Peace & Justice
Addressing the Root Causes of Suffering
The United Methodist Church has a long history of concern for social justice. Its members have often taken forthright positions on controversial issues involving Christian principles. Early Methodists expressed their opposition to the slave trade, smuggling, and the cruel treatment of prisoners.
You can learn more about our Social Principles by clicking here.
"The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with a skin disease are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised,and the poor have good news brought to them."
Matthew 11:5, NRSV
KLCH Community Garden
Halstead First UMC is partnered with the Kansas Learning Center for Health (across the street from the church) and The Big Garden to grow a garden for the community. Produce from the garden goes to cultivate food security in Halstead.
Healthy Congregation
Our congregation is shaping the community's culture to improve spiritual, physical, social, and emotional health in Halstead. As a Healthy Congregation, Halstead First UMC seeks to address social isolation, increase access to healthful foods, and promote opportunities for physical activity and play.
Health Care Advocacy
We want people to be healthy, vital, and active in our community, and health care plays an important role in the health and wholeness of our neighbors. Sadly, there are 160,000 Kansans without access to health care. As a Faith Voices for Medicaid Expansion affiliate, our Peace and Justice small group is advocating for the expansion of KanCare (our state's health care delivery system).
Looking for ways to be involved at Halstead First UMC? Click here to connect with us.
Our Social Creed
The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church - 2016We believe in God, Creator of the world; and in Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of creation. We believe in the Holy Spirit, through whom we acknowledge God’s gifts, and we repent of our sin in misusing these gifts to idolatrous ends.
We affirm the natural world as God’s handiwork and dedicate ourselves to its preservation, enhancement, and faithful use by humankind.
We joyfully receive for ourselves and others the blessings of community, sexuality, marriage, and the family.
We commit ourselves to the rights of men, women, children, youth, young adults, the aging, and people with disabilities; to improvement of the quality of life; and to the rights and dignity of all persons.
We believe in the right and duty of persons to work for the glory of God and the good of themselves and others and in the protection of their welfare in so doing; in the rights to property as a trust from God, collective bargaining, and responsible consumption; and in the elimination of economic and social distress.
We dedicate ourselves to peace throughout the world, to the rule of justice and law among nations, and to individual freedom for all people of the world.
We believe in the present and final triumph of God’s Word in human affairs and gladly accept our commission to manifest the life of the gospel in the world. Amen.