Gathering of faith groups encourages unity

Regardless of someone’s birthplace or birthright, despite the difference in culture or creed, everyone must be welcome at the table, said the Right Rev. Jim Waggoner, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane.

“The human family includes every person,” Waggoner told a gathering of faith communities Saturday at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane. “To be the people we are created and called to be, we must see everyone as having value. …Who is our neighbor? It’s every person who inhabits the Earth.”

Waggoner’s speech, titled “Valuing Families” – on why people of faith must take action on behalf of their fellow human beings – was the keynote address at the annual Eastern Washington Legislative Conference. His words came at the end of a six-hour event that drew about 150 people from various congregations in the area.

While the crowd included Christians, Jews, Buddhists and people from other faith communities, the vast majority were Catholics, Methodists and members of other mainline Christian denominations.

For more than a decade, this annual gathering has become a way for people to discuss and collaborate on issues that affect children, the homeless and others in need. The Eastern Washington Legislative Conference not only provides them information about the bills and discussions taking place at the Washington state Legislature; it also serves as a sort of pep rally – an opportunity for people to support and inspire one another as they advocate for social justice.

“Our goal is to reach out to everybody in the pews in every congregation,” said Scott Cooper, director of parish social ministries at Catholic Charities and one of the event’s organizers. “Every faith tradition believes in justice and shares basic concerns: How will people get health care? Is my water clean? How does participatory democracy work, and how can I be part of that?”

Motivated by spirituality and faith, those who come to the conference want to ensure that all people have access to food, housing, health care and education – “the basic requirements for a dignified human existence,” Cooper said.

Earlier in the day, participants learned more about the issues being debated by members of the 2006 Washington Legislature, particularly the measures aimed at reducing hunger, increasing access to health care, and ensuring civil and human rights. They also participated in workshops that focused on a wide array of topics, including mental health, human trafficking, the environment and the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan.

Throughout the day, people purchased or learned more about fair-trade goods – coffee, chocolate and other items that are made using only sustainable environmental practices and sold in a way that helps ensure a living wage for the farmers and artisans who create the products.

In his keynote address, Waggoner emphasized that being part of the human family requires people to go beyond tolerance. In order to truly help others, one must be humble and practice respect, he said. It’s OK to disagree vehemently, he said, but hate is never acceptable.

“To people of faith, there is an obligation to exercise active concern for the welfare of others,” he told the crowd. “To be people of faith, of interfaith, is to carry a huge responsibility.”

Poverty, hunger and other problems can be eliminated if people begin to care and take action, he said. “It’s not the lack of resources; it’s a lack of respect,” he said. “It’s not a lack of way but a lack of will.”

Sometimes those involved in social justice issues get overwhelmed or paralyzed by all the challenges in the world, said Kateri Caron of the Interfaith Council of the Inland Northwest. By coming together, they can learn from one another and gain advocacy skills to help them work for change.

“Indifference and apathy are just not acceptable,” Waggoner said in his speech. “Valuing families, ultimately, is to choose love over fear.”