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The mission of the Commission on Peace & Justice is to develop diocesan advocacy for human diversity, racial justice, and environmental stewardship.
We refer to these as the Beloved Community and Creation Care.
Since the restoration of this commission in 2021, the Commission on Peace & Justice (COPAJ) has authored four resolutions passed by the lay and clergy delegates to the annual Diocesan Convention: Protecting Utah Wilderness, Seeking Racial Justice, Replenishing & Restoring Great Salt Lake, and Becoming Beloved Community.
The commission is engaged with the work of the Great Salt Lake Interfaith Action Coalition led by various faiths. In 2022, this commission invited the leaders of ten faiths to sign a public letter to Utah leaders urging for the perpetual protection of wilderness on public lands in Utah.
The commission is currently researching and seeing information on two important issues:
1) How climate change will affect the Utah Episcopalians and ways the church needs to address this crisis;
2) How we the Church can assist in the protection of public lands in Utah; and 3) The welfare of Native Americans.
Meetings are held by zoom on the 3rd Tuesday of each month except August from 5:00-6:30 pm. If you are interested in serving on the Commission on Peace & Justice, please send us an email.
Members of the commission are comprised of Episcopalians ranging from clergy to volunteers.
Ron Barness | Co-Chair
Cathedral Church of St. Mark, Salt Lake City
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Jessica “Jinx” Strout | Co-Chair
St. James Episcopal Chuch, Midvale
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Forrest Cuch
St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, Whiterocks
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Dorothy Dobson
St. John’s Episcopal Church, Logan
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Tom Elder
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Vernal
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A James Galyer
Cathedral Church of St. Mark’s, Salt Lake City
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Jane Meyers
San Esteban, West Valley City
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Laura Orcutt
St. James Episcopal Church, Midvale
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The Rev. David Sakrison
St. Francis Episcopal Church, Moab
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Jonathan Snyder
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Park City
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The Commission on Peace & Justice authored four resolutions which were passed at Annual Conventions of the Diocese of Utah:
1. Growing the Beloved Community – a community in which everyone is cared for absent of poverty, hunger, and hate (2023);
2. Being witness to two critical environmental, cultural and public health issues facing our state and diocese:
3. To Replenish & Restore Great Salt Lake (2023); and
4. For the Perpetual Protection of the 8.5 million acres of Utah Wilderness including Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments (2022);
5. Inviting All on the Journey toward Racial Equity (2022).
The Commission on Peace & Justice meets regularly via Zoom to discuss a variety of matters, initiatives, ongoing legislation, and more. Reach out to the director of the commission, Ron Barness, to discuss your cause before the next meeting. Check our church calendar to see the date of the next meeting.
Phillips, Robin (2023). Rediscovering the Goodness of Creation: A Manual for Recovering Gnostics. Ancient Faith Publishing. Ancient Faith Publishing
Augustine, Sarah (2021). The Land is Not Empty: Following Jesus in Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery. Herald Press
Nowell, Irene OSB (2013). Pleading, Cursing, Praising: Conversing with God through the Psalms. Liturgical Press
Belden, C Lane (2007). The Solace of Fierce Landscapes. Oxford University Press
Louth, Andrew (1997). The Wilderness of God. Abingdon Press
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