Eleven local churches have gotten together and formed the Ottawa Coalition of Unifying Churches (OCUC) for the stated purpose of faith-driven activism. Their website explains they are taking “a stand on issues that impact the common good of all residents of this [Ottawa] county.”
Many of the pastors, congregants and local leaders have signed the OCUC pledge that states, “We believe that the rights of each individual are intended for the personal and common good. We reject interpretations of “freedom” which encourage potentially harmful actions endangering other residents of Ottawa County.” The pledge also states, “We acknowledge historic injustices done to Indigenous peoples and people of color as we strive to actively address the sins of Christian nationalism, racism, sexism, and other systemic issues which perpetuate harmful divisions and inequalities among us today.”
One way OCUC is working to accomplish their mission is through educational events open to the public on topics such as fighting Christian Nationalism in Ottawa County.
The Ottawa Coalition of Unifying Churches (OCUC) is affiliated with the very progressive and very similarly named political organization, Unifying Coalition of Ottawa County (UCOC), that works hand-in-hand with other left-wing extremist political organizations operating in Ottawa County including:
So, what is really going on here?
By being part of this coalition, is in my opinion, that these churches are unwittingly advocating for a number of society wrecking neo-Marxist movements that are extremely intent on fundamentally changing America into a highly controlled, collectivist society. That last sentence sounds crazy, but the academic literature underpinning topics such as DEI come from neo-Marxist “grievance studies”, and church leaders that succumb to the caustic ideas put forth by these grievance studies start doing things such as organizing drag shows. Rather than teaching the gospel, churches focused on misguided activism typically offer a loose and unprincipled interpretation of the Bible. To see an example of Biblical perversion, watch pastor Anna Helgen from the Edina Minnesota Community Lutheran Church reciting the Sparkle Creed. Our local churches may not have gone this far, but this is the direction they are headed.
Many people currently living in Ottawa County are confused by the local political environment. These churches, who claim to be non-partisan and to not support political candidates, actually violate those claims as they state on the OCUC website, “we are distressed by the continued actions and statements made by members of the Ottawa Impact (OI) organization in their elected positions on the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners.” In addition, their website provides no details as to what they are distressed about. The signatories are clearly part of the NO OI movement that encompasses the media and progressive organizations, whether they realize it or not. Rather than helping to inform members of their congregations, and teach them to discern truth, these churches are perpetuating partial truths and political narratives.