Dear Legislative Leadership,

Dec. 10, 2020

Thank you for your leadership in these challenging times. As clergy and faith leaders in ISAIAH and Jewish Community Action, representing Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities across Minnesota, we are urging our state elected officials to support passage of an Immediate COVID Relief Package.

Our communities are struggling through record unemployment, economic hardship, and an out of control COVID pandemic. Our people are sick and they are tired. We see deep spiritual, physical, and emotional exhaustion in the faces of those we love and care for on a daily basis.

Essential workers, families, small business, and unemployed people need support right now.

We urge you to pass a COVID relief bill for Minnesota that includes:

  • Extending unemployment benefits
  • Increased funding in Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP)
  • Ongoing support for house-less, renters, and homeowners in Minnesota
  • A robust stimulus package for small businesses and restaurants

As leaders in our communities of faith across Minnesota, we believe all people are made in the image of God and everyone – Black, White and Brown, indigenous, new-comer and long time resident, city, suburb and rural – is inherently of the highest value and deserving of ​dignity​, inclusion,​ ​equity​ and ​redemption.​ Our faith traditions and sacred texts challenge us and our elected leaders to take care of one another in times of hardship.

We also need to address the inequalities that this pandemic has continued to expose. We continue to see widening racial and economic disparities, gender gaps in the workforce, and thousands of Minnesotans struggling with rising prescription drug costs and access to quality healthcare.

We ask for your to create long term solutions to enable:

  • Paid Family and Medical Leave
  • Access to quality Healthcare for all Minnesota, including an equitable rollout of the COVID vaccines

This would go a long way to ensuring that ALL individuals and families can survive this pandemic and thrive in the future we are building together in Minnesota.

Peace and Blessings to You,

Deacon Kirsten Kessel, First Lutheran Church of Crystal
Imam Asad Zaman, Muslim American Society of Minnesota
Rev. David Landt, Mills Church, Minnetonka
Rev. Amy Wick Moore, United Church of Christ in New Brighton
Mr. Howard Bell, Mayflower Community Congregational Church, UCC
Pastor Nathon Roberts, First Lutheran Church of Columbia Heights
Rev. Joel Gueningsman, Immanuel Lutheran, Clara City
Sandy Stracy, River of Hope Lutheran ELCA, Hutchinson
Michelle Lynch, Awaken West Seventh
Makram El-Amin, Masjid AnNur
Randall Romsdahl. St James Lutheran in Crystal
Rev. Fernando Ortega, St Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church
Katie Matson-Daley, The Beloved United Methodist Church
Sister Renee Domeier
Fr. Dale Korogi, Church of the Asc
Rev. Laurie Bushbaum

Pastor James Erlandson, Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, St. Paul
Rev. Grant Abbott, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Saint Paul
Grace Alworth

Deacon Kevin O Connor, St Joseph the Worker Catholic Church
Matt Rohn, 1st UCC, Northfield
Rev. Jason Wahlstrom, Holy Nativity Lutheran Church, New Hope, MN
Rev. Eliot Howard, Linden Hills UCC
Rev. Penny Entringer, United Church of Christ
Pastor Rolland Swanson, Oak Grove Lutheran, Richfield, MN (ELCA)
Rev. Jan Wiersma, Community Presbyterian Church, Rochester
Rev. Justin Grimm, Saint Paul Area Synod ELCA
Mary Koon, Oak Grove Presbyterian Church
Rev. Christine Beebe, St. John’s Episcopal Church
Rev. Bonnie Wilcox, First Lutheran, Columbia Heights
Rev. Victoria Safford, White Bear UU Church, Mahtomedi
Rev. Penelope Tower, Mayflower UCC Minneapolis
Rev. Hans Jorgensen, St Timothy Lutheran Church
Tim Marburger

Nancy Storm

Rev. Dr. Mark Wegener

Rev. Joan Conroy, Lutheran Church of the Redeemer
Rev. Jennifer Thul, Resurrection Lutheran Church
Sister Barbara Thomalla

Rev. Alison Hendley, Clearwater UMC
Rev. Karen Larson, Zwingli United Church of Christ
Patrick McCorkell

Ms. Jacqueline Falk, Pilgrim UCC Duluth MN
Kari Pancoast

Jeffrey Ronning

Rev. Emily Goldthwaite Fries, Edina Morningside United Church of Christ
Andrew Wright

Meta Herrick Carlson, Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities
Pastor Melissa Pohlman, Central Lutheran Church
Rev. Kelli Weiss

Rev. Mary Kay Sauter, United Church of Christ. Plymouth Congregational Church
Richard Bridston, Retired Lutheran pastor, member Lutheran Church of Peace
Rev. Sarah Campbell, Mayflower UCC church
Michael Buerke, Mercy Vineyard Church, MPLS
Vicar Kelly Sandin, House of Prayer Lutheran Church
Natalia Terfa, Price of Peace Lutheran Church
Rev. Gretchen Rode

Mrs. Roxanne Smith

Deacon Krista Anderson, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Siri Strommen, Atonement Lutheran Church
Pastor Robert Hoyt

Rev. T. Michael Rock, Robbinsdale Parkway UCC
Imam Mohamed Omar, Dar Alfarooq Center
Rev. Miriam Samuelson-Roberts

Rev. Ashley Osborn, Valley of Peace
James Triplett

Imam Mohammed Dukuly, Masjid Al Ansar Islamic community center, Brooklyn Center
Reverend Vanessa Bradby, New Spirit United Church of Christ
Pastor Ben M. Sandin, House of Prayer Lutheran Church, Richfield
Janice Fitzgibbon, Retired Pastor, ELCA
Iman Jafri

Lisa Lynott-Carroll, United Church of Christ
Rev. Rob Smith, Spirit of Life Presbyterian
Rev. Cj Valenti, Zion Lutheran Church, Minneapolis
Rev. Lisa Johnson, Presbyterian Church of Oronoco
Charles Curry

Rev. Debbie Blue, House of Mercy
David Johnston, My Bethel UMC
Kyle Giermann

Imam Sharif Mohamed

Rev. Javen Swanson, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Saint Paul
Ahmad Abuatieh, Mosque
Rev. Trudy Cretsinger, Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Saint Paul
Rev. Oby Ballinger, Edina Morningside Community Church
Minister Kimi Floyd Reisch, Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ
Rev. Dan Doering, People of Hope (ELCA)
Greg Bolt, First Presbyterian Church Red Wing
Rev. Salim Kaderbhai

Rev. Beth Royalty, Calvary Episcopal Church, Rochester
Rev. Hannah Bergstrom De Leon, Minneola Lutheran Church, Goodhue MN, ELCA
Mary Fiel

Pastor Patrick Ziems

Rev. Kristin Maier, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Northfield
Tammy Wilkinson

Rev. Ruth MacKenzie

Kelly Mortvedt, Mercy Vineyard Church
Rev. Maria Anderson-Lippert, Christ the King Lutheran Church, Bloomington
Ms. Lauren Morse-Wendt, Edina Community Lutheran Church
Heather Peterson

Joshua Peterson, Church
Leah Springer, Union UCC, SLP
Colin Maltbie, The Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour
Nicole Rockne, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Rochester MN
Benjamin Loven

Anna Helgen, Edina Community Lutheran Church
Father Henry Doyle

Michael Tippett, Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, Owatonna
Joan Anderson
Ascension Lutheran
Jillian Hamberg

Andrew Yackel, Urland Lutheran Church, ELCA
Dr. Theresa Mason

Erica Cunningham, Salem Lutheran Church, Albert Lea
Rev. Karsten Nelson, Our Redeemer Lutheran St Paul
Mr. Christian Briones, Mayflower Church
Rev. Francis Fried

Rev. Eric Hoffer, Salem Lutheran Church — North Minneapolis
Kai Nilsen

Martin A M Erickson III, Mayflower Community Congregational Church, UCC
Peter Anderson, Peace Catalyst International
Dr. Nan Aalborg, Mayflower United Church of Christ, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Stephanie Obrien, Mill City Church
Greg Perkinson

Nickolas Fox

Ms. Nancy Eder

Cassie Smith, Mercy Vineyard Church
Rev. Tim Maybee

Rev. Bonnie Forsman, United Church of Christ
Mrs. Rebecca Gamble

Elizabeth Felt

Thomas Major, Mayflower Community Congregational, UCC – Minneapolis
Rev. Katherine Chatelaine-Samsen

Billy Frick, Mercy Vineyard
Helen Maddix, Mayflower UCC
Marykaye Ashley, Humble Walk Lutheran, Saint Paul
Mark Spencer, Bridgewood Community Church
Rev. Carolyn Philstrom, Christ the King Lutheran Church
Gary Titusdahl, Mayflower UCC
Kat Reynolds, St Anthony Park United Church of Christ
Rev. Dwight Stuart Wagenius, Mayflower UCC Mpls
Diane Gardner, Mayflower United Church of Christ
Rev. Lawrence Richardson

Rev. Theresa Roos, Mayflower UCC Church, Minneapolis
Rev. Janice Skogstrom, United Church of Christ
Kate Payton, United Methodist
Rosine Tenenbaum, I am one of the Friends (Quakers) in Winona
Mrs. Shanon Nowell, First Lutheran Church-Saint Peter
Elizabeth Harlis

Orville Sauter

Mr. Thom Haines, Mayflower UCC Mpls
Ms. Hanna Campbell Gustafson

Kay Brown

Ms. Theresa Dolata, Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Community
Rev. Rick King, Falcon Heights United Church of Christ
Sister Michelle Walka, ELCA
Pastor Mark Van Steenwyk, The Center for Prophetic Imagination
Fr. Jim Radde, Ascension Parish, Minneapolis
Jessi Leclear Vachta, First Lutheran Church of Columbia Heights
Rev. Jane McBride, First Congregational Church of MN, UCC
Ms. Margaret Thompson, MayflowerUnited Church of Christ
DeWayne Hill, High Praise Ministeries
Rev. Nikki Frontz

Gael Ziemer, Gloria Dei
Dr. Val Moeller

Linda McCollough, Red Wing UMC
Rev. Jennifer Rome, Pilgrim Lutheran Church, St. Paul
Rev. Dr. Karen Smith Sellers, Mayflower United Church of Christ, Minneapolis
Jodie Maruska, UCC First Congregational
Rev. Mary Shaffer, Mayflower UCC
Sarah Clark

Rev. Rory Philstrom, Christ the King Lutheran Church – Bloomington, MN
Joe Orner, ELCA
Melody Olson, Awaken Community
Rev. Sara Morse

David Hahn, St Joan of Arc Catholic Community
Rev. Coqui Conkey, Associated Church, Owatonna
Rev. Amanda Simons

Wendy Vanderhart, First United Church of Christ, Northfield, MN
Rev. Carolyn Fure-Slocum

Minister JaNaé Bates, Camphor Memorial United Methodist Church
Rev. Daniel Streeper, House of Prayer Lutheran Church, Oakdale Mn.
Rev. Cynthia Riggin, Lynnhurst Congregational United Church of Christ
Rev. Michael Mandsager

Rev. Andrew Davis, Union Presbyterian
Rev. David Tillman, United Church of Christ in New Brighton
Rev. Clark Cary, Bethel Lutheran-Northfield
Rev. Luke Roske-Metcalfe, Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area
Dr. Adam Whitten, First United Methodist Church of the St Cloud Region
Rev. Todd Lippert, Mayflower United Church of Christ
Rev. Ali Ferin, St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, Roseville MN
Rev. Corrine Haulotte, Lutheran Campus Center of Winona
Rev. Pam Stalheim-Lane, Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran Church
Rev. Laura Beth Gatzke, Living Table United Church of Christ, Minneapolis
Anita Bradshaw, Mayflower United Church of Christ
Rev. Dr. Rebecca Voelkel, Lyndale United Church of Christ
Cathy Kolwey, United Church of Christ
Rev. Luke Stevens-Royer, First Unitarian Universalist Church of Rochester
Rev. Chris McArdle, Anoka United Church of Christ (First Congregational)
Rev. Clare Gromoll, St. Paul’s UCC
Vicki Lambert

Erika Sanborne, United Church of Christ
Dawn Carlson Conn, Robbinsdale Parkway UCC
Pastor Ole Olson, United Faith Community UCC, Buffalo, MN