We believe that the gospel dictates that we form ourselves around the values of compassion and justice. In practicing these virtues we live out our calling to be God’s partners in creating a more “user-friendly” world and we grow in our human capacity for love and kindness.
It’s important for us to embrace acts of compassion and justice because it’s easy for a church to neglect one in favor of the other. We believe in a balanced approach that reaches out in love to those who are hurting while we work toward a more just society with fewer victims.
One way of showing compassion is to give money to important causes that relieve human suffering. RUCC partners with other organizations to provide relief and assistance both locally and internationally. At the very first Annual Meeting of the church in 1976, a motion was made and approved unanimously by the church that RUCC should seek to have an Outreach Budget of 10% of the entire Budget. This commitment has been renewed consistently through our years as a church. The church was also instrumental in the founding of Food for All, a national organization that is committed to feeding hungry people. Another (and more preferred way) is to get involved with hands-on volunteer work where you can experience the joy of actually doing something helpful and you can develop relationships with people. Something transformative happens when we reach out in love and create these kinds of relationships.
We also feel called to address the root issues that underlie misery and to call attention to injustice and find ways to stand up for those who do not have a voice and for those who are victimized by injustice. RUCC was on the front-lines of standing up for the elimination of Proposition 8; it has clearly spoken up for the prospects of peace and for fair treatment of those who suffer from the income-inequality gap in our country today.
RUCC is also concerned about environmental justice. We see stewardship of creation as a basic Christian concern and we work hard on composting, recycling, energy efficiency, and advocacy. We have supported the “Lent Carbon Fast” project and the March for Climate Change.