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Wedgewood is a liberal, culturally diverse, service-oriented, interfaith church in Charlotte, NC with members who are Progressive Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, Pagans, Atheists, Agnostics, and many other faith journeys and perspectives. When we say everyone is welcome at Wedgewood, we mean EVERYONE! Join us as we try to change the world.
Wedgewood Church: A Social Justice Community condemns the violent and unlawful ICE and Border Patrol raids that have been taking place across Charlotte since this weekend. As an interfaith community of faith rooted in social justice, we believe that every human being is sacred, every family deserves safety, and every neighbor deserves the right to live in their community without fear. What happened in our city violates these core values and the dignity of our immigrant and refugee neighbors.
This is not routine enforcement. It is a coordinated, militarized operation that places entire communities at risk. Federal agents in unmarked SUVs, wearing masks and carrying rifles, have flooded neighborhoods, shopping centers, parking lots, churches, and residential areas. Witnesses report people being tackled or restrained without clear cause. One man appeared to collapse during an encounter near a church in east Charlotte this weekend. A teenage employee was thrown to the ground and detained outside Super G Mart in Pineville. Parents were detained in full view of their children. Community members were stopped while walking on sidewalks or leaving grocery stores.
Federal officials reported at least 81 arrests within five hours on Saturday, making it one of the largest single day immigration sweeps in North Carolina history. To date, more than 130 arrests have been made. The scale and speed of these raids, combined with the use of masks, rifles, and unmarked vehicles, raise clear concerns about racial profiling, violations of due process, and the intentional creation of fear among Black, Brown, and immigrant communities.
Wedgewood’s mission is to build a beloved community grounded in compassion, justice, and solidarity. We believe that faith is measured not by words, but by how we show up for one another, especially when people are harmed by systems of violence. Our interfaith identity reminds us that every tradition represented in our community teaches the same truth: we are called to protect the vulnerable, challenge injustice, and create sanctuary wherever we can.
A verified community resource guide from the Charlotte Immigration Protection Alliance is available here with safety information, legal contacts, and ways to help:
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We call on everyone, especially faith communities, in Charlotte to take action.
Check on your neighbors. Offer support without judgment. Share accurate information and avoid spreading rumors. Support the frontline organizations doing critical work, like the Carolina Migrant Network. Document encounters safely if you witness Border Patrol or ICE stops. Provide direct help when requested, including rides, food, childcare, translation, or accompaniment. Speak out when you see profiling or harassment. Let your places of worship and community groups know that silence is not an option.
If you hold privilege or citizenship, use your voice and your presence to protect those who are being targeted. Harm thrives when communities turn away. Solidarity saves lives.
Wedgewood will continue to speak truth, organize with our partners, and stand with immigrant and refugee families. Our commitment is rooted in our faith and our mission. We believe in liberation, dignity, and justice for all people. We believe that community care is a form of resistance. And we believe that Charlotte is strongest when we protect one another and refuse to look away.
​Sunday, November 30th at Wedgewood:
“The Beginning is Here” with Donna Beal
Donna Beal is a writer living in the mountains of North Carolina. Her work has been published in various journals and anthologies. She is a member of the North Carolina Writers’ Network, the North Carolina Poetry Society, and SistaWRITE founded by North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green.
Donna will be sharing her meditation inspired by the Gospel Reading from the Revised Common Lectionary on the first Sunday of Advent on November 30. We are thrilled to have Donna, a former member of Wedgewood, return to speak to us on the first Sunday of Advent.
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10:30am: Coffee & Conversation
11:00am: Sunday Service
12:00pm: After the Amen
Calling All Artisans & Makers!
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Be part of the award-winning 4th Annual International Holiday Bazaar on Sunday, December 7th, from 12–4 PM at Refugee Support Services. We are looking for makers, artists, and small businesses to share their unique creations with our community.
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We are currently seeking vendors to share and sell their work at the Bazaar. Participation is free, and there is no cost to set up a table. Vendors from immigrant and refugee communities will retain 100% of their profits. All other vendors are encouraged to make a donation to Refugee Support Services in support of refugee resettlement and community programs.
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Emergency Relief for Charlotte Immigrant Families
We are raising funds to support Charlotte’s immigrant community, which is facing an unprecedented crisis. Many families have recently lost their jobs and sources of income, leaving them unable to pay for rent or utilities. Without immediate help, these families are at risk of eviction, utility shutoffs, and further instability. We have seen firsthand the fear and uncertainty that so many are experiencing right now.
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With your support, we will work directly with trusted local organizations to distribute emergency assistance to families in need. Every dollar raised will go toward helping families stay in their homes and keep essential services running. Our goal is to provide a safety net during this difficult time, so that no one has to face these challenges alone.
Please consider donating to this urgent effort. Your generosity will help keep families safe, together, and hopeful for the future. Thank you for standing with Charlotte’s immigrant community when it matters most.
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At Wedgewood, we believe in shared leadership and collective wisdom.
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As a small social justice church, we know our time and energy are precious, and we want to make sure we are focusing on the issues that matter most to you.
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This short survey, just 5 minutes, will help guide our work in the coming months. We promise there are no donation requests, only honest questions about what inspires you, challenges you, and helps you stay connected to Wedgewood’s mission.
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Your feedback will shape our services, events, and social justice actions moving forward.
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Thank you for helping us grow thoughtfully and stay rooted in purpose.
— The Wedgewood Leadership Team
The Wedgewood Social Justice Book Club
The Wedgewood Social Justice Book Club will resume on Thursday, January 15. We will begin reading our next book, Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman. Please read the first chapter before we gather again.
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We meet bi-weekly on Zoom, and Wedgewood members and non-members are always welcome. Whether you have joined us before or are thinking about attending for the first time, we look forward to beginning the new year in thoughtful community.
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We wish everyone a very Happy Holiday Season!
Community Resource
Directory
Across the Charlotte region, families are feeling the impact of the ongoing government shutdown and rising food insecurity. Food banks and community organizations are working around the clock, but the need continues to grow.
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Our Community Resource Directory connects neighbors to vital local resources, including free community meals, food pantries, and mutual aid programs, as well as opportunities to donate, volunteer, and support those doing the work on the front lines of hunger relief.
Click the link below to explore local food resources and find ways you can help.
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Mark Your Calendars:
Wedgewood Holiday Lunch Portofino’s Park Road
Instead of a Sunday Service, we will gather for good food, laughter, and connection as we celebrate the season together. This relaxed time of community is one of our favorite Wedgewood traditions, offering a chance to slow down, share stories, and enjoy the company of friends old and new.
At Wedgewood, we believe that faith is about showing up for one another and for the world around us. We are an open, affirming, and interfaith community that welcomes people from every background and belief system. Our mission is to practice compassion, seek justice, and build a world where everyone belongs. Gatherings like our Holiday Lunch reflect that spirit of inclusion and connection and remind us that community itself is sacred.
Whether you are deeply spiritual, questioning, or simply seeking a place to belong, you are welcome to join us.
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WHEN: Sunday, December 21 at 12:00 PM
WHERE: Portofino’s Park Road (5126 Park Road, Charlotte, NC 28209)
"My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness."
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His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama
Wedgewood standing up for immigrants at the No Kings March on June 14, 2025​
Wedgewood Statement on Immigrant Rights
On Sunday, August 10th, Wedgewood proudly voted unanimously on a proposal affirming our support for the immigrant community.
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“Wedgewood believes that all immigrants, regardless of their status, deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. We condemn the use of dehumanizing language, such as “alien” or “illegal.” We reject the deployment of paramilitary masked police forces with limited training and accountability that terrorize our immigrant communities. We strongly oppose the racist targeting of individuals based on their skin color or language. Wedgewood calls on our political representatives to redirect funds from militarizing the border to be used to increase the staffing of immigration courts and lawyers. This will allow every individual to be afforded the constitutional right to challenge their detention before a judge in a timely fashion. We consider seizing of individuals and imprisoning them without trial in foreign or domestic concentration camps to be a criminal act, and call for those responsible to be prosecuted. We condemn the deportation of individuals to countries that are suffering from war, starvation or rampant lawlessness. We advocate for a path to citizenship for the millions of immigrants living and working in the US.”
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Call to Action: We challenge you this week to reach out on behalf of our immigrant community. Contact the CMS school board about their recent to allow Ice to enter buildings, to speak with or arrest a student or staff member. Contact our state representatives about the bills that were just overridden to allow more cooperation between ICE and las enforcement. Contact all our representatives in DC.
Also remember to support our local immigrants any way that you can. Buy flowers and fruits and vegetables from the street vendors. They are risking their lives to be there. And give lots of hugs to all the people in this community affected by these abusive policies.
Statement on Israel and Palestine
Unanimously Approved by
Wedgewood Congregation
At the 2023 Annual Meeting of the Alliance of Baptists, of which Wedgewood is a member, a statement on Israel and Palestine was adopted. The statement has since been adopted by Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, Baptist Peace Fellowship, Creation Justice Ministries, Freedom Center for Social Justice, Greenfaith, and Hearts United for Good. Wedgewood partners with all of these organizations. Many individual churches have also voted to adopt this official statement.
The statement has 4 main points:
“The Alliance has voted to call Israel an apartheid state. In this statement, 1) we affirm our commitment to freedom, justice and equality for the Palestinian people and all people; 2) we oppose all forms of racism, bigotry, discrimination and oppression, 3) we declare ourselves an apartheid-free community; and 4) we pledge to join others in working to end all support to Israel’s apartheid regime, settler colonialism and military occupation.”
You may read the statement in its entirety here by clicking the button below:
If you would like more background on the Palestinian experience, the Alliance of Baptists made a video that you can watch by clicking the second button below:
Land Acknowledgement
As a community that considers social justice to be a cornerstone of who we are, we would like to acknowledge that the land that Wedgewood is on the unceded land of the Xuali, known today as the Cheraw, as well as the Esaw, now known as the Catawba, and the Sugaree people.
