Global Justice Institute
The Global Justice Institute is an independent 501(c)3 that serves as the social justice arm of the Metropolitan Community Churches and is housed within the Metropolitan Community Church of New York. MCCNY senior pastor Rev. Pat Bumgardner serves as the Executive Director and Board of Directors Chairperson. The Board of Directors includes MCC moderator Rev. Nancy Wilson, John Hassell representing the Governing Board of MCC, Rev. Hector Gutierrez representing MCC’s work in Central and Latin America, Grace Poore of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, the Asian Desk, Scott Long formerly of Human Rights Watch and currently a Fellow at Yale Law School, Pastor Joseph Tolton of Rehoboth Temple Christ Conscious Church {part of The Fellowship under Bishop Yvette Flunder}, Sharon Groves of Human Rights Campaign.
The GJI now serves as the umbrella organization for MCC’s Global Justice work and has recently partnered with The Fellowship. Current projects of The Global Justice Institute include: Mother of Peace Orphanage in Zimbabwe for children orphaned because of AIDS; work in Eastern Europe largely focused on dismantling discriminatory laws; the building of a community of faith in Jamaica that partners with active ground organizations fighting discrimination, the recent partnering with United Seminary in Jamaica in an effort to provide training for up and coming clergy; the Lesbian Education Project in Pakistan, which we hope to expand this year to include trans folks; the building of faith community in Kuala Lumpur that we hope will become the basis for a community center; series of speaking engagements throughout China, Hong Kong and Taiwan; work on HIV/AIDS in many locations throughout the world; work throughout Africa including a Hospitality Center in Kampala, Uganda. This year Pastor Joseph Tolton and Rev. Pat Bumgardner will visit Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and South Africa.
The goal of the GJI in New York is to serve as the hub of a wheel of global justice centers around the globe, allowing for a quick and efficient response to events coordinated by people on the ground. The GJI has an NGO established in South Africa and Romania, which will function in this way. The GJI in New York will serve not only as a coordinating center for global justice efforts, but also as a place where spiritual activists from around the work can retreat, or offer/participate in trainings, offer meeting space for justice meetings, etc.
To donate to the Global Justice Institute please follow this link and choose “Global Justice Institute”: Click Here to Give Online.
