wfn.org | ELCA Pastor, Others Speak Out on Health Care Reform

[<NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

Title: ELCA Pastor, Others Speak Out on Health Care Reform
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

>July 1, 2009  

ELCA Pastor, Others Speak Out on Health Care Reform
09-144-JD

WASHINGTON (ELCA) - During the Fourth of July congressional recess,
a faith-based ad campaign will launch nationally to address the need for
health care reform. The campaign includes airing radio ads featuring
local pastors June 30 to July 4 in Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana,
Nebraska and North Carolina, as well as meetings with members of Congress
and building a grassroots movement to raise awareness of health care
issues.

The radio ads will air on Christian and mainstream radio stations
featuring pastors from each of the five states. In the ads they ask their
senators "to support health care reform that makes quality coverage
affordable for every American family," according to the campaign
organizers.

The Rev. Mark J. Seem, pastor of Pella Lutheran Church, Omaha,
Neb., a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA), said, "Many people in Nebraska are making difficult choices:
medicine or electricity, a doctor's appointment or rent. If that's
acceptable in the United States of America, then both life and the
pursuit of happiness have become the exclusive rights of some and the
empty dreams of others." Seem is the voice of the Nebraska radio ad
and made his comments in a conference call with reporters this week.

The ELCA Washington Office staff is working directly with the
sponsoring grassroots community organizations and national religious
advocacy coalition to promote the campaign. The staff is also encouraging
people to share personal health care stories and take action on health
care issues through participation in "Health Care Sundays."

"These designated Sundays allow congregations the opportunity to
educate, contemplate, and discuss health and health care reform," said
Robert Francis, director for domestic public policy, ELCA Washington
Office.

Seem explained that his congregation is aware of the urgency of
health care reform, but there is no agreement on how to implement it. "We
are going to continue discussing and praying as a congregation," he
said. "It's important that we see ourselves as (part of) a much bigger
body of Christ. Just one congregation can do very, very little, but as an
entire faith community we can do a lot. We can have a major voice in our
communities."

The ELCA Washington Office staff has made health care reform a top
domestic legislative priority for 2009. "The costs of health care are
detrimental to both our nation and our families, especially low-income
families," Francis said. "The faith community plays a critical role by
calling for public policy that allows for quality health care which is
affordable for all."

Currently committees within the U.S. House of Representatives and
the U.S. Senate are at different stages in crafting health care
legislation. Both the House and the Senate are expected to consider
health care reform legislation before the August recess.

>---

Details of the ad campaign are at http://www.faithfulamerica.org
on the Web.

For information contact:

John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog