Ecumenical Advocacy Days expects record number

Washington, D.C., January 29, 2007–Nearly 1,300 religious advocates are expected for this year's Ecumenical Advocacy Days (Mar. 9-12) in suburban Washington, D.C., under the theme, "… and How are the Children?"

The National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) is one of nearly 50 religious groups and a wide array of Christian denominations sponsoring this fifth annual gathering of social justice advocates from around the nation.

The 2007 theme focusing on issues affecting children will guide and inspire workshops and speakers in eight different areas of concern:  Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East , Domestic, Jubilee & Economic Justice, Eco-Justice, and Global Security.

Experts will train participants on how to do advocacy and inform them of U.S. domestic and international policies that impact all of God's children.  The gathering will conclude with a visit to Capitol Hill where participants will ask their Congressional representatives to make the needs of children the center of the 2007 legislative agenda.

Marian Wright Edelman and the Rev. Dr. Cliff Kirkpatrick are scheduled to preach at the two worship services.  Edelman is founder and president of the Children's Defense Fund.  Kirkpatrick is the stated clerk (chief ecclesiastical officer) of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

A complete schedule and registration information for Ecumenical Advocacy Days is available at http://advocacydays.org/index.php

"Ecumenical Advocacy Days is a movement of the ecumenical Christian community, and its recognized partners and allies, grounded in biblical witness and our shared traditions of justice, peace and the integrity of creation," says the group's mission statement.  "Our goal, through worship, theological reflection and opportunities for learning and witness, is to strengthen our Christian voice and to mobilize for advocacy on a wide variety of U.S. domestic and international policy issues."

A preliminary event, "Fixing No Child Left Behind," begins Friday morning at the same Arlington, Va. hotel where the advocacy workshops will take place.  The pre-event will take up the shortcomings of the No Child Left Behind Act which is up for Congressional re-authorization this year.  This workshop is sponsored by the NCC's Committee on Public Education and Literacy.  Click the box at left for details.

 

Sponsors & Supporters:

• Africa Faith and Justice Network
• American Friends Service Committee
• Brethren Witness/Washington Office
• Catholic Conference of Major Superiors of Men
• Catholic Relief Services
• Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
• Call to Action
• Children's Defense Fund
• Church World Service
• Churches' Center for Theology and Public Policy
• Churches for Middle East Peace
• Columban Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Office
• Decade to Overcome Violence
• Disciples Justice Action Network
• Episcopal Church USA
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
• Faithful America
• Franciscan Friars - Holy Name Province
• Franciscan Friars, OFM ESC-JPIC Committee
• Friends Committee on National Legislation
• Global Ministries (UCC/DOC)
• Interfaith Committee for Nuclear Disarmament
• Interfaith Worker Justice
• Interfaith Working Group on Trade & Investment
• Jubilee USA Network
• Latin America Working Group
• Lutheran World Relief
• Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
• Medical Mission Sisters
• Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate JPIC Office
• National Council of Churches
• National Ministries- American Baptist Churches USA
• NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
• Oikocredit USA
• Pax Christi USA
• Presbyterian Church (USA)
• Progressive National Baptist Convention
• Reformed Church in America
• Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
• Sojourners/Call to Renewal
• Stand With Africa
• United Church of Christ
• United Methodist Church
• UMC - General Board of Church and Society
• UMC - General Board of Global Ministries Women's Division
• World Council of Churches
• Washington Office on Africa