Retired Sisters ”Adopt” Legislators in Prayer

In the category of “creative unto infinity ideas – Sr. Simone Campbell, SSS has found a way to combine advocacy, prayer and retired sisters.

In essence she has gotten together a group of retired sisters who each adopt a legislator. The legislator is informed that Sister is praying that the legislator would be open to the Spirit and the needs of all of California during the session of the legislature.The following is the paper which outlines the project and the form she currently uses in connection with this project as it operates within California.

LEGISLATIVE PRAYER PROJECT
JERICHO

History and Mission of JERICHO

JERICHO was founded in 1987 to advance the interests of the poor and disenfranchised by developing concerned citizens into active advocates for systemic change. Recognized for its effective work by a bipartisan host of California legislators, JERICHO is the only statewide, interfaith, public policy organization founded to educate and advocate on behalf of individuals, families and children living in poverty in California. Begun as a project of the Sisters of Social Service, the organization has been a collaborative force from the beginning, offering people of all faiths (and no faith) the opportunity to ensure that the needs of the poor are justly addressed through state legislation.

Scope of Activities of JERICHO

JERICHO researches and analyzes issues and disseminates the most significant and timely information concerning California’s poor. It educates a volunteer core of 3,000 members of various faith communities from throughout the state on relevant current public policy issues and provides guidance on how members can effectively advocate. The success of these efforts is evidenced by a track record of nearly 70% of bills supported passed into law.

Statement of Need

JERICHO’s membership has consistently chosen to focus its advocacy efforts in three areas: healthcare, housing, and welfare reform for those at the margins of our State. Up to this point, it has utilized a traditional approach, reacting to proposed legislation by educating its members and advocating for or against that legislation.

Reading the signs of the times it is evident that JERICHO needs to be more proactive in order to create a community of shared concerns among advocates and decision-makers. Because of term limits, campaign pressures, and the effects of negative campaigning, legislators do not develop the kind of working relationships that make for cooperative decision-making. The growing gap between rich and poor has heightened the polarization between business and grassroots organizations. The alienation that results makes it imperative that we, as women of faith, work to create a community of decision-makers that responds to the needs of the poor and all of California.

Potential Response

In this context, a key question is how to create this community, that is how to get beyond the babble of argument on individual bills to the deeper issues at work in our State. On a contemplative retreat it came that one step in our strategy could be to have volunteer senior Sisters from around the state commit to three things:

1. Pray everyday for an assigned legislator (and that legislator’s family and staff) that the legislator would be open to the Spirit and the needs of all of California during the session of the legislature (2003 & 2004).

2. If moved to contact that legislator, the Sister commits to doing it without questioning the inspiration or procrastinating (too much). (Letters could be sent to the JERICHO office and we would hand deliver them. This would give us entrée to the legislator in new ways and make sure that the letter does not get lost in the crush of mail.)

3. The Sister would give us her biographical information and a photo (or we could take the photo) and permission to give it to the Legislator and to use it in media promotion.

JERICHO would assign the Sister a legislator and give the Sister the legislator’s photo, biography and basic positions and interests. At our first visit with the legislator in January 2003, we would give the legislator the Sister’s photo and biography and let the legislator know that the legislator is being prayed for every day. My hope is that our office could let the Sister know when there was an especially important hearing or vote coming up and/or the results of any contact that the JERICHO staff has with the legislator. If the Sister were interested, we would be happy to try to arrange a face to face meeting with the legislator either in Sacramento or in the district office. All of this would give a different level of connection with legislators and could lead to less partisan discussions about the needs of all Californians. This also would provide a legislative connection for the JERICHO staff that could enhance the other strategies we have for developing the community of common concern.

How to Participate

This is a “pilot program” which can be expanded to include other faiths around the State. But starting with Religious Women is a great way for us to engage in our commitment to social concerns on a new and deeper level. So I am starting with you to see if you would be interested in joining this project. At a minimum we need 121 sisters (one for each legislator and one for the governor). Do you have an interest in joining us?? If you do, please fill out the form and mail it to us at JERICHO or e-mail me at scampbell@jerichoforjustice.org.

Thank you for taking the time to read and consider this request. I am excited about what this project could do for our state and for the poor who need so much. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

S. Simone Campbell, SSS

Executive Director

She writes, “Our organization is a California based project and so we are focused on
the State legislators. It certainly can be done in other states and at
other levels–it just needs someone to pull it together. We welcome the
participation from any interested folks in the Vincentian Family and see
ourselves expanding the program to include other faiths once we have
“worked the kinks out” of our system.
If I can provide other information, please do not hesitate to contact
me.”

In faith–
Simone

S. SIMONE CAMPBELL
Executive Director
JERICHO
926 J Street, Suite 410
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-441-0387

You might also wish to visit the JERICHO web site at http://www.jerichoforjustice.org/

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Tags: Anti-poverty strategies