- Definition & Purpose: The Central Justice Network (CJN) supports and coordinates advocacy and community organizing for justice on behalf of Central Christian Church and its members.
- Connection & Scope: It serves as Central's point of connection with the Indy Action Coalition, which is a part of LiveFree Indiana.
How the Central Justice Network (CJN) Works
The Central Justice Network carries out its work by acting as Central Christian Church’s point of connection with broader community organizing efforts—specifically partnering with the Indy Action Coalition and LiveFree Indiana.
CJN focuses on engaging the congregation across four main avenues of justice work:
- Advocacy
- Direct Service / Mutual Aid
- Community Organizing
- Political Leadership & Civic Engagement
Key Volunteer & Action Opportunities
Volunteers and members participate through a variety of direct actions, public hearings, rallies, and coalition gatherings:
- Attending Rallies & Marches: Participating in public demonstrations, such as hospitality marches and vigils focused on immigration policy and human rights.
- Attending City & Public Hearings: Showing up at public hearings (e.g., city-county tax break hearings) alongside partner groups like the Black Church Coalition to advocate against harmful tax abatements.
- Budget & Civic Advocacy: Attending City Council meetings and assemblies to share scorecards with councilors and advocate for key city budget priorities (such as community violence intervention, clinician-led crisis response teams, and housing initiatives like Streets to Home).
- Coalition Assemblies & Voter Work: Participating in regional assemblies with partner organizations (LiveFree Indiana, Indy Action Coalition, Black Church Coalition) to organize community initiatives and voter engagement.
- Educational Conversations & Workshops: Attending post-worship learning sessions (such as the "What's Your Justice Style?" panel discussion) to help members identify how their personal skills fit into justice work.
