Creative Engagement Coordinator Ashley Caveda recently had the opportunity to interview our brand-new executive director, Amy Horton.

In case you missed it, this October, we celebrated our faithful supporters, sharing stories about our donors, prayer partners, volunteers, and community partners. We would not exist without YOU!

Back in 2008, I told myself that I was probably going to be at the Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic for two years. Eleven years later, I find it excruciating to say goodbye.

In case you missed it, this September, in advance of our 25th anniversary Justice for All Gala, we featured important supporters who help make our work possible, as well as some of our favorite clients!

We can live a story that says we are all alone, or a story that says we must keep all of our resources for ourselves, or a story that says to circle the wagons and stick with our tribes because the world is a dangerous place.

But God has given us a better story. The Bible tells us one that is filled with the beauty of God’s presence in the midst of the burdens of human existence. It’s a story that tells us that God has made us in his image and for a purpose. A purpose frustrated by sin and death, yes—but that is why we have him to rescue us from such powers and to restore things to their rightful place.

In case you missed it, this July, we highlighted our Immigrant Justice Program, sharing our hearts for our immigrant neighbors, focusing on compelling client stories, and clarifying the historical context for immigration in this country.

In the latest Civil Legal Needs Study commissioned by the Indiana Bar Foundation, there is only 1 attorney available for every 10,000 low-income Hoosiers. There are 20 for all others. Moreover, 96% of the legal issues faced by the poor go unrepresented by an attorney.

In case you missed it, this January, we kicked off our 25th anniversary year with a close look at the Clinic’s Biblical Roots. Executive Director Chris Purnell shared a four-part blog series that explores the matter of justice and its role in the work we do. Read the whole series now: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, & Part 4.

At Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic, our faith in Jesus is the foundation of all the work that we do. Inspired by a powerful sermon to create the Clinic, Abby Kuzma and the other founders relied heavily on their faith to make this dream become a reality. Abby recalls being especially encouraged by Ephesians 2:10 in the early days: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

It was God’s love that compelled him to come to all of us who were far off. It is God’s peace that makes everything as it should be.

Justice is ultimately made perfect or complete in the doing of things. Jesus talked about this when he said that the one who heard what he said and then actually put it into practice is like a wise person who built his house on solid ground.

God is what he does, and he does what he is. For us mortals, this is tough—we do things that don’t corroborate who we are all the time. We are divided, desiring to do the good that God has put in front of us, but choosing the bad because, well, you know, things and reasons.

At the Clinic, we say we “promote justice” through the work that God has called us to do. And as we celebrate our 25th year of service to the community this January, I’ve been contemplating what this actually means. Superheroes continue to clean up at the box office and issues of social justice fill our newsfeed—but true justice is so much fuller than our humanly conception. So what, then, is the biblical core of justice?

There are times when I want the whole world to stop for just one second so that I can get my bearings. But change is ever-present, and the needs of the moment continue to batter my psyche. Whether I have relational stress because of getting together with family for the holidays, or financial stress because I’ve overextended myself, or environmental stress from living in a world that badgers me about the things I should care about during the holidays—our lives are made harder by media and people beckoning us to the shoals of dark distraction.

This November, we celebrated our amazing volunteers with a Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon at the Indianapolis Bar Association! On the blog, we introduced you to one of those faithful volunteers, Peggy Mindrebo, and the unique way she gives of her time to the Clinic.

“One of the biggest successes of spiritual direction is helping people interpret their past, their present, and their future through the lens of God’s loving gaze. And that’s not easy,” says Peggy. “But for those who are open to it, I think it can bring a sense of not being alone in their life.”

This month was one of our busiest with our annual Justice For All Gala on October 18! Thanks to your generosity, we raised the most we’ve ever raised before: $173,121! We also shared a video about one of our Consumer Justice Program clients, Ms. Dora Turner.

A huge thank you to everyone who came to our Justice For All Gala! Nearly 400 people were in attendance and we raised a total of $173,121! That’s the most we’ve ever raised during a JFA celebration—and it’s all thanks to our amazing supporters and friends! Thank you for caring about justice in your community!

At the Clinic, we cry together due to the myriad ways that humans have devised to harm each other. As we pursue justice, we grow weary at how difficult once-simple petitions have grown. Our immigrant clients come to us for assistance, but the remedies for them recede into the distance.

This month, we released a new video for our annual Justice For All Gala. As a non-profit civil legal aid provider that serves over 10,000 low-income people every year, the Clinic relies heavily on the support of our community. Attending or sponsoring Justice for All is one of the primary ways you can support the Clinic and help provide accessible justice for your neighbors. Get your tickets now for October 18. Join us for an uplifting and unforgettable evening.