Press Statement from the National Council of Churches
New York, January 17, 2011 -- Heads of National Council of Churches member communions and NCC staff leaders used the Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday weekend to urge President Obama to use his January 25 State of the Union message to reassert his dramatic campaign pledge to "cut poverty in half" in the next ten years.
In an open letter to Mr. Obama, the NCC staff and communion leaders said, "There is no greater concern among the churches of Christ than for those in this nation who live in poverty. This could hardly be otherwise because Jesus himself lived among the poor: loving them, eating and drinking with them, healing them, and speaking words of justice and assurance that God's own love for the poor is unsurpassed."
The Rev. Michael Livingston, who directs the NCC's poverty program, said it was appropriate to send the message to the President as the nation observed Dr. King's 82nd birthday.
"Martin Luther King, Jr. was the prophet who inspired all of us to work for justice and to end poverty," Livingston said. "We know the President shares our views, and we want him to know we are behind him as he takes up this challenge."
Despite hopeful signs that the recession is abating, the letter told the President, "there are millions in our nation who live in the profoundest poverty -- persons unable to find work to sustain themselves or their families, children and elderly who go to bed hungry each night, persons who have lost homes and the comfort of safe places to lay their heads -- persons who for the most part have been hidden from the national view," the letter said.
These persons "have neither a political power block nor an influential constituency that makes it worthwhile for politicians to notice them. The only real political advocate they have, as Harry Truman said, is the President of the United States."
During the 2008 campaign, then Senator Obama said on more than one occasion that he would commit his presidency to the goal of cutting poverty in half in the next decade. "I absolutely will make that commitment," Mr. Obama said in a forum in Grantham, Pa., in April 2008.
"Understand that when I make that commitment, I do so with great humility because it is a very ambitious goal. And we're going to have to mobilize our society not just to cut poverty, but to prevent more people from slipping into poverty."
The ecumenical leaders said in their letter to the President: "We who lead the member communions of the National Council of Churches believe it is time for you to renew the pledge you made in the campaign to cut poverty in half in the next decade ... Mr. President, we urge you to renew this pledge like a clarion call in the 2011 State of the Union Message."
As the President takes this step, the letter said, "be assured that we stand with you and that you have the support and prayers of all 37 member communions of the National Council of Churches.
The full text of the letter follows:
January 17, 2011
The President
The White House
Washington, DC
Dear Mr. President
"I absolutely will make that commitment (to cut poverty in half in ten years) ...Understand that when I make that commitment, I do so with great humility because it is a very ambitious goal. And we're going to have to mobilize our society not just to cut poverty, but to prevent more people from slipping into poverty ..." (Barack Obama, Democratic Candidates Compassion Forum, Grantham, Pa., April 13, 2008).
(Cutting poverty in half) "is a goal that I will set as president of the United States of America." (Barack Obama, speech, Grand Rapids, Mich., May 14, 2008).
All of us -- the heads of member communions of the National Council of Churches -- listened to your historic words with hope.
There is no greater concern among the churches of Christ than for those in this nation who live in poverty. This could hardly be otherwise because Jesus himself lived among the poor: loving them, eating and drinking with them, healing them, and speaking words of justice and assurance that God's own love for the poor is unsurpassed.
Mr. President, the recession that reached its nadir in 2008 continues to have a profound effect on all of us. There are millions in our nation who live in the profoundest poverty -- persons unable to find work to sustain themselves or their families, children and elderly who go to bed hungry each night, persons who have lost homes and the comfort of safe places to lay their heads -- who have for the most part been hidden from national view. They have neither a political power block nor an influential constituency that makes it worthwhile for politicians to notice them. The only real political advocate they have, as Harry Truman said, is the President of the United States.
As we see hopeful signs that the recession may be abating, we know that millions in our nation will continue to live in poverty and hopelessness unless immediate and decisive action is taken to help them.
We who lead the member communions of the National Council of Churches believe it is time for you to renew the pledge you made during the campaign to cut poverty in half in the next decade. We ask that you use the influence of your office to assure those living in poverty that this nation has not forgotten
them.
Mr. President, we urge you to renew this pledge like a clarion call in the 2011 State of the Union Message.
As you have noted, this is a very ambitious goal and there are far too many politicians in this nation who might not take the risk or pursuing it without the strong advocacy of the President. But as you renew this commitment, be assured that we stand with you and that you have the support and prayers of all 37 member communions of the National Council of Churches.
Grace to you, and peace,
Bishop John F. White, Ecumenical Officer, African Methodist Episcopal Church
The Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley, General Secretary, American Baptist Churches USA
Bishop Charles Leigh, Apostolic Catholic Church
H.G. Bishop Serapion, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California and Hawaii
The Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins, General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Bishop Thomas L. Hoyt, Jr., Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
Bishop Ronald M. Cunningham, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
Mr. Stanley Noffsinger, General Secretary, Church of the Brethren
The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop, the Episcopal Church
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Rev. Dr. Betsy Miller, President, Moravian Church (Northern Province)
The Rev. Canon Peg Chemberlin, President, National Council of Churches
The Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, General Secretary, National Council of Churches
The Rev. Michael Livingston, Director, Poverty Initiative, National Council of Churches
The Rev. Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Rev. Walter L. Parrish III, General Secretary, Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.
The Rev. Dr. Wesley Granberg-Michaelson, General Secretary, Reformed Church in America
The Rev. Ken Turley, President, General Convention of the New Jerusalem (Swedenborgian)
H.E. Metropolitan Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim, Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch, Archdiocese of the Eastern U.S.
The Rev. Geoffrey A, Black, General Minister and President, United Church of Christ
Bishop Larry M. Goodpaster, President, Council of Bishops, United Methodist Church
Bishop Sharon Zimmerman Rader, Ecumenical Officer for the Council of Bishops, United Methodist Church
Related Link: Honor Dr. King With Message to President Obama About Poverty
Related Link: Letter to President Obama regarding poverty in the United States.
