March 20, 2012

WASHINGTON— On Thursday, March 22 at 11 a.m. outside of the United Methodist Building (100 Maryland Avenue, NE), the presiding religious officials representing some of the nation’s most prominent Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and other faith traditions will present for congressional consideration, “A Faithful Budget.” Media are invited to the Faithful Budget announcement and coverage is welcomed. Photo and video opportunities will be available.

The Faithful Budget promotes comprehensive and compassionate budget principles that will “protect the common good, values each individual and his or her livelihood, and helps lift the burden on the poor, rather than increasing it while shielding the wealthiest from any additional sacrifice.” The Faithful Budget lays out ideas for restoring economic opportunity, ensuring adequate resources for the country’s fiscal needs, fostering true security, reducing poverty and hardship, taking responsibility for future generations, caring for the environment, improving access to health care and recognizing the robust role of government in combating poverty.

Following the media conference, the religious officials will meet with congressional leadership to present the Faithful Budget in-person. The congressional meetings are closed to press.

Among the religious officials expected to present the Faithful Budget are:

• Rev. Geoffrey Black, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ;
• Rev. Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church USA;
• Bishop Neil Irons, Executive Secretary of the United Methodist Church Council of Bishops;
• Sister Simone Campbell, Executive Director, NETWORK;
• Dr. Sayyid Syeed, National Director of the Islamic Society of North America;
• Rev. Michael Livingston, Past President of the National Council of Churches as well as the former Executive Director of the International Council of Community Churches;
• Rev. Peg Chemberlin, Executive Director of Minnesota Council of Churches and the immediate Past President of the National Council of Churches;
• Rabbi David Saperstein, Executive Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism;
• Rev. David Beckman, President of the Bread for the World; and
• Douglas Grace, Director of Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice.

The Faithful Budget was spearheaded by a coalition of leading Christian, Jewish and Muslim and other faith-based organizations affiliated with many of the major religious denominational movements, including, among others, the Church of the Brethren; Church World Service; Franciscan Action Network; Islamic Society of North America; Unitarian Universalists Association of Congregations; National Council of Churches; NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby; Presbyterian Church (USA); United Church of Christ; and the United Methodist Church.

The Faithful Budget is a continuation of the Faithful Budget Campaign, an effort launched by the religious community in July to lift up faithful voices on behalf of the nation’s most vulnerable in order to encourage the administration and Congress to maintain a robust commitment to domestic and international poverty assistance programs.

In July, the campaign organized high-level meetings with policymakers, a Washington fly-in of top religious leaders, daily prayer vigils near the U.S. Capitol Building and culminated with the arrest of 11 faith leaders while praying in the Capitol Rotunda just days before Congress passed the debt ceiling compromise. In November, the Faithful Budget Campaign also held a prayer vigil outside of the White House and around the country calling on members of the so-called, but failed Congressional Super Committee to not reduce the deficit by placing an undue burden on the poor while shielding the wealthiest from additional sacrifice.

Details about the Faithful Budget Campaign can be found at www.FaithfulBudget.org.

Who:
Among the religious officials expected to present the Faithful Budget are:

• Rev. Geoffrey Black, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ;
• Rev. Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church USA;
• Bishop Neil Irons, Executive Secretary of the United Methodist Church Council of Bishops;
• Sister Simone Campbell, Executive Director, NETWORK;
• Dr. Sayyid Syeed, National Director of the Islamic Society of North America;
• Rev. Michael Livingston, Past President of the National Council of Churches as well as the former Executive Director of the International Council of Community Churches;
• Rev. Peg Chemberlin, Executive Director of Minnesota Council of Churches and the immediate Past President of the National Council of Churches;
• Rabbi David Saperstein, Executive Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism;
• Rev. David Beckman, President of the Bread for the World; and
• Douglas G. Grace, Director of Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice.

What:
The presiding religious officials representing some of the nation’s largest Christian, Jewish and Muslim denominations will present for congressional consideration, “A Faithful Budget.”

Where:
Across from the US Capitol Building and Supreme Court Outside of the United Methodist Building
100 Maryland Avenue, NE
Washington, D.C.

When:
Thursday, March 22, 2012
11:00 a.m.

Christian, Jewish and Muslim institutions and faith-based organizations united by shared beliefs to lift up the nation’s most vulnerable, are mobilizing across the country to impact the national budget dialogue by demonstrating that America is a better nation when we follow our faiths’ imperative to promote the general welfare of all individuals.

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Download a printable copy of this press release here.