In Support Of Keeping Houses Of Worship Nonpartisan August 16, 2017 Dear Senator: As a leader in my religious community, I am strongly opposed to any effort to repeal or weaken current law that protects houses of worship from becoming centers of partisan politics. Changing the law would threaten the integrity and independence of houses of worship. We must not allow our sacred spaces to be transformed into spaces used to endorse or oppose political candidates. Faith leaders are called to speak truth to power, and we cannot do so if we are merely cogs in partisan political machines. The prophetic role of faith communities necessitates that we retain our independent voice. Current law respects this independence and strikes the right balance: houses of worship that enjoy favored tax-exempt status may engage in advocacy to address moral and political issues, but they cannot tell people who to vote for or against. Nothing in current law, however, prohibits me from endorsing or opposing political candidates in my own personal capacity. Changing the law to repeal or weaken the “Johnson Amendment” – the section of the tax code that prevents tax-exempt nonprofit organizations from endorsing or opposing candidates – would harm houses of worship, which are not identified or divided by partisan lines. Particularly in today’s political climate, engaging in partisan politics and issuing endorsements would be highly divisive and have a detrimental impact on congregational unity and civil discourse. I therefore urge you to oppose any repeal or weakening of the Johnson Amendment, thereby protecting the independence and integrity of houses of worship and other religious organizations in the charitable sector. Respectfully, 1 ALABAMA Todd Heifner, Co-Director Rev. Steven Barber, Licensed Local Pastor Hope Manifest, Inc. United Methodist Church Birmingham, AL Florence, AL Amy Kearney, Lay Leader, Sunday School Mr. Robert Beckerle, Former Deacon & Trustee Teacher Hillcrest Baptist Church First Baptist Church Mobile, AL Huntsville, AL Rev. Allan Burton, Co-Founder and Director Rev. Candice Klein, Pastor Hope Manifest, Inc. Big Cove Presbyterian Church Birmingham, AL Brownsboro, AL Rev. Gary Burton, Pastor Mrs. Therese Laeger, Staff Parish Committee Pintlala Baptist Church Avondale United Methodist Church Hope Hull, AL Birmingham, AL Rev. Paul Byrd, Chaplain Rev. Dr. Gene Lankford, Senior Pastor Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Calera First United Methodist Church Birmingham, AL Calera, AL Rev. Terri Byrd, Coordinator Mrs. Margaret Mangham, Deacon, Director of Alabama Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Child Development Center Birmingham, AL First Baptist Church, Mobile, AL Mobile, AL Rev. Lucas Dorion, Associate Coordinator Alabama Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Dr. Dick Maples, Adjunct Professor of Religion Hoover, AL Southern Baptist Convention, Dallas Baptist University Rev. Andy Gartman, Pastor Guntersville, AL Hartford First United Methodist Church Hartford, AL Rev. Dr. Norman Martin, Retired Chaplain Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Rabbi Lynne Goldsmith, Solo Rabbi Auburn, AL Temple Emanu-el Dothan, AL Dr. Tripp Martin, Pastor Auburn First Baptist Church Pastor Mart Gray, Retired Pastor Auburn, AL Non-Denominational Locust Fork, AL Joe McDade, Retired Minister Baptist Mrs. Ruth Gynther, United Methodist Women Montgomery, AL Coordinator for Social Action Auburn United Methodist Rabbi Jonathan Miller, Rabbi Auburn, AL Temple Emanu-El Birmingham, AL 2 ALABAMA Rev. Brad Mitchell, Pastor Dr. Ed Sunday-Winters, Pastor Alpine Baptist Church First Baptist Church Alpine, AL Phenix City, AL Cynthia Mitchell, Lay Leader Rev. Patti Sunday-Winters, Lay Leader Alpine Baptist Church First Baptist Church Alpine, AL Phenix City, AL Dr. Paul Richardson, Deacon Dr. Charlotte Ward, Deacon Baptist Church of the Covenant Auburn First Baptist Church Birmingham, AL Auburn, AL Charles Rosecrans, Deacon Rev. Dr. James Williams, Retired System First Baptist Church Director of Pastoral Care Huntsville, AL Hospital Chaplain, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Cantor Jessica Roskin, Cantor Montgomery, AL Temple Emanu-El Birmingham, AL Dr. Joel Williams, Minister Churches of Christ Mrs. Beth Ryan, Lay Leader Florence, AL Most Merciful Jesus Parish Madison, AL ALASKA Valerie Baffone, Vestry Member Nancy Sales, Lay Leader St. Mary’s Episcopal Church First Congregational Church, UCC Anchorage, AK Birmingham, AL Ms. Candace Bell, President Mr. Kirk Shaw, Deacon Alaska Christian Conference Spring Hill Baptist Church (Southern Baptist) Anchorage, AK Mobile, AL Rev. David Boling, Associate Minister Scotti Simpson, Minister to Students First Christian Church First Baptist Church of Williams Anchorage, AK Jacksonville, AL Rev. Paul Boling, Senior Minister Jenny Smith, Lay Leader First Christian Church Baptist Church of the Covenant Anchorage, AK Birmingham, AL Mary Bristol, Church Council Member Rev. E. Tramaine Solomon, Senior Pastor Lutheran Springhill Baptist Church Anchorage, AK Lineville, AL Rev. Michael Burke, Rector, Senior Pastor Rev. Laura Stephens-Reed, Minister St. Mary's Episcopal Church Baptist Anchorage, AK Northport, AL 3 ALASKA Bonnie Demerjian, Lay Leader St. Philip's Episcopal Church Rev. Julia Seymour, Pastor Wrangell, AK Lutheran Church of Hope Anchorage, AK Susan Dunkin, Deacon First Presbyterian Church Rev. Dr. Sarah Welton, Pastor Anchorage, AK Church of the Covenant, American Baptist Palmer, AK Ms. Lyn Franks, Worship Leader St. Mary's Episcopal Bishop Shelley Wickstrom, Bishop Anchorage, AK Alaska Synod - Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Jo Anne Hayden, Lay Leader Anchorage, AK United Methodist Anchorage, AK Rev. Randall Young, Pastor Christ Lutheran Church (ELCA) Lesley Hoffman, Drama Coordinator Fairbanks, AK Baptist Wasilla, AK ARIZONA Rev. Brady Abel, Senior Pastor Mrs. Patricia Kennish, Lay Leader United Church of Sun City, AZ - United Church of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Parish Christ Anchorage, AK Sun City, AZ Ms. Marianne Mills, Council Member Mrs. Patricia Always, Lector, Lay Leader Northern Light United Church The Franciscan Renewal Center Juneau, AK Sun City, AZ Rev. Gayle Nauska, Priest Associate Rev. Boyd L. Baker, Pastor St. Mary's Episcopal American Baptist Churches, USA Anchorage, AK Scottsdale, AZ Nora Ortiz Fredrick, Director Rev. Jane Baker, Deacon Alaska Christian Conference Dayspring United Methodist Church Anchorage, AK Tempe, AZ Rev. Jacob Poindexter, Senior Minister Rev. Larry Baker, Reverend First Congregational Church of Anchorage United Methodist Anchorage, AK Arizona City, AZ Sr. Kathy Radich, Coordinator of Ministries Janet Bauer, Lay Leader Catholic Independent Baptist Saint Mary's, AK Peoria, AZ Rev. Nico Romeijn-Stout, Pastor of Discipleship Pastor Don Benton, Senior Pastor and Social Justice Scottsdale United Methodist Church St. John United Methodist Church Phoenix, AZ Anchorage, AK 4 ARIZONA Rev. Sandra Britton, Chaplain Rev. Kenneth Kennon, Retired United Church of Christ Clergy Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Pheonix, AZ Tucson, AZ Rev. Sara Day, Leader Mrs. Gail Kenny, Lay Leader American Baptist Churches in the USA Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Prescott Valley, AZ Flagstaff, AZ (ELCA) Prescott Valley, AZ Pastor Winona (Noni) Dye, Pastor Shepherd of the Pines United Methodist Church Rev. Kevin Lawson, Minister Overgaard, AZ Beacon Unitarian Universalist Congregation Flagstaff, AZ Mrs. Deborah Finkel, Immediate Past President of Arizona Section Rev. Tom Martinez, Senior Minister National Council of Jewish Women Desert Palm Phoenix, AZ Tempe, AZ Mr. Ronald Fish, Lay Leader David McPherson, Director of New & Vital Faith Catholic Communities Wickenburg, AZ Desert Southwest Conference of The United Methodist Church Mr. David Fronske, Volunteer Jail Minister Phoenix, AZ Roman Catholic Flagstaff, AZ Bishop Mark Elliott Newman, OC, Presiding Bishop Bishop Elias Galvan, Executive Director Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch United Methodist Phoenix, AZ Scottsdale, AZ Mr. Jim Nibbelink, Lay Leader Dr. Elizabeth Hertzler, Lay Leader United Methodist Church Methodist Tucson, AZ Mesa, AZ Rev. Robert Nuhn, Retired Dr. Mari Helen High, Lay Leader United Church of Christ St. Marks Presbyterian Church Sun City West, AZ Tucson, AZ Rev. Dr. Troy Petty, Pastor, Pastoral Counselor Rev. Dr. Amy Jacober, Academic Director & Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Pastoral Leader Goodyear, AZ Sonoran Theological Group Phoenix, AZ Jeannine Reynolds, Deaconess United Methodist Church Mrs. Denise Jurgens, Justice and Witness Sun Lakes, AZ Committee Chair Desert Palm United Church of Christ Gordon Schneider, Board Member Gilbert, AZ Shadow Rock United Church of Christ Glendale, AZ 5 ARIZONA Rabbi Dean Shapiro, Senior Rabbi Temple Emanuel of Tempe Prof. Robert Van Arsdale, Senior Priest Tempe, AZ Church of the Cosmic Christ Green Valley, AZ Prof. Stephen Shawl, Lay Leader, Vice President Temple Emanu-El Mrs. Jo Vredenburg, Lay Leader, Justice & Tucson, AZ Witness Committee Member Desert Palm United Church of Christ Philip Shea, Justice Team Leader Tempe, AZ Scottsdale Congregational United Church of Christ Rev. Kathalin Walker, Deacon Scottsdale, AZ St. David's Episcopal Church Page, AZ Annette Smith, Lector and Eucharistic Minister St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish Mr. Robert Wall, Lay Leader Peoria, AZ Roman Catholic Glendale, AZ Rev. Bart Smith, Pastor St. Mark's Presbyterian Church Rev. Dr. Stephen Wayles, Pastor Emeritus, Tucson, AZ Retired First Congregational United Church of Christ Rev. Dr. Michael D. Smith, Retired Clergy Phoenix, AZ