Greetings,

Area Congregations to Preach on Workers’ Issues This Labor Day Weekend
Each Labor Day weekend, in cities across the country, thousands of congregations participate in Labor in the Pulpits / on the Bimah / in the Minbar.  The goals of Labor in the Pulpits are to educate congregations about connections between faith and work, inspire new friendships between people in religious communities and unions, present congregations with opportunities for acting on the social teachings of their faith groups, and give union members a deeper experience of their faith in action. The 2008 Labor in the Pulpits/ on the Bimah/ in the Minbar program concentrates on how the realities of the health care system are impacting thousands of working families in Missouri and on a growing movement of faith and community leaders seeking meaningful healthcare reform called Missouri Healthcare for All.  No Missouri worker should lack access to health care, and this year's program will focus on opportunities to guarantee quality, affordable health care for everyone in Missouri.    For more information on Labor in the Pulpits, or to involve your congregation in 2009, contact Katrina Molnar at katrina@stl-jwj.org, 314.644.0466 x13. The following Missouri congregations and faith organizations are already committed to participating in Labor in the Pulpits / on the Bimah / in the Minbar this Labor Day weekend.  St. Louis City Central Reform Congregation Rabbi Susan Talve Rabbi Randy Fleisher   Community Church of God The Rev. Douglas Parham   Compton Heights Christian Church The Rev. Jacqueline Foster   Epiphany United Church of Christ The Rev. Mary Albert   Holy Trinity Catholic Church Fr. Richard Creason   Lane Tabernacle CME The Rev. James T. Morris   Liberation Christian Church Pastor Dietra Wise   Mount Airy MB The Rev. Charles Brown   MasJid Qooba	Rev. Michael Vosler, UCC, speaks at a press conference to save Overtime Pay   Rev. James Morris at with his congregation Lane Tabernacle CME.  They are participating this year. Sr. Connie Probst, FSOLP, at a Press Conference to support raising Missouri's Minimum Wage. Rev. Tommie Pierson, Greater St. Mark Family Church, and Archbishop Raymond Burke at a rally supporting Immigrant Workers' Rights.
Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ The Rev. Cindy Bumb    St. Johns Episcopal Church Pastor Teresa Mithen   St. Marks Epsicopal Church The Rev. Lydia Speller   The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet Diana Oleskavich   Westside Missionary Baptist The Rev. Ronald Bobo   St. Louis County Arlington United Methodist Church - Bridgeton The Rev. Mary Harvey   Church of the Open Door - Webster Groves The Rev. Dr. Susan Forbes   Ethical Society of St. Louis - Clayton Kate Lovelady   Evangelical United Church of Christ The Rev. Katie Hawker   Greater St. Mark Family Church The Rev. Tommie Pierson/The Rev. W. Audrey Hollis   Masjid Daar-ul-Islam - Manchester Imam Mufti Minhajuddin Ahmed   Northminster Presbyterian - Jennings The Rev. Carlton Stock   Shaare Emeth - Creve Coeur Rabbi Andrea Goldstein   Jefferson County   New Hope United Methodist Church - Arnold Rev. Mark Harvey   St. John Lateran Catholic Church - Imperial Fr. Steve Robeson   Columbia   Rock Bridge Christian Church The Rev. Maureen Dickmann   Saint Louis Faith Organizations Aquinas Institute of Theology Jews United for Justice New Life Evangelistic Center, Inc. Labor in the Pulpits / on the Bimah / in the Minbar is coordinated nationally by Interfaith Worker Justice, www.iwj.org.