Labor Day Programs to Focus on Wage Theft

For the past 8 years, congregations around the DC metropolitan area, and around the country, have been participated in Labor in the Pulpit, Labor on the Bimah, Labor on the Minbar program as a way of remembering God’s call to pursue justice, honoring people’s labor and recalling the religious traditions that dignify and celebrate work. rnrnThis year’s theme, “Justice and Work in Times of Crisis,” will raise up the impact of the economic crisis on workers in out region, with a special focus on victims of stolen wages and on unemployment.rnrnCongregations can participate by inviting a worker or labor leader to speak during or after services, by holding a special discussion program, or simply by offering special prayers to raise up workers in our community. rnrnInterfaith Worker Justice of Greater Washington and Jews United for Justice, who co-coordinate the program, provide resource packets that include scripture, denominational statements on worker justice, sample presentations, prayers, and bulletin/newsletter inserts. rnrn Sign-up on-line!rnrnFor more info about the program, contact Jonathan Wiens at jwien(at)dclabor.org or...

Faith in Action: Labor Day Programs reach more then 50 congregations in the DC area!

During Labor Day weekend and throughout September, more than 50 congregations from diverse Jewish, Christian, and Unitarian traditions will honor workers and call for justice during special services and programs. The Labor in the Pulpits and Labor on the Bimah programs are jointly organized by Interfaith Worker Justice of Greater Washington and Jews United for Justice. rnrnProgram highlights this year include a talk by AFL-CIO President John Sweeney at St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church in Rockville; a discussion at Adas Israel Congregation in Washington, DC about the situation of immigrant workers at the nation’s largest kosher meatpacking plant, in Postville, IA; and a fellowship lunch at Foundry UMC featuring theater and film highlighting the congregation’s day labor ministry.rn rnA full schedule of Labor in the Pulpits and Labor on the Bimah programs is available here.rnrnParticipating congregations include:rnAdas Israel Congregation, Adat Reyim Congregation, Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation, All Soul’s Unitarian Church, Am Kolel Havurah, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Beth Sholom Temple, Bethesda Jewish Congregation, B’nai Israel Congregation, Christ Lutheran Church, Church of the Pilgrims Presbyterian, Congregation Bet Mishpachah, Congregation Beth Emeth, Congregation B’nai Tzedek, Congregation Etz Hayim, Covenant Baptist Church, DC Minyan, Fabrangen, First Trinity Lutheran Church, Florida Avenue Baptist Church, Foundry UMC, Grace Episcopal Church, Kehillat Shalom, MACHAR: The Washington Congregation for Secular Humanistic Judaism, McKendree-Simms Brookland UMC, Metropolitan Community Church of Northern Virginia, New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation, Oseh Shalom, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Second Baptist Church, Shaare Tefila Congregation, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, St. David’s Episcopal Parish, St....