wfn.org | New Interfaith Coalition to Promote Voting as a Matter of Faith

["Leslie Tune" <ltune@ncccusa.org>]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE			Contact:	Leslie Tune, NCC,
								202.544.2350,
ext. 11

INTERFAITH COALITION LAUNCHES 'FAITHFUL DEMOCRACY' INITIATIVE TO PROMOTE
VOTING, CIVIC PARTICIPATION AS A MATTER OF FAITH

Volunteers from the Groups To Register Voters Before and After Press
Conference

What:			The launch of "Faithful Democracy," a coalition of
religious
			organizations and denominations that have joined
together to
			encourage people of faith to proactively engage in
the			     democratic
process through voter registration and education
			efforts. The group will unveil its website and other
			resources, and register voters before and after the
press
			conference.

When &Where:	Tuesday, March 30th
			10 a.m.
			In front of Judiciary Square (where the D.C. Board of
			Elections is housed to emphasize the local,
grassroots
			nature of the coalition's efforts)
			441 4th Street, NW
			Washington, D.C.
			Rain Location: First Trinity Lutheran Church, 309 E
St., NW
			(across from Judiciary Square)

Who:			Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, General Secretary,
			National Council of Churches USA

			Rev. Dr. Welton Gaddy, President, The Interfaith
Alliance

			Mark Pelavin, Associate Director, Religious Action
Center of
			Reform Judaism

			Dr. Bernice Powell Jackson, Executive Minister,
Justice &
			Witness Ministries, United Church of Christ

			Robert Keithan, Director of the Washington Office,
Unitarian
			Universalist Association of Congregations

			Rev. Brenda Girton-Mitchell, Associate General
Secretary for
			Public Policy, National Council of Churches USA

			Rev. Chebon Kernell, Rock the Native Vote 2004,
Oklahoma
			Indian Missionary Conference of the United Methodist
Church

Why:			Because civic participation in the United States is
			dangerously low, and many of the reasons people
aren't
			involved have profoundly religious implications.
Apathy and
			cynicism are bad for democracy and bad for the soul.
By
			grounding civic participation in religious values,
the			     Faithful
Democracy coalition will promote greater voter
			participation and community partnerships in
congregations
			nationwide.

EDITOR'S NOTE:	Members of the Faithful Democracy coalition will register
people to vote before and after the press conference outside of Judiciary
Square in Washington, D.C. Media should contact Leslie Tune, NCC,
202.544.2350, ext. 11.

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