A Declaration of the Sunday Assembly at Holy Wisdom Monastery
As followers of Jesus, we proclaim that we are called to love God and our neighbor as much as we love ourselves (Matt. 22:37-39), to treat the most vulnerable among us as we would treat God (Matt. 25:31-46), and to cherish “the splendor of the flowers of the field” and all creation (Matt. 6:28-29).
Many current government policies stand in opposition to these values and truths. They erect barriers that make it more difficult for us and other people of good will to love our neighbor, support the vulnerable, and cherish the earth’s splendor. Therefore we feel called to stand publicly, humbly and nonviolently with all communities of faith and people of good will in opposition to these policies.
Here We Stand
- We object to policies that dismantle our constitutional democracy as well as to policies that undermine Congressionally-funded programs and services providing food, clothing, shelter, health care, education, and care for the earth.
- We reject Christian Nationalism as a dangerous and heretical ideology. It distorts the message of Jesus, and threatens the dignity and freedom of all people.
- We speak up in opposition to government policies that threaten the well-being and dignity of targeted populations and individuals and we stand in solidarity with immigrants, LGBTQ persons, women, and all those who are persecuted because of race or ethnicity.
- We value and care for a healthy and life-giving earth and oppose policies that endanger the well-being of our planet and the living creatures who inhabit it.
We recognize that compassion and care for the vulnerable are central to the beliefs and values of all spiritual traditions. We invite all communities of faith and conscience in the United States to join us in speaking up and resisting policies of our government that violate inherent human dignity and inflict suffering on the most vulnerable, including earth’s plants, animals, water, and air. – April 27, 2025.
______________________________
Holy Wisdom Monastery’s mission is Weaving prayer, hospitality, justice, and care for the earth into a shared way of life. It is located in Middleton, Wisconsin.
Sunday Assembly is a worshipping community and one of the ‘community of communities’ at Holy Wisdom Monastery. Here We Stand is a consensus statement on behalf of Sunday Assembly that affirms who we are and what we are called to proclaim as followers of Jesus. The declaration stands as a courageous witness to the Gospel in the face of injustice, exclusion and violence.
We welcome your support of the declaration and invite you to add your name and any comments you wish to make in the comment section below.
Comments 134
I sign on with this declaration and will take actions to further educate and witness to this declaration!!
I sign on.
I notice that I’m afraid to sign on, and that in itself tells me how important it is.
I might have worded it a bit differently: instead of “objecting” and “rejecting”, I might have spoken of what and whom we affirm and stand with and pledge to protect.
I support this important declaration
Here we stand!
…I notice that I was afraid to sign on, which in itself is a sign of how important it is.
I might have worded the bulleted list a bit differently–listing what we affirm and support, whom we stand with, and what we stand for (more like the surrounding paragraphs).
I am proud to belong to this caring, compassionate community of people who live their convictions.
I stand with this and all communities of faith who embrace these ideals.
I sign on with gratitude for those who crafted this fine statement.
I stand in support of this declaration as a disciple of Jesus, my Lord.
I sign on in solidarity with all those who are belittled, marginalized or persecuted!
Joyce Wodka
I sign and support this declaration
Diane Caspari
I sign on to this declaration, and will share it with my family and friends who will be withus.
i am so pleased that holy wisdom is taking a stand. i am saddened that there is no mention of genocide in the holiest of lands. i think the official number of murdered innocents stands at 60,000. people. living breathing people with dreams and families and birthdays and loves and favorite colors. there is SO much to say but this seems a glaring omission. GOD is most definitely anti-genocide. the bombs and bullets are ours 🇺🇸. in addition to prayer, how do we end complicity in these horrors?
I am proud to sign as one small voice in speaking out in this troubled time.
I sign on to this declaration and stand against all forms of Christian Nationalism and public policies that diminish the flourishing of people’s lives and that harm our planet and its inhabitants.
I am signing this decoration in solidarity with all those who are persecuted, marginalized and discriminated against.
I sign on.
I sign on because I feel we are being persecuted for following the words and life of Christ, we are up against the very worst situation that our national politicians have put us and future generations into, and I cannot l live with myself without facing the risks of consequences. I believe this statement is a fair balance of hope, justice, and care for people and nature after communal meditation. Charles Bradley
I sign on in solidarity with all who are marginalized in any way.
I sign on in solidarity with our immigrants and those marginalized.
I support this statement which supports God’s creation.
I sign on.
I sign on and am happy to support these commitments.
I’m in!
I sign on in harmony with other committed Christians to defeat the forces of evil now threatening our democrac.y,
I sign on, without reservation. Bows of gratitude to the writers of this declaration and to our community for endorsing it.
I sign on and will share this with my Chicago faith community.
I sign on and pledge to do my best to follow through nonviolently.
I sign my name as a declaration to stand, to witness, and to act on these words. Supported by the Holy Wisdom Community, I am strengthened .
I am so proud to be a new member of Holy Wisdom Sunday Assembly.
Glad to be a member of a community that supports this statement.
I AM PRIVELEDGED TO SIGN THIS DECLARATION WITH YOU AS WE STAND UP TOGETHER IN SOLIDARITY, WITNESSING TO TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND HOPE.
YOUR BROTHER FOREVER, DENNIS J CROWLEY
I join others in signing this declaration for Jesus said that as you have done so to the least of these, you have done so to Me.
I sign on with gratitude for the writers who made it possible.
I sign on and join my name with others who give witness to the Gospel Values of Justice, Compassion, Equality, Care for the Earth……and who are resisting the dismantling of our democracy.
I sign on wholeheartedly.
I sign on, with trust and hope, and gratitude for Holy Wisdom Monastery’s work in the world at this precarious time in our climate, economic, interpersonal and political environments.
I stand in solidarity with all who witness for justice. Thanks to those who crafted this fine statement.
I sign on because I need the courage and companionship of others as I/we pledge to non-violently do all the good we can, with everyone we can, everywhere we can, for as long as we can. Deep gratitude for the walking together.
I voice my support for this statement as we work to bring about and know God’s liberating love to the oppressed and marginalized.
I gratefully sign on.
I have felt so helpless and am so very grateful to be able to do this one small thing. I completely and unequivocally sign on.
I am grateful for this light in the darkness. I sign on.
With gratitude for the courage and commitment of the Benedictine Women of Madison, Sunday Assembly members, and the members of all the communities of Holy Wisdom Monastery who join in “courageous witness to the Gospel in the face of injustice, exclusion and violence.”
“For it is important that awake people be awake…
the signals we give – yes or no, or maybe –
should be clear: the darkness around us is deep.”
~ William Stafford
I support this statement!
I sign on with gratitude to the authors and the inclusive process we went through to craft and approve this statement. I stand with you all who try to follow Jesus’ teaching.
I am grateful for the effort you have put in to writing down this declaration of values and intention, and I will stand with you in this.
I sign on as an act of faith, love, and Hope. Let the Spirit lead us in living boldly!
“Fear not” — Jesus of Nazareth. It is time for some “temple-cleansing.” Christian Nationalism is a heresy to be strongly resisted! Sojourners must be helped. The Declaration we have developed here is real Christianity 101 — and a powerful statement for which to stand up and proclaim loudly. Ask your religious body to join us.
With gratitude to the group who crafted this statement and to the Holy Wisdom community for endorsing it, I sign on wholeheartedly.
I stand with you.
I sign on to this statement as a person of faith and (hopefully) contemplative action.
I also suggest, if possible, to capitalize “Earth”, as we would for any other planet in our solar system. It always strikes me as a strange diminution or dismissal of our Home Planet, that we do not honor it as a “proper noun” in our written word.
I sign on with gratitude for this community of faith and action.
All are Equally Blessed. We must protect the dignity and freedom of all people.
I sign on with gratitude to those who articulated the values of our community so beautifully. I am wholeheartedly committed to supporting these values to the best of my ability. Peace
I sign on. This statement is necessary. I hope it will resonate with many communities of faith. I am proud of our community. We stand with people and all the creatures of the earth. Our actions for justice and care for the earth are a legacy for all the generations to come.
I signed the petition. I fully support this declaration and thank the members who worked so hard to create,share with the assembly, and listened to everyone’s responses.
I am privileged to be able to sign on to this Declaration of faith and belief in the power of community.
I am grateful to sign this bold statement of commitment to justice and equity in our world and in our relationships.
I sign on. I am proud that our Holy Wisdom community truly represents Christian values during these troubling time.
I support this statement. I sign on.
Amen!
I affirm and support this stance.
We must speak up for the true teachings of Jesus.
Thank you! Here we stand.
I sign on.
I stand with you on this inspired statement and the responsibility it calls me to.
As a member of Sunday Assembly, I sign on and stand with all who are “speaking up and resisting policies of our government that violate inherent human dignity and inflict suffering on the most vulnerable, including earth’s plants, animals, water, and air.”
Here I stand with you.
I will stand publicly, humbly and nonviolently with all communities of faith and people of good will in pursuit of equality, justice and peace and in opposition to Christian nationalism.
Thank you for your work in creating this statement. I sign on.
Thank God! Finally, someone has the guts and principles to lead in the name of Jesus and outrage and human dignity. I’m in.
I stand with hope and firmly believe that love is greater than evil.
I stand in support of Holy Wisdom and this statement, especially for “speaking up and resisting policies of our government that violate inherent human dignity and inflict suffering on the most vulnerable, including earth’s plants, animals, water, and air.”
Thank you for your prophetic stand! We will share it with our faith community here in Indiana. Blessings to everyone!
Blessings to everyone!
I appreciate and support this statement. Thank you for making it.
I stand in solidarity with this declaration.
We agree and support the Here We Stand declaration
I sign this declaration in full support of its intentions.
I too stand humbly with you and others in this work.
I sign on.
I am grateful for this community’s faithful desire to follow Jesus into risk-taking love for the sake of one another and the whole creation. I stand with you and will risk alongside you!
As a Unitarian Universalist I join and stand in solidarity with people of good faith supporting our constitutional democracy through Here We Stand.
Here we stand.
I humbly and gratefully sign on. This statement is a ray of hope. As individuals and communities sign on may this profound statement spread like wild fire.
I appreciate this statement and the invitation to sign on in agreement.
May the desire of the Lord for peace on earth and goodwill toward all remain and spur people on toward standing together on Holy Ground. All the earth is holy to the Lord God.
I sign on with gratitude and hope.
I sign in support of this vision and commitment to act justly, to be compassionate and to walk with others on this continued journey ahead.
I support this declaration and commit to sharing it’s wisdom with others.
I support this declaration.
I sign this grateful for those who crafted it!
Of course you know that I sign on. (Just to make it official. Didn’t get it the first time you sent it out
I sign on to this pledge that reflects the ethics by which I strive to live with compassion, courage and commitment to embrace all of God’s children.
I stand with this statement
I sign on this declaration and pledge.
I affirm this declaration and appreciate those who helped to develop it.
I wholeheartedly affirm this.
I sign on to stand with all who seek a more just and compassionate society.
I affirm this declaration and all subjects covered. Plaudits to HWM for taking this extremely important stand.
I fully endorse this declaration and appreciate the work done here to make our voices heard.
I stand in recognition of the dignity to exist for all sentient and insentient beings.
Thank you for this, all of you. I’m with Leora Weitzman, feeling some fear in signing and so sad our country is in the grip of such dark movements of spirit. It’s easy to get lost in those. But that’s why Jesus came, to seek and save those lost in such movements of spirit. So thank you. This helps me reclaim my strength of soul, and my ability to live in God’s unconditional love for myself, others and our world.
Blessings.
Yes I concur.
I support this powerful declaration and thank those who put it together.
I sign on with gratitude.
Thank you for so beautifully stating this.
I stand in recognition of people as part of nature.
I embrace and endorse this declaration. Thank you, sisters!
I affirm this declaration.
I, too, applaud and join your stand in the desire to advocate for those in our communities who are in need of support, affirmation, and comfort. May your voice be heard and heeded.
Thank you (from Ontario) for your conscious efforts.
I endorse this public declaration and stand in the compassion and peace of Christ to love all. To see the face and image of God in every human, to care for the vulnerable, emotionally and physically less privileged women children and men, those maligned and marginalized, LGBTQIA+ – specifically trans individuals who are deeply afraid to be in public, to travel, to simply go to the corner store. Thank you for this. I am on the board of a nonprofit which seeks for LGBTQIA + people to share full inclusion within our denomination, the Reformed Church in America. Vic Karssen
I sign in solidarity.
I sign on and appreciate the opportunity to follow your leadership.
I applaud and endorse this declaration. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to support this important statement, as well as the work you do to protect the earth.
I wholeheartedly agree and sign on! Thank you for putting words to what I and many feel in our hearts. 🙏🏼
I am proud to sign on to this wonderful proclamation of love. I thank the sisters for their courage, dedication and love of all people and the planet.
May we all find our personal courage to stand strong at each opportunity we encounter.
In loving kindness, Mary
I enthusiastically sign on to this petition. Rev. Lisa Perry-Wood, Minister, First Parish in Wayland, MA.
I agree 100% with this proclamation and am glad to find there are others who believe as I do in the importance of loving and supporting the Earth and our fellow creatures, human and animal.
I sign on. Thanks for this opportunity to express a love of the earth and of all people. God bless your mission!
So well said. I agree wholeheartedly and choose to sign .
Terry
I sign on.
I sign on.
A few minutes ago I wrote a comment questioning if ‘the church’ could only respond to these political issues in the voice of a lamb. I then came across the “Here We Stand” declaration. Thank you! Thank you for demonstrating that “the church’ can indeed don the lion’s mane by loudly, bravely, and clearly taking a stand. I stand with you. We stand together.
I stand with you my sisters
I stand with you for what is good and pleasing in God’s site.
I stand with you. Peace + Hope
Thank you for taking a stand. Like Jesus did 2,000 years ago. 🤍🤍
I sign on.
I gratefully sign.
Michael Duffey
I sign on
Thank you for taking this stance Sisters. I support this letter and sign on.
Thank you for this statement. I sign on.
I stand with you, in gratitude and ever-deepening humility,
Well stated! I wholeheartedly agree with this declaration!!