wfn.org | Lutherans Tackle Human Rights and Welfare Reform at D.C. Briefing

[NEWS <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

May 21, 1999

LUTHERANS TACKLE HUMAN RIGHTS AND WELFARE REFORM AT D.C. BRIEFING
99-138-BW

     WASHINGTON, D.C. (ELCA) -- "Just Politics: Briefing '99" offered
about 400 participants from various dominations, including about 50
members from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), an
opportunity to discuss connections between human rights, economic
justice and the faith community's advocacy in public policy.  The 29th
Annual Interfaith Public Policy Briefing took place here April 24-28.
     Through a series of plenary sessions and workshops, participants
discussed, deliberated and debated domestic and global human rights
issues.  Topics ranged from welfare reform to the Kosovo crisis to
global warming.
     "People cannot survive on a lonely island of poverty.  In the 21st
century our challenge is to make poverty as immoral as slavery," said
the Rev. Andrew Young, during the opening plenary.
     Young, a United Church of Christ minister, is chairman of the
Southern Africa Enterprise Development Fund. He served three terms in
Congress, was ambassador to the United Nations under former President
Jimmy Carter and served two terms as mayor of Atlanta.  A top aide to
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he was involved in the inception of the
civil rights movement. He will serve as president of the  National
Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. from 2000 to 2001.
     "Children are the forgotten piece in welfare reform.  People
forget to track, or neglect to think about the impact these reforms have
on children," said the Rev. Christine E. Iverson, an ELCA pastor,
Atchison, Kan.  "It's one thing to tell the adults to get training and
get a job but the children are the most affected, and no one is tracking
these people to find out what is happening to them and their children."
     "Far too many people are working at jobs that do not pay a
liveable wage, and, because they work, the services available to them
are limited," Iverson said.  "Children do not have 10 years to wait for
us figure out 'how' welfare reform should work."
     "The church needs to take the lead in creating a safe place for
children and in advocating for children," she said.
     Iverson works for Lutheran Disaster Response through Lutheran
Social Service of Kansas/Oklahoma, Wichita, in the development of
resources for children to help them recover from the emotional and
psychological devastation caused by disasters.
     Lutheran Disaster Response  is a ministry of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
     "Rural areas are often either forgotten or not informed on changes
and services in welfare reform," said Meredith A. Lewis, Selinsgrove,
Pa.  Lewis is a member of Zion Lutheran Church, Sunbury, Pa., a single
mother of one and former welfare recipient.  Lewis is currently a
student majoring in paralegal studies at Pennsylvania College of
Technology.
     "The primary focus of programs is placed in urban and suburban
areas.  Case workers out in many rural areas are not informed and many
have an uncaring attitude when it comes to doing their jobs.  Their job
is to help welfare recipients find training and child care and to
provide information on other services available to them," Lewis said.
     Maureen Shea, religious liaison in the White House Office of
Public Liaison, met with Lutheran participants in the Old Executive
Office Building of the White House to discuss issues concerning welfare
reform and welfare-to-work programs.
     The Office of Public Liaison was formed during the Nixon
administration.  It serves as a communications link between important
constituency groups and the White House.
     Shea works closely with the Lutheran Office for Governmental
Affairs (LOGA).  "LOGA is a well-respected agency here and on the Hill,"
said Shea.  "We often contact them to get reactions on issues concerning
Social Security, health care insurance for children, child care and
matters of that nature," she said.
     LOGA is the federal public policy advocacy office of the ELCA.
     Shea has been involved in public interest and political work since
1977.  She has served in the Clinton administration since 1997 as
Liaison to the Faith Community.   She worked for the Democratic National
Committee from 1995 to 1997 as Director of Outreach to Women.
     Currently Shea is involved with legislation on hate crimes,
preserving Social Security and emergency funds to help Central America
recover from Hurricane Mitch.
     "Here in the United States we are told that we are in the midst of
the best economy we've had in 35 years.  Unemployment is down to 4.2
percent, and 16 million new jobs have been created since January 1993,"
said Robert B. Reich.  Reich is professor of Economic and Social Policy,
Brandeis University, Boston, and former United States Secretary of
Labor.
     "Although many people in the American economy have never had it so
good and many people are doing very well, the median family is just
about back to where they were in 1989.  They have not gained ground, and
they are working harder.  The median family is working six weeks more
per year for the same income as they were making in 1989," he said.
     "If you look at people below the median you will see that they are
struggling as hard, if not harder than they every struggled before.
Forty-three million Americans do not have any type of health insurance.
That is a higher number and a higher percentage than before this
marvelous buoyant recovery began.  More than one out of five of our
children in this country is in poverty today," said Reich.
     Nine million children go to bed hungry every night, he said.
There is a growing shortage of affordable housing.  There are 15 million
families with a full-time working member who are still in poverty today
in the United States despite the best economy in 35 years, Reich said.
     "We are taking people off welfare; that's good.  Many of them are
getting jobs; that's good.  But those jobs are not paying enough to get
them out of poverty; that's not good," he said.
     The second annual Church State Award was presented to Morene
Williams, Athens, Ga., at a dinner sponsored by LOGA.
     The ELCA Church/State Award is presented by LOGA to an individual
who has demonstrated a deep concern for vulnerable people and a strong
passion to alter conditions that cause oppression, said the Rev. Russell
O. Siler, director for LOGA. The award recognizes the examples set by
people throughout the church who incorporate advocacy as an integral
part of their lives.
     "Morene Williams lives her faith in church and community.  As she
has reaches out to people all around her, she has always taken time to
speak up and speak out for justice," said Siler.
     Williams has served as a congregational council member, Sunday
school superintendent and choir member at Holy Cross Lutheran Church,
Athens.  Her churchwide involvement includes member of the executive
board for Lutheran Ministry of Georgia.  Williams' community involvement
includes president of Church Women United, Athens and Georgia, founding
director of Hospice of Athens, and she has served as a Girl Scout
leader, including member of the executive council.
     "In partnership with another member of her synod, she envisioned
the 'Ribbons for Peace' campaign which she successfully introduced to
her synod.  She has been an active member of the Women of the ELCA
organization of her synod chairing the peace and justice committee,"
said Faye Codding, assistant director for grassroots coordination, LOGA.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html