Micah 6:8 instructs us to “do justice.” We recognize that there are people hungry today, and we work together to feed them, but we also ask, why they are hungry? Where is the systemic injustice? And by listening to, and working alongside, those most impacted by the injustice - we discover what it is we can do to do justice.
The justice collaborative at NACC has advocated on behalf of payday lending reforms, Medicaid expansion, and LGBTQ-inclusive non-discrimination protections in city ordinance and state law. Our Hand Up program extends gap funding to area agencies working with clients recently released from incarceration. We partner with the community of Hilapo Dos in Nicaragua through the Rainbow Network. In the winter of 2020-21 we partnered with First Unitarian Universalist Church of Springfield to open a Crisis Cold Weather Shelter during the COVID19 Pandemic, joining several other churches, non-profits, and city resources in a network to provide low-barrier emergency overnight shelter on nights when temps are below freezing.
One of the primary types of systemic injustice is racism and white supremacy. We are a predominantly white congregation that is working to unlearn and dismantle the white supremacy that our culture is steeped in. We have a lot of work to do.
Join one our teams preparing meals or assembling grocery boxes listed below. If you have a passion for justice you don’t see reflected here, bring it to our Facebook group or our monthly Justice Collaborative meetings (1st Sunday of the Month following Service +/- 11:30 am).
We can do more when we organize collectively.
- Every Monday night*: Breaking Bread & Building Bridges (4Bs) weekly dinner service at Grace United Methodist Church (*5th Mondays are prepared by Ozarks Dharma Community)
- The 1st Tuesday of the month: Dinner at Rare Breed Youth Services Drop-in Center
- 2nd Weekend of the month: Rare Breed Backpack Program - delivering prepackaged food items to get young people through the weekends when Rare Breed is closed.
- 1st Friday of the month: Pack and distribute grocery boxes at Crosslines.
- 2nd Friday of the month: Hand Up meeting at noon.
- 4th Tuesday of the month: Dinner for GLO Youth
- Quarterly: Blood Drives with Community Blood Center of the Ozarks
For the last few winters, we have collaborated to provide Crisis Cold Weather Shelter (CCWS), in cooperation with several other churches and organizations in the community. NACC joins with First Unitarian Universalist Church of Springfield, Brentwood Christian Church, and Asbury United Methodist Church to host 35 people of all genders and their pets in the fellowship hall at Asbury UMC (1500 S. Campbell) on nights when temperatures are at or below 32 degrees. This takes a tremendous amount of volunteers to undertake. We also provide paid overnight staff to work alongside volunteers, so fundraising is also important. Visit our Facebook group for more detail, including how to volunteer or donate, or visit the Community Partnership of the Ozarks website to learn more about the broad network involved and how you or your organization might participate. You can also email our justice coordinator.
Generous donors over the history of National Avenue Christian Church have created something akin to an endowment fund known as a Unitrust which generates thousands of dollars annually designated for justice work. We grant these funds to nonprofit partners in our community and around the world. Click here to apply. Applications are considered on a rolling basis throughout the year when our collaborative meets every other month.
Justice is the beating heart of this congregation, we all have a part in doing justice. Email justice@nationalavenuecc.com to get involved or set up a coffee to share your passion.