Area Religious Leaders Join Global Advocacy Group ONE to Talk Faith and Global Poverty
Annville, PA-This Sunday, February 15, Lebanon Valley College and the advocacy group ONE will host a forum exploring the special role faith communities play in responding to the consequences of global poverty, hunger and preventable diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.
The forum will be moderated by the Rev. Sandra L. Strauss, the director of public advocacy for the Pennsylvania Council of Churches, and will include panelists from various faith traditions: Sensei Tony Stultz from the Buddhist community; the Rev. Dan Donmoyer from the Lutheran Church; Samia Malik, director of communications for the Council of American Islamic Relations; Rabbi Paula Reimers from the Jewish community and Patrick Walker, Regional Director for Church World Service. .
The forum is being hosted by Lebanon Valley College and ONE, a global advocacy and campaigning organization backed by more than 2 million people from around the world dedicated to fighting extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa. The forum is part of ONE’s ‘ONE Sabbath’ effort, which aims to mobilize people of faith in Pennsylvania and across America to speak out and take action for those struggling against poverty and disease around the world, especially during these turbulent and difficult economic times.
| What: | Forum on Faith and Global Poverty hosted by ONE and Lebanon Valley College |
| When:: | February 15, 2009 at 2 p.m. The forum will be 90 minutes. |
| Who:: | The Rev. Sandra L. Strauss, the director of public advocacy for the Pennsylvania Council of Churches Sensei Tony Stultz The Rev. Dan Donmoyer Patrick Walker, Regional Director for Church World Service Samia Malik, director of communications for the Council of American Islamic Relations Rabbi Paula Reimers |
| Where:: | Miller Chapel on Lebanon Valley campus |
| Etc:: | The panelists will be asked how their faith traditions are responding to the issues of poverty and disease on a global and personal level, and how faith communities can work together to respond, especially during the global financial crisis |
Event Contact: For questions about the event, please refer to Brian Sweeney, [email protected] (717) 644-3034
In 2009, ONE is engaging faith communities through its ONE Sabbath effort, which gives local congregations and believers opportunities to respond to such global challenges as AIDS, malaria, lack of clean water and children out of school, and informs congregations about the proven solutions that can save lives and transform impoverished communities.
The ONE Sabbath effort includes Jewish and Christian congregations and encompasses ONE Sadaqa in the Muslim community and ONE Seva in the Hindu community.
ONE Sabbath provides participants with tools to become advocates within their own faith traditions. Whether through a forum such as this, a small study group, a visit to a politician’s office, a sermon, a multimedia worship presentation, a petition, a gift to charity, a community organizing event or a conversation with a neighbor, ONE Sabbath participants will help to educate their communities and inspire healing and hope for those who need it most.
ONE Sabbath aims to raise awareness among voters and candidates about the opportunities President Obama and the 111th Congress have to implement proven, affordable solutions that will save lives, make our world more secure and live up to America’s best convictions.
As a nonpartisan, secular organization dedicated to fighting global poverty and disease, ONE celebrates the fact that communities of faith and individual believers are central advocates in this effort, and have been for years. ONE welcomes people of all faiths and those who profess no faith into the growing global movement to eradicate extreme poverty and end deaths from preventable and treatable diseases. ONE Sabbath is one way people of faith can lend their voices and contribute through action.