ESA Public Policy Community

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Heidi is Director of the Congregations, Community Outreach and Leadership Development Project, providing research and consulting on faith-based community ministries. She received her M.A. in Theology and Public Policy from Palmer Theological Seminary of Eastern University. She formerly served on the ESA Staff with the Crossroads Program on Faith and Public Policy. Heidi lives in Hutchinson, KS, with her three children and husband, Jim, a Mennonite pastor.

Welcome to the Public Policy Community.

This community offers a forum for promoting informed, biblically-grounded action and dialogue in the public policy arena. We hope to shape political involvement that more deeply reflects our faith, and to enrich and challenge our faith through exposure to public policy issues. The goal is to help one another "seek shalom" for local, national, and global neighbors (Jeremiah 29:7).

What does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8

The only thing that counts is faith working through love.
Galatians 5:6

Heidi Unruh,
Public Policy Community Editor

Read the Readers Respond letters to our ePistle Public Policy Community Editor.

Check out my blog on Hope for Children in Poverty.

Featured Article:
Experience the Words of Dr. Martin Luther King
by Heidi Unruh

Last Saturday marked the 47th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. We all know about Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speech and can quote its famous "I have a dream" refrain, but per > Read More

Ways to Interact

• Sign up for the ePistle weekly communiqué

• Write to the Public Policy Editor

• Click here to donate to the ESA Communities

New Articles

•	Entitled to Our Own Facts? by Heidi Unruh Why politicians are caving in to the craving for misinformation...and why we must not follow suit. > Read More

•	Same-Sex Marriage and Public Schools by Heidi Unruh After being struck down in a district court, Proposition 8, amending California's constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage, will probably ultimately end up in the Supreme Court. > Read More

•	Remembering Atomic Devastation, Imagining a New Future by Heidi Unruh "I believe that the continued existence of nuclear weapons will make their use inevitable," writes Tyler Wigg-Stevenson. "I believe that the only way to prevent this occurrence is to abolish nuclear w > Read More

•	Crossing Ideological Borders: Allies on Immigration Reform by Heidi Unruh Quick news quiz: Who said the following about immigration reform legislation? The legalization provisions in this act will go far to improve the lives of a class of individuals who now must hide in > Read More

•	Rooting for Financial Reform by Heidi Unruh On July 21, President Obama signed into law a massive financial reform bill that appears at once ambitious and incomplete. Read what’s good and bad about this new legislation. > Read More

Featured Ministry

The New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good

The New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good, founded by David Gushee, Richard Cizik and Steven Martin, seeks to renew Christian public witness for the sake of the Gospel and the well-being of God’s world. The “Uncommon Voices” blog helps evangelicals articulate and embody Christ’s love and justice in our cultural and political context. Join their current campaign urging the government to investigate allegations brought by Physicians for Human Rights of CIA medical experiments on U.S. detainees.

Highlights, News & Events

Micah Challenge: Lend a Hand 10.10.10.
Drawing on Micah 6:8, Micah Challenge is a global campaign to mobilize Christians against poverty and to influence leaders of rich and poor nations to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. On 10.10.10 (October 10^th, 2010), millions of Christians around the world will be partnering with Micah Challenge to Lend A Hand. This special campaign focuses global attention on the goal of halving poverty through unified prayer and advocacy for the Millennium Development Goals. As a symbol of the promise to live justly and to hold leaders accountable to their promises, the campaign hopes to collect 10 million handprints to send to world leaders. Download free campaign resources for churches, community groups and campuses. College students – you are needed to get involved!

Poverty Data Webinars

New census data is about to be released. Two free webinars, sponsored by the Half in Ten Campaign and the Coalition on Human Needs, can help you understand how to use and understand this data in confronting our escalating poverty rates:

· How to Use Important New Poverty, Income, and Health Insurance Data, September 07

· Stories Behind the Statistics: What the 2009 Poverty and Income Data Mean For Your Community, September 21

Bread for the World Sunday

Each year Bread for the World encourages churches to organize an Offering of Letters on behalf of hungry families. The focus in 2010 is advocacy to protect and strengthen tax credits that benefit low-income working families. Make this part of Bread for the World Sunday at your congregation on October 17 (or any Sunday in the fall). Download free resources to help your church participate.

Immigration Law
A District Court has struck down key provisions in Arizona’s SB 1070 law, ruling that immigration policy is the federal government’s responsibility and that states cannot preempt federal law. Sign up for updates on immigration policy and reform efforts from Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform. You can also download a recording of a national conference call with faith leaders and advocates: “Faithful Perspectives: A Conversation on Immigration and Your Congregation.”

Anti-Corruption Victory in Brazil
Thanks to a grassroots movement led by AVAAZ and other organizations, a citizen petition with over 2 million signatures succeeded in pushing "clean record" legislation through the Brazilian Congress. This new law, banning any politician convicted of crimes like corruption and money laundering from running for office, has already disqualified over 330 candidates for upcoming elections. An encouraging example of what determined people can accomplish!

No Black-Brown Divide on Immigration
Esperanza for America has helped organize a coalition of African American and Hispanic pastors to demonstrate that immigration reform has broad support across racial and ethnic lines. Read their letter to President Obama, whose signatories include ESA board member Rev. Gabriel Salguero.

America's Alternative Evangelical Voice

PRISM Magazine
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Featured Article
"Jews for a Two-State Solution"
(Sep/Oct 2010)

Relevant Products in Public Policy

September 11 Prayerwalking Guide
Download a free prayer guide for September 11 from WayMakers. Join with others in prayerwalking your community from 9:00am - 11:00am on 9/11, and pray for God’s life and love to be experienced more fully by all.

Promising Antipoverty Strategies for Families
This research brief explores changes in family structure, the relationship between family structure and employment, the impact of the recession on families, and the implications of these changes for policy. It suggests ways to support parents’ efforts to balance work and family responsibilities.