IMNE Social Justice Team Mission Statement

"We recognize that the patterns of social injustice in our country have their roots in the theft of land and the genocide of native peoples, as well as the forced labor and suffering of enslaved peoples brought to this country against their will. Justice matters. Without it, acts of compassion are hollowed and there can be no right relationships. 

As Interfaith Ministers we are called to be a compassionate presence in our communities. We are called to witness when hateful words and actions continue historical patterns of violence and oppression. We seek to stand in solidarity with the marginalized and oppressed. In living out our faith, we seek to alleviate pain and embody a world for all living beings based on moral courage, kindness, and love.”

WELCOME!

COMMUNITY CHAPLAIN TRAINING PROGRAM

The Interfaith Ministers of New England (IMNE) Justice Committee is proud to launch our NEW Community Chaplain Training Program!

As human rights, dignity, and democracy face growing threats from rising authoritarianism, faith leaders have a moral responsibility to stand against injustice and offer a compassionate, courageous presence in our communities, in a very visible manner.

Our program offers two ways to serve

Front-line Community Chaplains wear clearly marked safety vests and provide a peaceful, visible spiritual presence at protests, ICE facilities, town halls, and other community events. They bear witness, offer compassion, and stand for human dignity.

Pastoral Care Community Chaplains work behind the scenes, providing spiritual and emotional support to frontline chaplains and their teams.

Both roles are equally important and require the same training.

There will also be future volunteer roles for the program, including supervisory, administrative and program management development assistance needed in the future as our program grows.

Learn From Those Already Serving

Since late spring, our pilot chaplains have been present at protests, city hall meetings, and the ICE facility in Scarborough, Maine, and at active ICE detentions.

During our online training, you'll hear their experiences, learn how the program works, and discover how you can become involved.

Will You Answer the Call?

Our communities need courageous, compassionate faith leaders willing to show up. Whether on the front lines or behind the scenes, your presence and ministry matter.  Being in community with other faith leaders also taking action also matters at the critical point in time for our nation.

We hope you'll join us in putting our faith, compassion, and conscience into action through this program, which will continue to adapt, grow and evolve to meet these unprecedented times in our nation.

LET’S GET STARTED!

Review the complete packet for the program, including the Charter, Code of Ethics and Operating Principles that provides very detailed program information.

Self-reflection and discernment: The chaplains who piloted the program recommend careful reflection of your call to serve and your own personal story and experiences that may present themselves in the roles as it is described. This is an on-going process for every member of the Community Chaplain program, no matter if you serve in the front-line role or the pastoral care role that supports chaplains, ministers and clergy on the front lines. Understanding your own personal risk tolerance as well as your ability to commit time and effort to the program is part of this discernment. Examples of things that prompted self-assessment by the pilot program participants included:

a.  Being approached by pro-ICE individuals present at Biddeford community protests in the weeks following the ICE killing of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero

b.  Passionate political beliefs that aligned with the majority of protestors, who welcomed a chaplain into their space by offering political signs for them to hold and the role of bearing witness versus “participating” in protests

c.  Questions by local clergy about the presence of Community Chaplains within public spaces close to their own churches

d.  Conversations and interactions with ICE agents and protestors at the ICE facility in Scarborough, Maine

e.  Exposure to witnessing frequent ICE detentions as a legal observer documenting the detentions versus bearing witness to the detentions as a Community Chaplain

f.  Individual responses to agitators appearing threatening towards protesters and protestors reacting to such agitation, with both parties engaging with the community chaplain to take on more of a security / pacemaker role than anticipated by the chaplain

g.  Co-chaplains processing experiences at attended events and their recognition that they needed further support and guidance from a pastoral care-giver member and the need to make such care a priority

Those are only some of the many things that triggered self-reflection and supervisory assistance from the chaplains in the public-facing roles and led to the understanding that the program must continue to evolve and change based on the lived experience of the chaplains involved.

COMPLETE the APPLICATION at the end of the packet to apply to the Community Chaplain Program

COMPLETE all of the following FOUNDATIONAL video training classes (self-study) prior to attending the on-line group training sessions. Even if you have previously had such training, a review is required for the Community Chaplain Program.

ATTEND 1 of the FOLLOWING ON-LINE GROUP TRAINING CLASSES. A minimum of 4 participants is required for the session to take place, so consider blocking your calendar for more than one class. You will receive an email if the class you selected doesn’t have enough participants.

Download the SIGNAL app to join the Community Chaplain group: SIGNAL is a free, private, secure, encrypted messaging app that works similar to Whatsapp or text message with better security features than those applications alone. Search for SIGNAL in your devices APP STORE or at the GOOGLE App Store. After you have downloaded the app, this tutorial can help you get started:

The Social Justice Team: Angie Arndt, Laura Carey, Deborah Cotter, Phaedra Bond, Tom Kircher, Karen St. Peter amd Pat Cannon

COMMUNITY CHAPLAIN CHARTER DOCUMENT

The Social Justice team of the Interfaith Ministers of New England (IMNE) was formed to provide a space for prophetic witness, education, and action in response to increasingly authoritarian expressions of power by the Federal Government contrary to established Constitutional freedoms of speech and assembly and contrary to basic human rights. The team has agreed to assist in the formation of a Community Chaplain program to provide a place of gathering, training, and coordinated action for IMNE chaplains seeking a way to utilize their skills in response to this situation.

Community Chaplains are called to provide a loving and supportive response to those who are impacted by or who chose to challenge authoritarian power structures which threaten human rights and constitutionally protected freedoms in the United States.

Community Chaplains reject the use of religious constructs and doctrines which utilize dehumanizing language and supremist ideologies to not only support authoritarian power structures, but also foster societal division, prejudice, and hatred. A contemporary form of such a religious construct is White Christian Nationalism (WCN), which uses historically religious language to actively promote religious and racial intolerance.

Community Chaplains believe peace, justice and equality can only be achieved through actively embracing multi-culturalism, multi-faith practices, including no faith acceptance, and by defending democracy built by the people, for the people. 

Community Chaplains stand for the following principles as outward expressions of the traditional role chaplains are called and trained to provide, specifically: care and nurture for those in distress, confusion, anger, fear, conflict and despair. 

  1. We believe peace, justice and equality are necessary for all people to reach their greatest potential as individuals, and as a collective society.

  2. We believe that our work must be carried out in the context of absolute adherence to the principles of nonviolence as promoted and practiced by social change leaders such as Ghandi and Martin Luther King. 

  3. At public gatherings, we provide emotional and spiritual comfort and support to anyone in need who desires such aid, and to work in concert with others in positions of responsibility and leadership to de-escalate conflict, tension, and anger, whenever safely possible.

  4. We provide similar comfort and support to like-minded movement workers who often labor long hours in and against fierce opposition to their organizing efforts to uphold social justice rights and speak for those who are being marginalized by racist, bigoted, immoral, oppressive and unjust authoritarian actions.

We demonstrate our commitment to these beliefs by:

  • Educating and grounding ourselves in the principles and practices of nonviolence revolutionary change as historically taught and practiced by the Martin Luther King-led civil rights movement. 

  • Educating members of our community, including faith leaders, about the dangers of authoritarianism and White Christian Nationalism and asking them to talk about it with their friends, family, community members and congregations.

  • Maintaining an obvious and active presence at local protests, civic events, political events, religious and spiritual events by wearing clergy, chaplain, minister attire and community chaplain identification to show that we are faith leaders.

  • Within this obvious and active public presence, striving to suspend public displays of our own personal political beliefs so that we can serve most effectively both as resource and witness for those involved in coordinating and participating in protests and gatherings.

  • Providing a radical and loving presence to all members of our community who share the same ideals that we do, while actively listening to their experiences, emotional and transpersonal struggles and victories as they stand against authoritarianism, discrimination, and injustice.

  • Practicing radical and loving responses to those who are involved in carrying out unjust and discriminatory actions, creating opportunities for these individuals to see the harm they bring to others and themselves by their actions.

Community Chaplain Program Operating Principles

A.    COMMUNITY CHAPLAIN PROGRAM CODE OF ETHICS

  1. Community Chaplains (CC) will maintain good standing with their certification/educational/training governing bodies and communities. CC will immediately notify IMNE social justice leadership if, after self-reflection, one believes they may have violated any ethical guidelines, policies, best practices or policies of their governing bodies with the understanding that they may be asked to resign from the CC volunteer program.

  2. Community Chaplains will strictly maintain the privacy and confidentiality of those who seek his/her guidance, services or referrals/resources.  Chaplains will follow all laws governing confidentiality and mandated state reporting in the state in which they operate.

  3. Community Chaplains will not use their role in the CC program to promote or recruit for their own churches, businesses or paid work in any way. CCs are volunteers and do not seek compensation from community members for Community Chaplain services that are provided at community events in which they are acting in their Community Chaplain roles.

  4. Community Chaplains will seek continuing education and knowledge, including best practice in nonviolent protests,  legal rights, safety, de-escalation, non-violence, and share sources of education and learning with members of the IMNE social justice committee who may add such education to the Community Chaplain training program.

  5. Community Chaplains will thoughtfully reflect on their risk tolerance as well as their ability to maintain commitment to the program and communicate their need to step back in order to deal with the human need for self-care, prioritization of family, friends and other demands on time and attention. Community Chaplains will not judge others as doing “too little” or “not enough” but have faith that each CC can make that best determination for themselves.

  6. Community Chaplains will follow through on commitments and promises to provide referrals, resources, or other contacts, or support to community members who may ask for that at events, protests or gatherings. CCs should be mindful of the commitments they make and ensure they can fulfill them in a timely manner.

  7. Community Chaplains will follow best practices for self-reflection, spiritual direction and pastoral care and loving support for their own growth and wellness, and for their peers who are also in the program, centering all conversation, listening, and support in loving kindness.

  8. Community Chaplains will follow the policy and guidelines outlined for the program and immediately inform IMNE social justice leadership of any violations of the policies and guidelines. Violating policies and guidelines could lead to the end of Community Chaplain involvement.

B.    COMMUNITY CHAPLAIN PROGRAM OPERATING PRACTICES:

  1. Community Chaplains must complete all required training models prior to deployment as a Community Chaplain.

  2. Community Chaplains must deploy only after consultation with and as directed by a designated Community Chaplain Team Leader.

  3. Front-line Community Chaplains must be deployed with another trained Front-line Community Chaplain.

  4. Deployed Front-line Community Chaplains will communicate with their Team Leader on arrival at a deployment site and on departure.

  5. Front-line Community Chaplain teams will be assigned a CC Support Chaplain to provide support to the team for reflection, processing, and receiving care as needed. Front-line CCs must check in with their Support Chaplain following a deployment.

  6. Support Chaplains will be assigned by a Team Leader for both one-off events where Front-line CCs are deployed and for providing ongoing support to individuals and programs which have requested a CC Support Chaplain.

  7. Support Chaplains will provide a brief report to their Team Leader following their activity in a support role under the CC program.

  8. Community Chaplains will not proselytize, preach, sermonize or attempt to convince/convert anyone to his/her belief system, non-belief system. CCs embrace all faiths and no-faith, and have no goals other than to meet people where they are in their beliefs.

  9. Community Chaplains will not promote or advocate for political candidates or political viewpoints while deployed actively as a Community Chaplain.

  10. Community Chaplains will attend events, protest and gatherings in their chosen chaplain, minister, clergy attire AND their Community Chaplain vest so the presence of a faith leader in community is obvious and well seen.

  11. Community Chaplain members will write and share self-reflections, experience, challenges and any things they have learned which can improve CC practices, safety, training, or knowledge. Growth and embracing change to meet current times is critical for the long-term success of the program. Such writings and reports will not be shared, spread or discussed beyond CC members without written approval from the original author.

Rev. Pat Cannon - IMNE Social Justice - July 2025

Social Justice is working personally and collectively for greater Inclusion, Mutual Value and Partnership.

Growing up a strong Irish Roman Catholic, I found inspiration with those who heard a different drummer and forged new pathways from the mainstream of their times (Oscar Romero, St. Therese of Avila and more.) It used to be the church of my youth discouraged entering any protestant church-reinforcing a division that seems ridiculous now. Changehappens!

Many of my Irish relatives left a country where there was oppression by the English and then received poor treatment upon arrival in Boston. They brought with them the dreams of their ancestors who dared to imagine a world more whole. This story sadly is playing out on repeat across the globe. Clear Ethnic and racial lines within the neighborhoods of city of Boston demonstrated unsettling divisions and questions that of course persist around our country as structural forces seek to “keep people in their place.”

From these roots, the attraction of Interfaith Dialogue and Ministry holds one hopeful pathway for Inclusion, Mutual Value, Curiosity and Partnership.

Over the years, I have gleaned much from studies and practice with Permaculture (technology of earth partnership), sociociracy (format for businesses and organization to hear and value all the voices) My primary ministry and work in the world, bringing people together to sing in a way that all voices are valued and also when working with individual students learning to discover and appreciate their unique expression of music.

Social Justice takes many forms and is a collaboration across time. To work for justice is to believe that even now, something beautiful is being born through us. Any action we can take with intention now, weaves into the fabric of what our ancestors across time and place have begun, and undoubtedly, what future generations will continue. Each action is a weaving of Becoming in our lifetimes.

What threads are you holding?

What core values motivate your actions of intention for the world we all want to live in?

For me, a world we ALL want to inhabit, means all abilities, all living forms (plant, animal, mineral), all humanity.

Influences on my philosophical understanding and practice in the sphere of social justice are many and include: Riane Eisler (history, economics (partnership economy) Marshall Rosenberg/Robert Gonzales (language of connection-NVC), Stephen Nachmanovitch/Pauline Oliveros (Improvisation/Faith).

In the face of dominator culture—where power is hoarded, voices are silenced, and disconnection thrives—we in IMNE can affirm a different way: power with, not power over. Together, we can practice building relationships grounded in mutuality, healing, and shared responsibility. This is spiritual work. It calls us to deepen our capacity for empathy and compassion—not as soft ideals, but as tools of liberation.

Words form worlds, join us to amplify sacred timeless values.

Reverend Angie Arndt - IMNE Social Justice - July 2025

“Dare to be a doer Dare to stand alone Dare to have a purpose And make that purpose known!”

Those are words I heard over and over again as a child from my father. He used the quote when trying to motivate me and my three brothers to do everything from chores to helping those in need. It really sunk in. It wasn’t until I was a student at ChIME that I learned it was adapted from Dare to be a Daniel in the Bible. Which didn’t really change the impact on me at all…it was in my DNA…dare to be a doer…dare to stand alone…dare to have a purpose…and make that purpose known! 

The other message that was drilled into us as kids was from the grace my parents offered at dinners…

“Bless, oh Lord, this food to our use, And us to thy service, And make us ever mindful  Of the need of others. Amen.”

“…And Us to they service and make us ever mindful of the needs of others”. We said it so often that it became rote but, again, when I was a student at ChIME, I paused and really sat with the message and realized that my parents instilled in us a strong message to care…really care about the world around us.

As a young adult I comfortably turned my back on all organized religion focusing instead on travel then settling down and starting our family.

But one day, I found myself in the back pew of a UU church for “service Sunday”. I was there as the Volunteer Coordinator of the local crisis line and the service was about motivating the congregation to be of service. I was blown open by that service. Hearing the Unison affirmation (abbreviated here):

 “We are united in seeking  To increase love with Justice… And are devoted to the common good in community, nation and world. We are committed to this world and open to the future.”

It was also at this church that I first heard the phrase “faith in action” - what a concept! And clearly what my Dad had been getting at way back when.  I can’t say I swung into action but I did hear my calling to Ministry in that church.

So today, as a member of the Social Action Committee of IMNE I find myself reflecting on the messages in my DNA and asking almost daily: “What is mine to do?” I find it is no small question. I want to “dare to be a doer”…but it is not easy. So for now I chose to do what I can…offer Spiritual Companionship in groups  - where people can be reminded they are not alone in “not knowing” what to do; help  the IMNE explore defining our call to action and enjoy being in beloved community and exploring these unchartered waters together. 

May a way be found And the courage to take it Step by Step. Amen

Rev. Karen St. Peter - IMNE Social Justice - July 2025

     I grew up in the French Catholic Culture in Northern Maine.  I went to a Catholic grammar school in 1961.  In 1962 "Vatican II" was named for deep significant changes in how Catholics were asked to respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. With the help of the written documents (encyclicals) that many theologians and Pope John XXIII wrote that proclaimed "all people deserved the right to be treated with dignity and respect" as they highlighted the gap between rich and poor, the arms race, and the importance in creating a more just world. It was the encyclical of Pacem In Terris(1963)(Peace on Earth) that caught my attention the most.  It was this document that outlined fundamental human rights and called for international cooperation to achieve peace.

     This went well with the story of Jesus at the well as Jesus spoke with a woman often referred to as Mary Magdalene. The story went that in his time men were not supposed to speak with women outside in public places.  Jesus did not follow the rule of this law and responded to His own call of Spirit and spoke with that woman that touched her deeply.  She was shocked and surprised that a man would speak with her with such kindness and ultimately changed her life.  I was about 10-12 years old and I already saw the oppression of women. 

     As a female I wanted to be a priest but even in the institution that proclaimed we must treat everyone with dignity and respect this would not happen.  As a female in the 60's we were given about 4 options to follow: get married, join the Religious Life (nun), work as a nurse, teacher or serve the people through jobs of social work.  I was able to believe and find hope in the story of Jesus who went against his own culture rules and speak with the woman at the well.  This act of defiance of the culture was what drove my Faith and beliefs towards living a life of Peace and Justice. 

      At this time I also recall reading the Diary of Ann Frank. This also impacted my thinking and sense of outrage against injustice and hatred. While reading the book I wondered how long this family could hide in an attic.  I remember she wrote in her diary that people were "kidnapped" in the middle of the night and disappeared long before she had to hide in that attic.  I also read "While 6 million died" that added to my question of how can so many people just let this atrocity go on? This stirred my drive for justice, equality, and respect for the dignity of every human being. 

Another influence in my life that stirred the call to justice was watching the movie, "To Kill a Mocking Bird".  I recall Atticus Finch, the white male lawyer, stood up against his own town to defend an innocent Black man accused of rape. He did not legally win but he did win as he was a leader witnessing to how people need to be treated with respect and dignity.

     I believe that we, as IMNE members,  have an opportunity to stand up for Justice.  There are many now being kidnapped and taken to places unknown. With the new "Big Ugly Bill" more money is being designated towards the deportation of US citizens. Next will be anyone who disagrees with the Trump regime.

As  Elie Wiesel wrote, " And that is why I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." 

     And for these reasons I choose to combat indifference and stand up for human dignity and Justice for all.

 

Jean Adamson - IMNE Social Justice - July 2025

ChIME revealed to me that we need more than just good works to change humanity's present trajectory.  Right now we continue to buy, consume, and pillage the Earth while we measure success and happiness in terms of monetary value and power.  We have lost our connections with each other, and we feel entitled to take what we want, to use the planet and other beings as unlimited resources.  We act in isolation, separation, and for individual benefit while ignoring the whole.

  We need a transformative paradigm - a shift in human consciousness - in order to evolve and to survive.  We must remember that we are one.  It's about re-imagining how we think of ourselves in relation to all beings and to the Earth.

The roots of oppression are not just the "acts" of oppression like colonization/the genocide of indigenous peoples or black slavery and prejudice.  Oppression begins with "thought processes" - a belief in human supremacy over animals (specieism) and our Earth.  It is a false belief in dominance and superiority over the natural world.  Laila Kassam in her article "Joining the Dots:  Animal Exploitation, Human Oppression, and Environmental Destruction" states, "Specieism...underpins all other forms of oppression.  Our reduction of sentient beings to mere commodities or objects to be exploited and used for our own benefit has naturally extended to our commodification and objectification of humans and nature."

  Victoria Loorz in her book "Church of the Wild" states, "Our humanity is broken, because we embrace a false world view of separation and dominance...where value is based only on usefulness.  We need a spiritual and cultural transformation of the heart.

Rev. Thomas Kircher - IMNE Social Justice - Personal Statement, June 2025

For me social justice involves the recognition and righting of wrongs – theft, exploitation, morally corrupt actions – perpetrated by one part of society on another. These wrongs are typically done for the purpose of accumulating wealth, power, and status at the expense of the other. Those who benefit usually become comfortable with what has happened or is happening and utilize their wealth, power, and status to create institutional mechanisms and cultural narratives to maintain the status quo.

I believe that my humanity requires that I engage with the moral struggles present in my life and times. I believe that moral awakening in human beings is not a given. It often requires action, confrontation, and interruptions in the status quo for a human conscience to recognize existing systemic injustice and historical wrongs. I know this has been true for me. I believe that for social justice to become real I need to challenge myself and others to consider “who benefits”. I believe this is a collective work for humankind and urgently needed now.

Rev. Deborah CR Cotter - IMNE Social Justice - Personal Statement, June 2025

I am a cradle Episcopalian grown into an Interfaith Chaplain. My earliest memory of feeling a spiritual presence was at the back of St George’s Episcopal Church in Durham, New Hampshire, waiting for the signal to carry the church school offering plate forward. My father, the lay reader, was at the lectern. A bright light was cascading through the stained glass window behind the altar into the sanctuary and I thought “wow. There is something MORE, something BIG and BEAUTIFUL out there”. I missed the cue to take the plate forward and got nudged to move. I was maybe 4 years old. Whatever the MORE is, I have been connected to it, perceived it as a life giving force that sustains all that is, most of my life.

I became a Godparent at an early age-12. Two more times as a Godparent participant and countless times as a witness, I said the Baptismal Covenant of the Episcopal Church. The lines that have always spoken most strongly to me are “Will you strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being?” Respect the dignity of every human being. That hooked me and reeled me in. The response to this question is “I will, with GOD’S help.”

Through experience with Quakerism, Sikhism and Buddhism and the study of indigenous/world religions, I find a common thread of concern and dedication to “the least of us.” Fair play, responsibility, forgiveness, reparation are all components of respect. When I feel that there is injustice, disrespect, I wish to have an active voice or be involved in an act of service toward bringing awareness. I am moved to use my spirit for life giving solutions toward justice and peace; most definitely with GOD’S help.