Tom Lynn
The Rev. Dennis Jacobsen laughs as he tries to connect to President Barack Obama’s health care reform webcast Wednesday at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church.

By Annysa Johnson of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Posted: Aug. 19, 2009

For the clergy and lay leaders gathered at a Milwaukee church on Wednesday, health care reform isn’t just a political issue, but a question of faith.

“For me, it’s grounded ….. in the healing narratives of Jesus,” said the Rev. Dennis Jacobsen, pastor at Incarnation Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, where many of his parishioners lack insurance and access to adequate health care.

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KHNL Hawaii, posted on website

Hawaii weighs in on president’s healthcare reform plan
Posted: Aug 20, 2009 1:22 AM CDT Updated: Aug 20, 2009 1:51 AM CDT

Rev. Bob Nakata
By Leland Kim

HONOLULU (KHNL)  -   National healthcare reform has become a lightning rod of controversy.    Pres. Barack Obama is looking to overhaul the health insurance system, and provide coverage for every single American.  It’s a monumental task and he has many supporters, but some say it’s the wrong way to fix this problem.

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Wednesday, August 19th, 5PM EDT the faith community sponsored a national call in and audio webcast on health care reform featuring participants from across the country and special guest President Barack Obama.
40 Minutes for Health Reform was sponsored by

National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.
Progressive National Baptist Convention
Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society
The Episcopal Church
Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Gamaliel Foundation
Faithful Reform in Health Care
Unitarian Universalist Association
African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME)
The New Evangelicals
National Council of Churches in Christ
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
United Church of Christ
The Latino Leadership Circle
Christian Community Development Association
Islamic Society of North America
Washington Office of Women’s Divisions General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Church
Jewish Women International
Islamic Medical Association of North America
Presbyterian Church (USA), Washington Office
Disciples Center for Public Witness
Disciples Justice Action Network
Catholics United; Faith in Public Life
Faithful America; PICO National Network
Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good
Sojourners

Cosponsors of the faith community’s national call to action for health insurance reform are: religious denominations or faith-based organizations that work on a wide range of public policy issues, rather than primarily in any one issue area, and support health insurance reform, or faith-based organizations that focus solely on health care reform.

UCM and its allies continue efforts focused on national and state health care issues.

On June 24th UCM members met with policy staff for U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky, Jerry Costello, and John Shimkus. In addition, our UCM leaders and over 500 others marched to the Chamber of Commerce headquarters in D.C. in reaction to the Chamber’s pledge to spent $100 million to OPPOSE health care reform. The marchers knelt on the sidewalk in front of the Chamber’s offices to offer a prayer for health care justice.

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Post Cards to Congressional Leadership: Eight state affiliates have collected and delivered post cards to congressional leaders.

Quad Cities Interfaith/Iowa: Collected 2,814 cards, sending 2200 to Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) and 634 cards sent to Senator Richard J. Durbin (D-IL). Group held a “prayerful action” at Sen. Grassley’s Davenport office, reading cards from those without health coverage, business closures due to lack of health care, and loss of a home based on health care catastrophes.

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June 24, 2009—Gamaliel Visits Congress:

Gamaliel leaders conducted  80 senate and house congressional meetings involving  550 leaders from sixteen states seeking comprehensive health care coverage and supporting cost containment and affordability measures.   Seventeen buses from as far away as the twin cities and flights from Hawaii & California carried Gamaliel members to Capitol Hill to share health care stories collected from the member congregations, mosques, and temples.  Twenty-seven senators experienced Gamaliel constituency visits with groups ranging in size from four leaders representing Hawaii to 50 leaders representing Minnesota.  Gamaliel met with eight senatorial members of the Senate HELP and Finance committees and seven House of Representative members serving on three committees governing health care policy.

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Thirteen congregations (12 VOICE-Buffalo and 1 NOAH) did postcards. Most of these congregations have been praying for the healing of our broken healthcare system for several weeks and several congregations celebrated health Sabbaths on June 21

Thirteen VOICE-Buffalo and four NOAH clergy and religious Leaders signed letters to the New York State Senators. These letters were e-mailed and then hand delivered on June 22.

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By Rev. Dennis Jacobsen, Director
Gamaliel National Clergy Caucus

Faith and Democracy were in action on June 24-25 as about 700 Gamaliel leaders from across the country converged on Washington, D.C., to pray, march, witness, and insist on quality, affordable, equitable health care for all.

Weary but tireless, Gamaliel leaders stepped off buses that Wednesday and entered Lutheran Church of the Reformation for a worship service and a briefing on issues of immigration, transportation/jobs, and health care reform. Peter Edelman, professor at Georgetown Law and part of the Clinton Administration, offered a historical context for the struggle for health care reform. The Rev. Dr. James Forbes, pastor emeritus of Riverside Church, offered a stirring Call to Action.

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