Riverside Weekly Actions
Signs of the times
Jesus said in Matthew 16, “You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.”
Yesterday, the sky over New York City turned hazy and red before thunderstorms rolled through my neighborhood. The air was thick with smoke from Canadian wildfires. The Air Quality Index climbed into dangerous territory. Creation itself is crying out.
And yet, too many of our leaders continue to deny what is unfolding before our eyes. They protect the fossil fuel industry, choosing profit over people, and sacrificing the health of our communities and the future of generations yet to come.
This week, Rev. Mira joined more than 100 clergy in New Jersey calling for the closure of Delaney Hall. That same day, another man was killed by ICE. Joan Sebastian Guerrero had legal status. He worked two jobs to provide for his wife and three-year-old daughter. Yet our leaders continue to repeat the false narrative that ICE is only targeting criminals.
How much more evidence do they need before they recognize the signs of the times?
We see them.
We see them in skies darkened by smoke. We see them in families torn apart by unjust policies. We see them in attacks on human dignity, on democracy, and on the sacred worth of every person.
And because we recognize the signs of the times, we refuse to be passive. We will not allow hard-won progress to be undone. We will not stand by while decisions made today endanger the lives of our neighbors and the future our children will inherit.
Now is the time to organize. To show up. To raise our voices together.
Join our grassroots partners, organizers, advocates, and people of faith as we transform our shared grief into collective action and our collective action into lasting change:
July 22: Organizing for Mental Health in New York City
Recognizing the signs of the times also means paying attention to the quiet crises unfolding in our communities. Across New York City, one in four adults experiences a mental health condition each year, yet more than one-third are unable to access the care they need because of cost, stigma, workforce shortages, and other systemic barriers. Too many of our neighbors are left to navigate mental health challenges alone, when healing should be a shared commitment and quality care should be available to everyone.
The good news is that another way is possible. Join The Riverside Church and Manhattan Together on July 22 to learn how we can organize for expanded access to mental health care, reduce stigma, and build the collective power needed to create a mental health system that serves all New Yorkers.
When we recognize the signs of the times, we don’t look away. We organize. Join us as we advocate for a city where everyone has the opportunity to heal and thrive.
For more info and registration, click here: Riverside Church Organizing for Mental Healthcare in NYC – Riverside Church
August 1: Advocacy Training with National Iranian American Council.
Recognizing the signs of the times means more than naming injustice. It means learning how to transform our convictions into action. In a moment when so many decisions affecting our communities are being made in the halls of power, people of faith are called to show up, speak out, and organize.
Join members of NIAC Action New York, Peace Action New York State, Just Foreign Policy, and Action Corps for an interactive training that will equip you to turn your voice into lasting political influence.
You’ll learn how to secure and lead effective meetings with elected officials, build meaningful relationships with lawmakers, and advocate for peace, diplomacy, civil rights, and humane immigration policies. Whether you’re new to advocacy or looking to deepen your skills, you’ll leave with practical tools to organize effectively, hold leaders accountable, and help shape a more just future.
When we recognize the signs of the times, we don’t remain silent. We become advocates for the world God is calling us to build. More information and registration here: RSVP for Lobby Training 101: Get in the Room and Make Change in New York City!
Recognizing the signs of the times calls us not only to speak, but to bear witness. As people of faith, we are called to stand where suffering is unfolding and to proclaim that another future is possible.
On August 28, Riverside is partnering with GreenFaith as part of a multi-issue coalition, for a multifaith pilgrimage for climate and immigration justice. Together, we will begin by bearing witness outside the detention center in Sunset Park, where people are being held in inhumane conditions, separated from their loved ones, and too often denied due process.
From there, we will journey together to Federal Plaza to call on our elected leaders to end the expansion of immigrant detention, reject policies that criminalize our neighbors, and invest instead in a just, climate-resilient future for all.
When we recognize the signs of the times, we don’t turn away from suffering. We walk together in faith, courage, and hope, believing that collective witness can move hearts, shape policy, and bring us closer to justice.
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MSJ Actions Alert:
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Click here to subscribe: https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbbYy2vMBEePsmtE/