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Ecumenical Resources for Legislative Advocacy

 "Woe betide those who enact unjust laws and draft oppressive edicts, depriving the poor of justice, robbing the weakest of my people of their rights, plundering the widow and despoiling the fatherless. What will you do when called to account?"    --Isaiah 10:1-3

Monitoring the work of government and advocating for laws and policies that serve the common good -- bearing a "public witness" -- is a time-honored vocation for people of faith.  It found  an early expression in the prophets of ancient Israel, who boldly called for justice and integrity from those who ruled the nation.  

Christians, acting on the teachings of Jesus,  have led in many of the historic social changes of the past 200 years:  the abolition of slavery, child labor laws, women's suffrage and Civil Rights.  It is the churches who are now leading efforts to protect the environment, stop human trafficking, and bring an end to war and poverty.

Legislation is one way a society translates its deepest values into concrete actions . . . and today's ecumenical Christians, whether at the community and state level or on the national stage, are engaged in the consecrated task of helping shape laws that reflect the highest principles on which we can all agree.

Working from a policy base developed by its member churches over many decades, the National Council of Churches and leaders of its communions make the views of the ecumenical community known to government officials and keep their constituents informed of legislative and other developments of interest to the churches. 



 NCC Member Communion Washington Offices

The National Council of Churches, through an advocacy office on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, seeks to foster a strong ecumenical witness on the moral and ethical dimensions of national public policy issues.  More than a dozen NCC communions also maintain Washington offices, listed below, dealing with legislation and matters of ethical and moral concern to their churches, as well as participating in the joint witness of all the churches through the Council. 


 American Baptist Churches USA
 Curtis Ramsey-Lucas, National Coordinator, Social and Public Advocacy, (202) 544-3400
ABC-USA Office of Governmental Relations, 200 Maryland Ave., NE, Washington, DC 20036

Armenian Orthodox Church in America
 Archbishop Vicken Aykasian, Legate and Ecumenical Officer, (202) 393-5181
Armenian Washington Office, 1140 19th Street NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC  20036

 

Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty
 A shared ministry of  14 Baptist bodies, including six NCC member communions.
 J. Brent Walker, Executive Director, (202) 544-4226

Baptist Joint Committee offices, 200 Maryland Ave. N.E., Washington, DC 20002


Church of the Brethren
Jordan Blevins, Director of  Washington Advocacy and Ecumenical Peacemaking Witness, (202) 481-6943
 NCC Washington Office, 110 Maryland Avenue, NE, Suite 108, Washington, DC 20002


 Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
 Ken Brooker Langston,  Coordinator of  Disciples Advocacy and Witness Network,  (202) 797-0113 and (410) 212-7964;
Phone/Fax: (443) 782-0273; 1040 Harbor Drive, Annapolis, MD 21403
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
 Andrew Genszler, Director, Washington Office,  (202) 783-7507
ELCA Washington Office, 122 C Street N.W., Suite 125, Washington, D.C. 20001

 Friends Committee on National Legislation
 Joe Volk, Executive Secretary, (202) 547-6000
FCNL Office, 245 Second Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002

 The Episcopal Church
 Alex Baumgarten, Interim Director for Government Relations, (202) 547-7300
Episcopal Office of Government Relations, 110 Maryland Avenue, NE, Suite 309, Washington, DC 20002
Presbyterian Church (USA)
 J. Herbert Nelson II,  Director of Public Witness, (202) 543-1126 
PCUSA Washington Office, 100 Maryland Ave., N.E., Suite 410, Washington DC 20002
Progressive National Baptist Convention
 Kip Banks,Washington Office Director (202) 396-0558
PNBC Washington Office, 601 50th Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20019

United Church of Christ
 Sandy Sorensen, Minister and Justice and Witness Program Team Leader, (202) 543-1517
UCC Washington Office, 100 Maryland Ave., N.E., Washington, DC 20002

United Methodist Church Board of Church and Society
Jim Winkler, General Secretary, General Board of Church and Society, (202) 488-5620
United Methodist General Board of Church and Society, 100 Maryland Ave., N.E. 20002


 Ecumenical Staff in Justice and Advocacy


In the NCC New York Office
 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 880
New York, NY 10115:

 Wesley M. "Pat" Pattillo wpattillo@ncccusa.org
Associate General Secretary for Justice & Advocacy
and Communication:
 (Retired June 30, 2011)

 Ann Tiemeyer   atiemeyer@ncccusa.org
Director, Women's Ministry Program and
Justice for Women
Phone  (212) 870-3407; Fax (212) 870-2030









 		In the NCC Washington Office
 110 Maryland Avenue, NE, Suite 108,
Washington DC 20002:

 Cassandra Carmichael  cassandra@nccecojustice.org
Director of the Washington Office and the
NCC Eco-Justice Program
Phone (202) 481-6928; Fax (202) 543-1297

Michael Livingston   mlivingston@ncccusa.org 
Director of the NCC Poverty Initiative
Phone: (202) 481-6924; Fax (202) 543-1297
Jordan Blevins   jblevins@ncccusa.org
Washington Advocacy Officer, Peacemaking
(Joint appointment with Church of the Brethren)
Phone (202) 481-6943; Fax (202) 543-1297
Kevin Williams  kwilliams@ncccusa.org
Administrative Assistant for the Washington Office
Phone (202) 481-6924; Fax (202) 543-1297
 

See also:

  

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