Social Justice

Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ (Matthew 25:34-37)

Social Justice at First Presbyterian Church

As a Matthew 25 Church we responding to the PC(USA)’s call to radical and fearless discipleship and are committed to dismantling structural racism. The Justice and Advocacy Committee of Session meets to help connect all of the missions and programs of the congregation live into this commitment

Our vision
We advocate and act to breakdown the systems, practices, and thinking that underlie discrimination, bias, prejudice, and oppression of people of color.

Courageous Conversations
As a predominately white community, we strive to increase awareness of white culture and to decrease discomfort with speaking about race through ongoing conversations. See educational resources and opportunities on the Adult Education page.

Exploring the History of Race in Haddonfield
Partnering with the Haddonfield Historical Society, we seek to explore the lack of racial diversity in our town.

Reaching Out in Healing Ways - Supporting the Essence of Harmony Choral Society
First Presbyterian's Session recognizes that throughout U.S. history African American composers have not been compensated equitably for the music they have created. To remedy this in “our little way,” the congregation is invited to make a donation whenever we sing an African American Spiritual, whether it’s the choir anthem or a hymn. This donation goes directly to The Essence of Harmony Choral Society to assist them in purchasing music, supporting professional musicians, and paying venue fees.

The Essence of Harmony Choral Society was formed in 2018 by Cherisse Bonefont. The Choir was born from a need she saw to create the presence of space for and a medium through which singers of all skill levels can share their musical gifts with the Burlington County community at large. This diverse group of singers has a cohesive and creative performance style. EHCS focuses explicitly on celebrating the works of both classical and under-recognized African-American composers. In addition, the group presents classics and anthems, spirituals, and contemporary gospel music.

To donate to the Essence of Harmony Choral Society:

Environmental Justice seeks to rectify the extreme disparity in the impact of environmental burdens versus benefits on diverse populations and regions in the United States and around the world. Historically, people of color, indigenous peoples and other minorities have suffered under laws, policies and common practices that force them to live and work in unhealthy and unsafe areas created by various kinds of pollution, climate change, destruction of natural habitats and degrading infrastructure. The Justice and Advocacy Committee provides information to our members on ways they can protect God’s gift of creation in their daily lives and actively work towards a world where all God's children are heard and treated with dignity.

“Restoring creation is not a short-term concern to be handled in a few years, but a continuing task to which the nation and the world must give attention and commitment, and which has profound implications for the life, work and witness of Christian people and church agencies.”

Environmental Resources from PC(USA)

"Abuse of nature and injustice to people place the future in grave jeopardy.”
PC(USA) Environmental Policy

Mass Incarceration

Voting Rights

The Be SMART campaign was launched to raise awareness that every adult can play a role in keeping children and communities safe from gun violence such as suicide, mass shootings and accidental shootings. It’s based on verified research data and public records in a non-partisan, non-judgmental fashion and three things most people can agree on.
1. We all want kids to grow up happy and healthy.
2. We each have the right to make responsible decisions about how to
protect our homes, families and communities—including whether or not
to have a gun in our home.
3. If we can prevent even one child gun death, or injury, it’s our (the adults’ not child’s)
responsibility to do so.

It’s not about laws or policies. It’s important to remember that even if YOU are practicing secure storage, or if you don’t have a gun in your home, you can’t be sure about other homes. You can’t be sure about how responsible other people are being. And that’s where the Be SMART program becomes helpful. What can we do? Attend a Be SMART presentation for help with the more challenging components and open discussions, access archived info in REALM and go to besmartforkids.org to learn more. We can learn to Be…

Secure guns in homes and vehicles.
Model responsible behavior.
Ask about unsecured guns and in other homes.
Recognize the risks of teen suicide.
Tell your peers to be SMART.

First Presbyterian Church
OF HADDONFIELD

20 King's Highway East, Haddonfield, NJ 08033
(856) 429-1960

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