Skyline is involved in the world, like Jesus who made news and changed injustice. This page has links to our Church in the News – through our own spiritual events, our participation in social justice and environmental causes in the Bay Area. Follow the links to find out how we’re stewards of our world.
Pep Rally (Pastor Laurie speaks: outside of Oakland City Hall to mobilize support to ban Coal in Oakland , Feb 2016
Pep Rally (Pastor Laurie speaks: outside of Oakland City Hall on the eve of the City Council Votes 7-0 to ban Coal in Oakland , June 2016
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/06/27/18788194.php
Oakland City Hall hearings before the vote on No Coal in Oakland June 2016
Environmental Justice in the News
- East Bay Times- Trump forces tax payers to bail out coal
- Statement by Rev. Laurie Manning, pastor of Skyline Church UCC-Oakland Hills, and UCC Northern California representative for Environmental Justice at the no-coal-in-Oakland press conference outside City Hall Tues, Feb 16, 201
- Indy Bay – Laurie’s talk at the rally on Saturday, June 25
- Fox News – Oakland coal ban deals blow to shipping terminal company
- The Wall Street Journal – Oakland Officials Vote to Ban Coal Handling and Storage at New Shipping Terminal
- The New York Times – Oakland Votes to Block Large Shipments of Coal
- The Huffington Post – Oakland Votes To Ban Coal Shipments, Could End Export Plans
- The Salt Lake Tribune – Oakland City Council votes to ban coal — from Utah or elsewhere — at its new port
- No Coal in Oakland
- East Bay Times – Oakland council bans coal
- Oakland North – Clergy coalition continues to fight coal shipping plan
- UCC – California’s Dirty Secret Comes to Light: Environmental Racism Meets “Black Lungs Matter”
- Skyline UCC – A Press Conference and Vigil to Oppose Coal in Oakland, Feb 16
Anti-Fracking
Encyclical Study: Pope Francis on Climate
Encourage Senate to Continue Climate Policy
Re: “Appeals court questions shifting reasons for Trump’s EPA killing clean energy contracts” (Feb. 24).Michael Phillis is right: The Trump administration’s termination of “Green Bank” contracts and attack on the EPA’s endangerment finding (“Trump revokes climate finding,” Page A1, Feb. 13) are direct assaults on serious climate action. I’m grateful that Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff have been strong climate voices, even though they voted no on HR 6938. Their votes reflect a painful trade‑off: The bill blunts some of the worst cuts to environmental programs, but also locks in expanded funding for ICE and CBP without meaningful reform or accountability for cruelty and abuse — something Padilla has explicitly condemned.What has not changed is our responsibility. Let’s keep calling our senators: thank them for defending climate science and EPA funding, urge them to oppose rolling back the endangerment finding and insist that future bills never force a choice between a livable planet and basic human rights.
Social and Economic Justice in the News
- UCC – Major gift inspires generosity in Calif. congregation’s hunger efforts
- Affordable Housing: A New Way to Begin at Genesis New Way Homes Worship Center
- Justice in Jails: https://www.icjjalamedacounty.org/campaigns
- https://oaklandside.org/2025/03/28/alameda-county-santa-rita-jail-wellpath-healthcare/
- https://www.kqed.org/news/12014858/alameda-county-da-pamela-price-concedes-recall-defeat-after-long-holdout
- https://www.kron4.com/news/your-local-election-hq/recalled-alameda-county-da-to-hold-news-conference-to-discuss-election-results
- https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/video/alameda-county-da-price-accepts-recall-vote-in-concession-speech/
- Gaza/Palestine Cease Fire: https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2024/05/03/letters-1710/https://patch.com/california/piedmont/courageous-solidarity-student-activists-nodx
- Gun Violence: https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2024/06/04/letters-1748/https://patch.com/california/piedmont/beyond-gunfire-oakland-nodx
- Faith and Democracy initiatives: https://thefulcrum.us/civic-engagement-education/faith-and-democracy
- Letters: More important than cash, Prop. 50 has support of people: https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2025/09/30/letters-prop-50-support-people/
ICJJ LJM 11 18 24 Maurice Monk
- Press Conference- https://youtu.be/iXliHEoUVcY
Other News
Blessing of the Animals
Church members and neighbors gathered at Skyline Community Church to honor their pets with an annual and unusual gift: a blessing.
- Oakland North – Take a look back at highlights from our last Blessing of the Animals!
- ABC News Facebook – And last year’s ABC News coverage!
- Oakland North – Oakland church blesses fo ur-legged friends
