Registration now open for Compassion, Peace & Justice Training Days

Annual event will be virtual for second consecutive year, precedes Ecumenical Advocacy Days

by Rich Copley | Presbyterian News Service

LEXINGTON, Kentucky — Registration is now open for CPJ Training Days, a virtual advocacy and organizing event April 7-9.

CPJ Training Day, presented by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness and its fellow Compassion, Peace & Justice ministries, traditionally takes place in person at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C., on the day before Ecumenical Advocacy Days, a weekend-long event in Northern Virginia. For the second consecutive year, both events will be virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, CPJ Day expanded to three days to provide a breadth of content around this year’s theme, environmental justice, without the potential Zoom fatigue of a day-long online event. Each day will start at 11 a.m. Eastern Time and go to 12:30 p.m. On April 7 and 8, there will be small group gatherings at 1:30 p.m. ET. Registration is free.

Featured speakers this year will be:

• The Rev. Dr. Cláudio Carvalhaes, a theologian, liturgist, artist and activist who is the Associate Professor of Worship at Union Theological Seminary in New York City.
• Harry Pickens, an award-winning performing artist, educator, composer, author, workshop facilitator and life transformation coach in Louisville, Kentucky.

Plans for additional panelists and speakers are being finalized and will be announced shortly. Like every year, CPJ Days will also feature music and worship.

Ecumenical Advocacy Days are set to take place just over a week later, April 18-21, and will have a similar theme of environmental justice this year. Registration is now open, and is $25 until April 1.