LCPPM, Catholic bishops to take on poverty
The Lutheran Coalition for Public Policy in Minnesota ended its Day at the Capitol with a celebration of its 25th anniversary and the release of an open letter to legislators urging the protection of vulnerable Minnesotans. Executive Director Mark Peters welcomes guests. Metro Lutheran photo: Bob Hulteen
The Rev. Jon Anderson, bishop of the Southwestern Minnesota Synod and a Lutheran Coalition for Public Policy in Minnesota (LCPPM) board member, and Jason Adkins, executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, issued on open letter in April to Minnesota legislators and Gov. Mark Dayton, urging that there be a “circle of protection” around programs that serve poor Minnesotans. The agreement was signed by the six Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Minnesota bishops and the seven Roman Catholic bishops from the state.
The letter expressed the bishops’ shared concerns about the problems of poverty and hunger in Minnesota, and requested that both political parties work toward a budget that alleviates poverty and works to build a hopeful future for all Minnesotans. (A similar letter was sent by a diverse group of national religious leaders to federal lawmakers in February 2013.)
The release of the open letter was made at LCPPM’s 25th anniversary celebration at Luther Seminary. Several founders of the faith-based lobbying group spoke about its history and impact. The featured guests of the evening were the numerous interns who started their activist careers with LCPPM.
A longer version of this article can be found at http://bit.ly/Yq3mcB.
Tags: Bob Hulteen, circle of protection, ELCA, Gov. Mark Dayton, hunger, Jason Adkins, Jon Anderson, LCPPM, lobbying, Luther Seminary, Lutheran Coalition for Public Policy in Minnesota, Minnesota Catholic Conference, poverty, Rev. Jon Anderson, Southwestern Minnesota Synod
