Interfaith Clergy Concerned

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Clarissa Short
5 years ago
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1 Interfaith Clergy Concerned January 23, 2017 We write to you this week to encourage your opposition to bills in both the House of Delegates and the Senate that, in denying full and equal rights and protections to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Virginians, violate the deeply held convictions of our various faith traditions. Our faiths call us to work for justice, and to have particular concern for those who are marginalized. Non-discrimination policies give this deeply held faith conviction practical expression with the force of civil law. Thus we strongly encourage you to work for the defeat of HB Our faiths call us to celebrate love and commitment, and we hold love and faithfulness as central values of our traditions. Thus it is no surprise that many of us celebrate the commitments of loving people in marriage. We also hold fiercely to our freedom to worship as we feel called, and we both respect and appreciate that freedom as it applies to faith leaders of all communities, including those who choose not to solemnize same gender weddings. Current law is clear in protecting this religious freedom, and both HB 2025 and SB 1324 are unnecessary. Moreover, they confuse free exercise of religious faith expressed in worship with discrimination in public accommodations. Thus we strongly encourage you to work for their defeat. Our faiths call us to treat others as we, ourselves, would like to be treated. Each of the world s great religious traditions includes some variation on this golden rule, but laws that force transgender persons to use restrooms inconsistent with their gender identity violates this basic principle of love and respect. Thus we write also to express our gratitude for your work in defeating HB 1612 in subcommittee last week. We stand with Virginians who have, for too long, been victims of discrimination and, too often, victims of violence simply because they happen to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. We call on you to stand with us. We believe that each of us bears within that which is holy and deserving of respect and love. Out of these deeply held religious convictions, we stand on the side of love and invite you to stand with us. Sincerely, Rev. Dr. David Ensign Clarendon Presbyterian Church Rev. Dr. Kathryn N. Dwyer Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ Rev. Laura Martin Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ Rev. Allie Rosner Bass Temple United Methodist Church Rev. Nancy Fitzgerald Church of the Brethren Rev. Aaron McEmrys Unitarian Universalist Church of

2 Rev. Dr. Linda Olson Peebles Unitarian Universalist Church of Rabbi Lia Bass Congregation Etz Hayim Rev. Dr. Margaret True Clarendon Presbyterian Church Rabbi Gilah Langner Kol Ami: Northern Virginia Reconstructionist Community Rev. Trish Hall Center for Spiritual Living Metro Rev. Patricia Barth Bethel United Church of Christ The Rev. John Shellito Rev. Alice Rose Tewell Rev. Sue Browning Rev. Scott Ramsey Cantor Jason Kaufman Beth El Hebrew Congregation Juli Wilson-Black Fairlington Presbyterian Church Rev. Deborah Porras Beverly Hills Community United Methodist Church The Rev. Noelle York-Simmons Christ Church Episcopal The Rev. Ann Gillespie Christ Church Episcopal Rev. Dr. Robert R. Laha Old Presbyterian Meeting House Rev. Katherine Stanford Old Presbyterian Meeting House Rev. Robin Anderson Commonwealth Baptist Church The Rev. Oran Warder St. Paul s Episcopal Church The Rev. Gregory Millikin St. Paul s Episcopal Church Rev. Amber Henry Neuroth Hope United Church of Christ The Rev. Ellis T. Bowerfind St. Luke s Episcopal Church The Rev. David M. Crosby Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill Rabbi Jack Moline Interfaith Alliance, Washington DC resident Rev. Jeanette Leisk Rev. Robert C. Blinn Rev. Sharon K. Core Elder Priscilla Andre-Colton

3 Rev. Casey Fitzgerald The Rev. Heather VanDeventer Rev. Dr. Stephen Hyde Ravensworth Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Lisa Rzepka John Calvin Presbyterian Church Rev. Clara Young Rev. Dr. Linda J. Dickerson Northside Presbyterian Church Blacksburg Rev. Leah Grundset Davis Alliance of Baptists Bristow Rev. Scott Sammler-Michael Accotink Unitarian Universalist Church Burke Rev. Jason C. Lody, FCM St. Anthony of Padua American National Catholic Church Centreville Rev. Tracy Howe Wispelwey Westminster Presbyterian Church Charlottesville Rev. Lawrence B. Coleman Chesapeake Rev. Dr. Earl Zimmerman Daniels Run Peace Church Rev. Henry G. Brinton Rev. Mary Rogers Rev. Yena Hwang Rev. Emma Chattin Metropolitan Community Church of Northern Virginia City Rev. Nariaki Hayashi Ekoji Buddhist Temple Station Rabbi Laura Rappaport Station Rabbi Jeffrey Saxe Temple Rodef Shalom Rev. Dr. Kevin L. Ogle First Christian Church of Rev. James K. Sledge Presbyterian Church Rev. E. Russell Rusty Lynn Presbyterian Church Rev. Faith Woods Celebration Center for Spiritual Living Mr. Jim Best Floyd Friends Meeting Floyd The Rev. Ann H. Truitt Priest in the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia Front Royal Rev. Dr. Rob Vaughn Community of Faith United Methodist Church Herndon Rev. Joseph Reynolds Holy Trinity Parish Herndon Rabbi David Greenspoon Congregation Sha are Shalom

4 The Rev. Daniel Velez-Rivera Saint Gabriel s San Gabriel Episcopal Church Rev. Dr. Dan King Unitarian Universalist Church of Loudoun Rev. Sunday Cote Center for Spiritual Living Rev. Samantha J. Tuttle On Earth United Church of Christ The Rev. Stuart E. Schadt Trinity Episcopal Church The Rev. Vinnie Van Lainson Trinity Episcopal Church Rev. Madelyn E. Campbell Bull Run Unitarian Universalists Dr. Melissa Kirkpatrick Director of Education Ministries Presbyterian Church Mr. Matthew Messenger Union Presbyterian Seminary Rev. Aaron Fulp-Eickstaedt Immanuel Presbyterian Church Rev. Susan Graceson Rev. Katie Strednak Singer Rev. Jung Pyo Hong Rev. David A. Miller Rev. Laura Horton-Ludwig Rev. Russell Heiland Unity of Mr. Ron Karstetter Community Care Coordinator Unity of Rev. Allison Unroe Fairlawn Presbyterian Church Radford Rev. Joan Bell-Haynes United Christian Parish Rev. Dr. Debra Haffner Unitarian Universalist Church in Rev. Joseph Gann Rev. Julie M. Price Rev. MaryAnn McKibben Dana Rev. Dr. Lisa Webb Rev. Michelle Freeman Owens Union Presbyterian Seminary Rev. Jay McNeal United Faith Leaders Bishop Susan E. Goff

5 Elder Linda Kurtz Rev. Lauren Ramseur Rev. Russ Savage Unitarian Universalist Church of the Shenandoah Valley Stephens City Rev. Anya Sammler-Michael Sterling Sterling Rev. Brett Isernhagen Epiphany United Methodist Church Vienna Rev. Kim Hodges Lynnhaven Colony Congregational United Church of Christ Rev. Dr. Kenneth W. Veazey Rev. Diana C. Veazey Bishop Ronald Stephens Catholic Apostolic Church in North America Warrenton Rev. Kelly M. Sisson Centenary United Church of Christ Winchester Pastor Chris Scott The Exchange Winchester

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