefit Ministry with Community. Ministry with Community is one of our traditional yearly recipients. MWC is a daytime shelter and resource center in downtown Kalamazoo. They are open 365 days a year to anyone who needs their services, including those experiencing homelessness, […]

This month’s special collection will benefit works being done by the local Kalamazoo/Battle Creek Black Lives Matter Group. This grassroots chapter is serving the Black communities of Battle Creek and Kalamazoo, MI. Committed to being transparent with contributions, we aim to include the needs of *all* Black lives in our communities, especially […]

The 20th Anniversary of ISAAC (Interfaith Strategy for Advocacy and Action in the Community) was celebrated at the virtual Public Meeting last week. Since its inception in 2002, Peoples’ Church and our people have been actively engaged with many other congregations and partners in organizing for policy reforms that make Kalamazoo County […]

People’s Church is now collecting cans & bottles! We are excited to announce a new partnership between People’s Church and BLM Mealtrain Kzoo/BC! Please help support their wonderful work by bringing in your clean cans and bottles on or under the table that has been set up in the downstairs lobby of […]

MUUSJN and UU the VOTE Opportunities Phone and Text Banking: There are opportunities to phone bank every week with the Michigan UU Social Justice Network (MUUSJN). Monday Nights from 6-8 PM (text banking will come soon) https://bit.ly/PhbankMon Wednesday Night 6:30-8:30 PM Phone banks: https://bit.ly/phMUUSJN Keep in mind that you don’t […]

The YWCA Reproductive Health Fund enables all Kalamazoo County residents to access reproductive, sexual, and gender-affirming health care services – especially those who identify as Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), undocumented people, low-income people, and those who identify as LGBTQIA+. The Fund eliminates financial and transportation barriers and increases access to […]

People’s Church, in partnership with the Congregation of Moses and Temple B’nai Israel, two synagogues in the Kalamazoo area, has been busy helping to resettle seven Afghan families who are seeking asylum status in the United States. These families began arriving in November 2021 and through February 2022. Below is a summary of what our […]

ISAAC Public Meeting Watch Party October 25—6:30pm Please Save the Date and please spread the news! Please plan to be part of our People’s Church people virtually attending the ISAAC Public Meeting on Tuesday, October 25th at 7 pm. This very important public gathering occurs only on even-numbered years close to the November […]

For many years People’s people have been intertwined with the students and staff at Lincoln Elementary. We have had tutors and mentors there for as long as I can remember. We hold a special annual collection for them at the beginning of the church/school year. We have done things like book collections so EVERY student […]

People’s People are generous. Over the last year, we have been able to raise a total almost $10,000 in our monthly Special Collections to help out so many different wonderful organizations! Thank you to everyone’s generosity!! September 2021: Lincoln School Kalamazoo Public Schools opened with in-person learning for those students who opted for that format. […]