VIRTUAL NEW YORK STATE ECUMENICAL ADVOCACY DAY - FEBRUARY 25, 2021

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In the early part of the last century, across ethnic divisions and denominations, Christians across America rose together against child labor, unsafe working conditions, economic inequality, some of the worst sins of the First Gilded Age.

As we once again work to build a society that looks more like the Reign of God, this time in the aftermath of the twin pandemics of systemic racism and COVID-19, join the New York State Council of Churches for a transformative virtual New York State Ecumenical Advocacy Day of learning and action.

Participants will spend the morning with a grounding in the historic social gospel movement and strategies for community organizing before breaking out into groups to learn more about important issues affecting our state including Budget Justice, Criminal Justice Reform, Environmental Issues, Healthcare & COVID and Housing and Homelessness.

Participants will then be scheduled to meet virtually with their state legislators beginning at 2 PM that afternoon and in the following week.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE FOR VIRTUAL FEBRUARY 25 NYS ECUMENICAL ADVOCACY DAY

9:00 Historical Reflections on Congregational Activism

Dr. Alison Collis Greene, Associate Professor of American Religious History, Emory University and Candler School of Theology, Atlanta, Georgia and Author of No Depression in Heaven, The Great Depression, the New Deal, and the Transformation of Religion in the Delta

10:00 Faith Based Organizing

Alex Wiesendanger, National Organizer, American Musicians Union and Author of Seeds of Justice: Organizing Your Church to Transform the World

11:00 Theological Reflections on Wealth Inequality and Analysis of State Budget and Revenue Bills

Pastor/Theologian to be Announced

Ron Deutsch, Executive Director, New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness

12:15 Break Out Legislative Sessions

Criminal Justice Reform and Re-Entry for Justice Involved People

Representative, Less is More

Okiori Chibueze, Church of Gethesemane, Presbyterian Church USA

Health Care and Covid 19

Mary Clark, Federal Issues Coordinator, Citizen Action, Mark Hannay, Executive Director, New York Metropolitan Health, Charles King, Housing Works and Others

Environmental Justice

Xaver Kandler, Lead Organizer, New York Renews, The Reverend John Flack and The Reverend John Paarlberg

Affordable Housing

Marc Greenberg, Executive Director, Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing, The Reverend Peter Cook, Executive Director, New York State Council of Churches

1:15 Preparing for Virtual Office Visits with Legislators

2:00 Beginning of Virtual Office Visits for Thursday and next seven days

This event is free but please pre-register by completing this form.