Josette Thomas, Lilly Thomas, Christy Hightower, , and

Two sisters, Josette and Lilly Thomas, talk about how they first started attending First Congregational Church in Santa Cruz, California at the ages of five and eight. They share their thoughts and feelings about the church changing its name to...

Speed Leas and Christy Hightower

Speed Leas talks about his distinguished career as a United Church of Christ minister. Throughout his career he made significant contributions to civil rights and peace making in the communities in which he served, as well as within the many...

Mary Male and Dave Grishaw-Jones

"Peace" is an action verb, not just a noun. Personal transformation and relationship building are paths to peace.

Stoney Brook and Christy Hightower

Stoney Brook talks about how being a pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago in 2014 touched and changed him in unexpected ways. Among other things the pilgrimage was the gateway to his setting up the first Veteran's Treatment Court in...

Nicholas Piediscalzi and Christy Hightower

Nick Piediscalzi, a retired minister, talks about what brought him to Peace United Church of Christ in Santa Cruz California. He admires the active, lively congregation here where people are not afraid to be vulnerable in church. Nick explains: “In...

Nicholas Piediscalzi and Christy Hightower

Nicholas Piediscalzi, a retired United Church of Christ minister, talks to us about his personal experience and relationship to peace, as well as his work in peace-making in larger settings. As a minister in Chicago in the 1940s and 1950’s...

Curtis Reliford and Christy Hightower

Curtis Reliford talks about overcoming racism and serious adversity to find and fulfill his life's purpose which is helping those who are experiencing hard times: hurricane Katrina victims and the Navajo and Hopi people. Curtis describes how he follows his...