wfn.org | Advocacy Days: Creating a place for all to call home

["Philip Jenks" <pjenks@ncccusa.org>]

>Creating a place for all persons to call home
>is theme of 2010 Ecumenical Advocacy Days

Washington, February 23, 2010 -- As the number of displaced persons  reaches tens of millions around the world, hundreds of persons of faith  will be gathering for Ecumenical Advocacy Days in Washington March 19-22  under the theme, "A Place to Call Home: Immigrants, Refugees and  Displaced Peoples."

"Jesus had no place to lay his head," declare the planners of Ecumenical  Advocacy Days. "Neither do tens of millions of migrants, refugees and  displaced persons."

Organizers invite hundreds of persons of faith to "be a part of an  action weekend addressing this global injustice. Join hundreds of  faith-based advocates in taking action on U.S. legislation that will  welcome immigrants, protect refugees and prevent displacement for  millions."

The theme of immigrations reform has taken on a national resonance among  persons of faith.

In a letter to the leaders of the 36 communions that compose their  organizations, the Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, NCC General Secretary, and  the Rev. John L. McCullough, CWS Executive Director and CEO, said the  urgent need for immigration reform must be a shared Christian concern in  the season of Lent.

Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice began in 2003 as  a gathering of 400 religious advocates concerned about U.S. foreign  policy in Africa and the Middle East. By 2009, more than 800  participants gathered over the March 13 weekend to ask Congress to  advocate for abundance in our world and that it be allocated in a way  that is fair and just for all creation.

The 2009 gathering, which took place weeks after the inauguration of  President Obama, sounded a note of hope. Kinnamon welcomed the  conferees, saying the change of administrations "makes it possible for  us to play offense, not just defense."

After a long and difficult political year in Washington, most Advocacy  Days participants are expected to show their determination to keep their  hope alive.

Advocacy Days will provide the context for a March for America: Change  Takes Courage and Faith, at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 21, in  Washington.  

Tens of thousands of people are expected to gather on the West Lawn of  the Capitol to send a message to President Obama and to Congress: the  time to fix our broken immigration system is now. 

"We hope to show the moral urgency of repairing America's broken  immigration system," said David Leslie, chair of the NCC/CWS Task Force  on Immigration. 

"This will be demonstrated in a dramatic display of unity among  supporters of comprehensive immigration reform - people of faith,  immigrant rights groups, labor groups, and others from all across the  United States," Leslie said, noting that people of faith have been  hosting prayer vigils and potluck suppers and meeting with members of  Congress in their home districts for months. Hundreds of delegates will follow-up on Monday, March 22, by pressing  their message to members of the House and Senate during their annual  Advocacy Days pilgrimage to Capitol Hill.

Four nationally known religious leaders will address the conference: the  Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins, General Minister and President of the Christian  Church (Disciples of Christ); Bishop Minerva Cacano of the Desert  Southwest Conference of the United Methodist Church; and Sister Helen  Prejean, an anti-death penalty activist and author of Dead Man Walking;  and Sister Mary McCauley, BVM.

Frank Sharry, founder and Executive Director of America's Voice, the  newly-founded communications campaign working to win common-sense  immigration reform, will address the conference Saturday morning, March  20.

For additional program registration information, see:  www.advocacydays.org

NCC News contact:  Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228 (office),  646-853-4212 (cell) , pjenks@ncccusa.org