Community Engagement and Public Witness
Coordinator of Community Engagement and Public Witness
Rev. Laura Walters
YOU SHOULD BE HERE IF...
YOU'RE SEEKING TO
ENGAGE YOUR COMMUNITY IN NEW WAYS
YOU WANT TO
JOIN GOD IN THE WORK OF MENDING THE WORLD
YOU'RE INTERESTED IN
DISCOVERING WHO IS YOUR NEIGHBOR
YOU WANT TO
DEVELOP COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
YOU NEED TO
EXPLORE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A GOOD ALLY
UPCOMING EVENTS
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & PUBLIC WITNESS EVENT HIGHLIGHT
MARCH 14, 2026
Grace Presbytery is proud to partner with some of our churches and organizations to sponsor free screenings of the documentary, The Librarians.
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Librarians emerge as first responders in the fight for democracy and our First Amendment Rights. Librarians are sounding the alarm, linking heated
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school and library board battles to the growing extremism behind censorship efforts.
MARCH MATTERS
When elections fly under the radar, turnout drops - and a small group decides the outcome. That makes it harder for everyday Texans to be heard and hold leaders accountable. This isn’t about parties or issues; it’s about helping people vote. March matters, and it’s easy to miss. Explore MarchMatters.org for key dates, voting preparations, a shareable flyer, a nonpartisan toolkit, and more.
Did you know?:
Did you know that the March primary elections are where most Texas leadership is effectively chosen? In 2022, only FOUR Texas House races were decided in November; the other 146 seats were decided in the March primary.
Did you know that only 14% of the voting age population participated in the 2024 Primary Elections? Very little publicity is given to the March primary, so people don’t even realize it’s happening.
Did you know that 3% of voters decided 97% of lawmakers in 2024? Texas is #2 in the nation for the lowest voter turnout.
SOCIAL JUSTICE PUBLIC WITNESS GRANTS & SCHOLARSHIPS
The Purpose:
To encourage and support congregations (grants) or individuals (scholarships) of Grace Presbytery to address social justice issues in the creation of new and innovative ministries within the congregations and communities that they serve. Applicants should be able to answer how the grant would serve a justice project.
The Process:
The SJPWC will receive, review, and award grants and scholarships on an ongoing basis throughout the year.
Preference will be given to those applications for which one or more of the following is true:
- Individual scholarships for public witness and social justice work initiatives
- Individual scholarships to members of historically marginalized groups in need due to systemic discrimination and exclusion.
- Grants to communities and groups that experience significant collective barriers to full society participation and equity-denied groups.
- Grants to foster congregational initiatives addressing social justice issues
- Preference may be given to grants that address current topics of focus identified by the SJPWC.
BUILDING AN ANTI-RACISM POLICY
About Anti-Racism
All PC(USA) churches and mid-councils are now required to have some form of an anti-racism policy. This is part of our collective commitment to become a more just, equitable, and faithful Church, aligning our ministry with the Gospel’s call to love and justice.
Why do we need to do this now? Why does it need to be an anti-racism policy? What even is an anti-racism policy?
Consider what this policy isn’t: a long, drawn-out document covering everything having to do with racism. It’s not perfect. It does not have to cross every “T” or dot every “I.” It’s not a document of things you shouldn’t do (although some of that may be addressed).
It is a living document crafted by each institution in their particular place and time. It meets you where you are. It lists the next best steps for your congregation to address issues of racial injustice. It’s a how-to-love-your-neighbor document. Essentially, this is a policy of yeses, not nos—what you CAN DO! It can be simple, but the work won’t be easy.
Feedback from an Anti-Racism Workshop
I encourage other churches to take advantage of Laura’s wisdom, skills, and energy. Our experience has been positive and encouraging. We know we have work to do, but we are now more open to seeing, listening to, working with, and learning from others in this one world God has given us. The following is a list of our initial steps to developing an anti-racism policy for our church:
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The hardest step is the first one – agree to begin the work and get a commitment from all involved
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Visit with Laura and schedule a time when the full group can work without interruption for several hours
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Schedule a planning time with Laura and a few leaders to plan the meeting
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Provide a safe place and time to visit over a meal
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Agree to initial steps and have a sub-group bring a summary to the full group
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Schedule follow-up work sessions and review progress, knowing that growth isn’t always in a straight line
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Pray for open minds and open hearts—the opportunities will follow
ANTI-RACISM READING LIST
CONFRONTING WHITE CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM
Standing Against White Christian Nationalism
The General Assembly Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations has a recent resource to help Presbyterians learn more about confronting white Christian nationalism. The two-page document includes FAQs and “God of All,” a liturgical witness by the Rev. Dr. Whitney Wilkinson Arreche and the Rev. Dr. Jacob Bolton, who acknowledge the influence of poet Cole Arthur Riley.
Rejecting white Christian nationalism is essential to the PC(USA)’s commitment to justice, inclusion, and the dignity of all people. This ideology distorts the gospel by merging faith with racial and political power, and standing against it affirms the church’s call to resist oppression and seek the well-being of all God’s people.
SUPPORTING PUBLIC LIBRARIES & FIGHTING BOOK BANNING
Standing with Our Libraries for Freedom of Speech and Against Book Banning
Fighting book banning is vital to protecting democracy and our First Amendment rights. Removing books restricts the flow of ideas and allows those in power to shape communities. Standing against censorship ensures access to diverse perspectives and keeps libraries places of open inquiry.
Protecting First Amendment rights—freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition—is vital to the PC(USA)’s commitment to shared power, open discourse, and the dignity of every person.
WHITE CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM & BOOK BANNING READING LIST
IMMIGRATION JUSTICE RESOURCES
Why Be Involved in Immigration, Asylum, Refugee, and Immigrant Justice
Immigration justice is a vital expression of the PC(USA)’s commitment to welcoming the stranger, affirming human dignity, and seeking fairness for all people. Rooted in the belief that every person is created in God’s image, the church advocates for compassionate policies that protect families, ensure due process, and address the systemic inequalities that force people to migrate. Supporting immigration justice means living out Christ’s call to love our neighbors, work for peace, and build communities where all can flourish without fear or discrimination.
IMMIGRATION JUSTICE READING LIST
PUBLIC WITNESS AND DISTANCE ADVOCACY THROUGH TEXAS IMPACT
Along with Texas Impact, our partner in ministry, you can receive action alerts, volunteer your time, get others involved in your area, and watch hearings and floor procedures.
Build Your Legislative Connections
* Schedule pre-session district visits with your legislative office - email [email protected] if you need assistance.
Join the thousands of Texans who rely on Texas Impact for clarity on faith and policy. They offer accurate information from experts and leaders.
MORE RESOURCES FOR DISTANCE ADVOCACY
WHY CALL: Following & Participating in Government
People of faith are ideally suited to participate in the legislative process. Our faith shows us how to be with and for one another. Understanding what the legislature is doing and how it affects society is a way of being in community with one another. And it’s how we can better love our neighbors. Use the links below to follow and understand what is coming before the Texas legislature in this session. (Access Decoding the Dome by subscribing to their free email option.)
WHO TO CALL: Finding Your Representative
Knowing who represents you in local, state, and federal governments is a way of claiming association with your community. It’s our connection with our neighbors and what is happening in the world around us. Search for your representatives by your home address or home county through "Who Represents Me", or search for numbers grouped by committee focus.
HOW TO CALL: Educating & Preparing Yourself
Consider how our faith relates to these matters, and what are other faith leaders saying. How are we called to act with love in this process? To prepare, watch videos from Lege TV, curated by Texas Impact, highlighting key legislative topics. Weekly Witness offers an opportunity to learn about public policy issues from a faith perspective and find ways to engage. It is broadcast live on Facebook with a studio audience, and the podcast is available the day after the live recording.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC WITNESS + OTHER RESOURCES
MICAH 6:8
God has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?
If we say and do what we believe, what our faith tells us, people know what we believe. This is called INTEGRITY.
INHALE: God, how long? EXHALE: Justice is coming.
by Cole Arthur Riley
"What if by some miracle, and all our struggle, the Earth is spared, only justice to every living thing (and everything alive) will save humankind…"
by Alice Walker
LAURA'S READING LIST
If an image on this reading list is clickable, it is available to check out from the Grace Resource Center.
ENGAGE, WITNESS, & SUPPORT WITH EXPANSIVENESS, CONNECTION, & LOVE IN ACTION
