"Faith in Action" in action @ All Saints Church today!

Today's "putting faith into action" action was signing letters to legislators in support of the upcoming HRC (Human Rights Campaign) "Clergy Call" Lobby Day on Capitol Hill. On May 23 & 24, All Saintser Susan Russell will join with clergy from all around the country who will be lobbying legislators to support pending LGBT equality legislation. Here's a draft of the text of the letter folks were signing today:

On Tuesday May 24 when hundreds of clergy from around the country gather on Capitol Hill as part of the Human Rights Campaign’s “Clergy Call” I want you to know that they speak for me when they talk to you about issues of LGBT equality.

• They speak for me when they urge your support for The Respect for Marriage Act (RMA) repealing DOMA and restoring the rights of all lawfully married couples—including same-sex couples -- to receive the benefits of marriage under federal law.

• They speak for me when they advocate for a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) providing basic protections against workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

• They speak for me when they speak for The Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) allowing U.S. citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their same-sex partners for family-based immigration, ending the injustice of many same-sex, bi-national couples being kept or torn apart.

• They speak for me when they ask you to support the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA) prohibiting any school program or activity receiving federal financial assistance from discriminating against any public school student on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

• They speak for me when they call for The Safe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA) amending the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to requiring schools and districts receiving federal funds to adopt codes of conduct specifically prohibiting bullying and harassment, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

They speak for me as a person of faith who believes that the all in “liberty and justice for all” applies equally to LGBT Americans. And they speak for me as your constituent as I ask you to embody those traditional American values for me on Capitol Hill and to support LGBT equality.

To find out more about Clergy Call, watch this video with footage from Clergy Call 2009 ... it's called "Changing the Conversation" and that's exactly what the letters signed today at All Saints will help make happen on Capitol Hill later this month!