Labor in the Pulpits, On the Bimah, In the Minbar, September 4-7, 2015
Rev. Dr. Martin J. Rafanan
Coordinator of Champions Programs, Missouri Jobs with Justice
Each year as the Labor Day Weekend approaches, Missouri Jobs with Justice announces its statewide celebration of Labor in the Pulpits, On the Bimah, In the Minbar. The program is a part of the coalition’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the relationships between faith and labor leaders, recognize the values that unite faith and labor in the work of building community, and promote workers rights and economic justice in both faith and labor organizations.
Missouri Jobs with Justice is indebted to Interfaith Worker Justice, the national sponsor of this decade-old program and a stalwart partner in the effort to promote economic justice and worker support in faith communities nationally.
The program is interfaith in its focus with materials available for all faith traditions. Jobs with Justice’ website has prayers, meditations, litanies, readings, reflections and sermons that can help faith communities develop their worship and education approach to the Labor Day Weekend – https://mojwj.org/2015-labor-in-the-pulpits-on-the-bimah-in-the-minbar/. The materials emphasize the sacred nature of work, the dignity of labor, the expression of faith in one’s vocation (calling), the remembrance of those whose work has built our communities, and the importance of workers rights. Faith groups can use these materials to support their worship, supplement their education times, or celebrate the blessing of work and its importance to our communities throughout the year.
Labor in the Pulpits also encourages faith, labor and community leaders to engage important issues that impact families, communities and workers. This year, the program emphasize the important work of caring for our elders and those who require home healthcare support. Caring Across Generations (www.caringacross.org) and Seniors Count (http://www.seniorscountstl.com/) are Jobs with Justice partners whose mission is to keep our elders well-cared for in their homes. These organizations promote the importance of providing quality home-care for all in need and the development and training of home-care workers in anticipation of the tremendous home-care requirements in the coming decade. This work is critically important for our elders, their families, and our communities. We need to develop 2.5 million new home care jobs. Well-trained and well-compensated home-care workers can insure that our elders are well cared for in their homes while at the same time, lessening costs for our communities.
As a part of the Labor in the Pulpits program in 2015, we encourage faith and labor organizations to participate in the Labor Day Parade on September 7 (9am, downtown St. Louis) and to celebrate Grandparent’s Day on September 13th.
As always, Missouri Jobs with Justice will highlight the importance of organizing and collective bargaining as a cornerstone of strengthening our communities and creating a voice for workers in their workplace and in their communities.
Faith communities across Missouri will participate in the Labor in the Pulpits Program:
African Methodist Episcopal Church – Institutional Support, St. Louis, MO
Aquinas Institute of Theology, St. Louis – 3642 Lindell Blvd, St Louis, MO 63108
B’nai Amoona Congregation, St. Louis – 324 S Mason Rd, Creve Coeur, MO 63141
Bethel Lutheran Church, St. Louis – 7001 Forsyth Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63105
Blue Ridge Boulevard United Methodist Church, Kansas City – 4219 N. Jarboe Ct., Kansas City, MO 64116
Brentwood Christian Church, Springfield – 1900 E. Barataria, Springfield, MO 65804
Brentwood Congregational United Church of Christ, Brentwood – 2400 S Brentwood Blvd, Brentwood, MO 63144
Bridge Market and Faith Community, St. Charles – 3224-1 Rue Royale, St. Charles, MO
Central Grove United Methodist Church, Warrenton – 35569 State Hwy A, Warrenton, MO 63383
Central Reform Congregation, St. Louis – 5020 Waterman Ave, St Louis, MO 63108
Christ Church United Church of Christ, Maplewood – 2200 Bellevue Ave, Maplewood, MO 63143
Christ Episcopal Church, Springfield – 601 E. Walnut Street, Springfield, MO 65806
Church of Divine Grace – Dorea Ministries, St. Louis – PO Box 211401, St. Louis, MO 63121
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, St. Louis – Institutional Support
Compton Heights Christian Church, St. Louis – 2149 S. Grand Blvd, St. Louis MO 63104
Congregation Kol Ami, Kansas City – 5000 Wyoming, Kansas City, MO 64112
Congregattion Temple Israel, Ladue – 1 Rabbi Alvan D Rubin Dr, St. Louis, MO 63141
Curby Memorial Presbyterian Church, St. Louis – 2621 Utah Street, St. Louis, MO 63118
Deaconess Ann House Episcopal Service Corps, St. Louis – 1416 Sullivan Ave, St. Louis, MO 63107
Eliot Chapel, Kirkwood – 100 S Taylor Ave, Kirkwood, MO 63122
Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Webster Groves – 9 S Bompart Webster Groves MO 63119
Epiphany United Church of Christ, St. Louis – 2911 McNair Ave, St. Louis, MO 63118
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – Institutional Support
Faith Labor Alliance, St. Louis – Institutional Support
First Baptist Church of Elmwood Park, St. Louis – 1452 Dielman Road, St. Louis MO
First Baptist Church, Jefferson City – 301 E Capitol Ave, Jefferson City, MO 65101
First Baptist Church, Liberty – 336 North Gallatin Street, Liberty, MO 64068
First Christian Church Disciples of Christ, Jefferson City – 317 Woodward Lane, Jefferson City, Missouri 65109
First Congregational Church of Webster Groves – 10 W Lockwood Ave, Webster Groves, MO 63119
First Congregational Church of St. Louis, Clayton -6501 Wydown Blvd, St Louis, MO 63105
First Presbyterian Church, Jefferson City – 324 Madison St, Jefferson City, MO 65101
Franciscan Friars, St. Louis – 3135 Meramec Street, St. Louis, MO 63118
Gethsemane Lutheran Church, St. Louis – 3600 Hampton Ave, St. Louis, MO 63109
Giddings Lovejoy Presbytery, St. Louis – 2236 Tower Grove Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110
Grace Episcopal Church, Liberty – 520 S 291 Hwy, Liberty, MO 64068
Greater New Hope Baptist Church, East St. Louis – 2240 Missouri Ave, East St Louis, IL 62205
Greater St. Mark Family Church, Ferguson – 9950 Glen Owen Dr, St. Louis, MO 63136
Holy Trinity Catholic Church, St. Louis – 3519 Mallinckrodt Street, St. Louis MO 63107
Hopewell MB Church of Wentzville – 1140 E Hwy N, Wentzville, MO
Interfaith Partnership of Greater St. Louis – Eden Seminary, Schultz Hall 107, 483 E Lockwood Ave, St. Louis, MO 63119
Islamic Community Center, St. Louis -4666 Lansdowne Ave, Saint Louis, MO
Jews United for Justice, St Louis – Institutional Support, Saint Louis, MO
Kirkwood Baptist Church, Kirkwood – 301 E Capitol Ave, Jefferson City, MO 65101
Kol Rinah, University City 829 N Hanley Rd, St. Louis, MO 63130
Liberty United Methodist Church, Liberty 7909 NE 75th Terrace, Kansas City MO 64158-1087
Little Brushy Baptist Church, Wapapello Wappapello, MO 63966
Living Lord Lutheran Church, Lake St. Louis 500 Cedar Cir Dr, Lake St Louis, MO 63367
Lutheran Church of the Living Christ, Florissant 9711 Perch Dr St. Louis MO 63136
Memorial Blvd Christian Church, St. Louis 3000 N Kingshighway Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63115
Mennonite Fellowship, St. Louis 3752 Giles Ave, St. Louis, MO 63116
Mt Sinai Baptist Church, East St. Louis 1200 St Louis Avenue East St Louis IL 62205
Mt Zion Missionary Baptist Church, St. Louis 1444 South Compton Avenue St Louis MO
Neve Shalom Congregation, Creve Coeur 6 Millstone Campus Drive, 3050, St Louis MO 63146
New Horizons Presbyterian Church, Overland 9424 Everman Ave Overland MO 63114
New Life Evangelistic Center. St. Louis 1411 Locust St, St. Louis, MO 63103
New Northside Missionary Baptist Church, Jennings 8645 Goodfellow St Louis MO 63147
New Piasa Chautauqua Box 623, Alton IL
Northern Blvd United Methodist Church, Independence 1800 S Northern Blvd, Independence, MO 64052
Parish of St. Patrick, Kansas City 1357 NE 42nd Terrace Kansas City MO 64116-2228
Peace United Church of Christ, Webster Groves 204 E Lockwood Ave, Webster Groves, MO 63119
Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ, St. Louis 826 Union Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108
Quinn Chapel AME Church, Jefferson City 529 Lafayette St, Jefferson City, MO 65101
Redeemer Lutheran Church, DeSoto 1620 Boyd St DeSoto MO 63020
Rock Bridge Christian Church, Columbia 301 W. Green Meadow Rd, Columbia MO 65203
Shaare Emeth Congregation, Creve Coeur 11645 Ladue Rd, St. Louis, MO 63141
Smith Creek United Methodist Church, Warrenton 3903 State Hwy U, Warrenton, MO 63383
South Street Christian Church, Springfield 500 South Ave Springfield MO 65806
Spiritual Newbirth Christian Ministries, St. Louis 5602 Arsenal St, St. Louis, MO 63139
St. Alphonsus Liguori “Rock” Church, St. Louis
St James Catholic Church, Liberty 309 S Stewart Road, Liberty MO 64068
St John United Church of Christ, St. Louis 4136-4138 N Grand Blvd, St. Louis, MO, 63107
St Louis Rabbinical Association Institutional Support
St Mark Hope and Peace, Kansas City 3800 Troost Ave Kansas City MO 64109
St Mark’s Episcopal, St. Louis 4714 Clifton Avenue St. Louis MO 63109
St. Catherine Laboure Catholic Church, Sunset Hills 9750 Sappington Rd, Sappington, MO 63128
St. Cronan’s Catholic Church, St. Louis 1202 South Boyle St. Louis MO 63110
St. James United Methodist Church 5540 Wayne Ave Kansas City MO 64110
St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church, St. Charles 547 Washington St Charles MO 63301
St. John’s Episcopal Church Tower Grove, St Louis 3664 Arsenal Street St. Louis MO 63116
Theology & Life Institute; PAX CHRISTI, St. Louis Institutional Support
Trinity Episcopal Church, St. Louis 600 North Euclid Avenue St. Louis MO 63108
United Hebrew Congregation, Chesterfield 13788 Conway Rd, St. Louis, MO 63141
Unity Lutheran Church, Bel Nor 8454 Glen Echo Dr, St. Louis, MO 63121
Vincentian Mission Corps, St. Louis 2912 Arsenal St. Louis MO 63118
Visitation and Guardian Angels Catholic Church, Vienna – Box 171, Vienna, MO 65582
Washington Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, St. Louis – 3200 Washington Ave, St. Louis, MO 63103
Westminster Presbyterian Church, St. Louis – 5300 Delmar Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108
Zion Lutheran Church, Barchtown – Barchtown, IL