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Social Action Council Identity and Mission Statements
Identity
The Social Action Council of Immaculate Conception participates in a vibrant and diverse Franciscan parish located in downtown Durham. We aspire to be servant-leaders within our parish; we are committed to live the values of Catholic Social Teaching and be vigilant and responsive to current issues affecting our parishioners, our community, and our world. Mission Our mission is to engage and empower Immaculate Conception parishioners to live lives of justice, healing, compassion, and peace, manifesting the reign of God in our parish, our community, and our world. We will do this by being attentive to the signs of the times, through dialogue, and through organized communal response to societal and individual human needs, always cognizant that all human beings are created in the image and likeness of God. Pastoral Staff - Minister for Social Action and Discipleship — is responsible for promoting and facilitating peace and justice activities and Catholic Social Teaching within the parish, as well as implementing Immaculate Conception's social justice mission in the greater community by networking with Durham congregations, social service agencies and community groups. - Katushka Olave, Latino Pastoral Associate - The Latino ministry is an ever growing part of Immaculate Conception. The Latino ministry coordinator is responsible for coordinating, training, and directing those involved in various pastoral and liturgical ministries, Spanish and English classes, adult faith formation, youth, social justice, parish life. Katushka devotes approximately one-half of her time to social justice education and organizing activities. E-mail or 919-281-0731 Social Action Council Working Ministry Teams - Remain in My Love - LGBTQ Ministry This ministry provides opportunities for fellowship, support, and discussion of issues regarding sexuality, gender, and spirituality in a loving, non-judgmental faith community. All are welcome to respectfully attend these meetings, this includes LGBTQ persons, families, friends and all who want to learn more about being a supportive Catholic to our LGBTQ parishioners. If you would like to attend a meeting or have questions please contact: Amy Oliphant or Karen Poglitsch - Promoting Human Dignity Ministry Team The Promoting Human Dignity Ministry Team supports all parish ministries addressing life and human dignity, including those addressing poverty and homelessness, food insecurity and provides education in the underlying issues of racism and economic disparities. The team works with Durham CAN, Families Moving Forward and other community partners to influence city and county housing policy for the benefit of those facing homelessness. - Support for Immigrants Ministry Team We continue as a parish to organize with community partners, including Durham CAN and the Congress of Latino Organizations, to demand the enactment of immigration reform that respects our common humanity and reflects the values -fairness, compassion and opportunity- we hold as Catholics and Americans. We continue to work to provide immediate service to immigrants in our community through emergency assistance, advocacy in schools and immigration assistance. - Green Team Care for creation continues to be an important priority for the Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province and Immaculate Conception Parish. Immaculate Conception achieved GreenFaith certification as a “Green Congregation” in January 2017. The Green team has been instrumental in the parish transition to all LED bulbs in the school, church, trailers and offices, the creation of the parish community food garden and installation of a cistern and rain garden. They currently are working on a pan to add solar panels somewhere on campus. They sponsor the annual Earth Day Fair, Valentine's Day Fiar Trade Chocolate Sale and the annual Advent Alternative Gift fair. - Durham CAN Core Team The Durham CAN Core team is a small group of parishioners trained in the art of grassroots community organizing. They participate on the Durham CAN Strategy Team, Metro-Council or an Action Team. They are charged with organizing parishioners to address comunity issues including criminal justice reform, affordable housing and jobs as part of Durham CAN (Congregations, Associations and Neighborhoods). Annual Events and Formation Activities
Advent “Alternative Gift Fair”… is an opportunity for parishioners to support fair trade and sustainable alternatives in their holiday gift-giving. Valentine's Day Fair Trade Chocolate...is sold in the gathering space after each Mass the weekend before Valentine's Day in an effort to educate ourselves about the benefits of Fair Trade for farmers, child laborers and consumers, and to make it easy to "buy fair trade" for Valentine's Day. Earth Day Fair… is offered after each weekend Mass in conjunction with Earth Day. Parish groups and ministries have an opportunity to showcase their activities in support of Care for God’s Creation. This year we also created an Earth Day Page on our website. Engaging Spirituality and JustFaith… these programs invite faithful adults to break open their lives, penetrate the realities of our times, and explore the intersection between Christian spirituality and Gospel justice. They are offered in alternating years. Hygiene Kits for the Homeless and Farmworkers… hygiene items are collected during St. Francis Week in October for participants at Durham’s Project Homeless Connect and during Lent for farmworkers coming into North Carolina each spring to work in our fields. 
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