VIRGINIA INTERFAITH CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY

                                                                   2006-2007

              The Center is about to mark its 25^th anniversary of addressing public policy issues of social justice, especially to the members of the Virginia General Assembly and the governor of Virginia.  Please watch for more details re the celebration and Annual Meeting in early December!

             Commonwealth Institute.   In November 2006, Michael Cassidy began work as director of the Commonwealth Institute, devoted to analysis of the financial impact of legislation which will affect the marginalized and underrepresented in Virginia.  The Commonwealth Institute has issued a number of reports assessing budget issues from the standpoint of social justice.  A Commonwealth Institute analysis of state revenues and the budget identified the forthcoming revenue shortfall in Virginia which was also subsequently acknowledged by the state government.

             The Commonwealth Institute assists the Interfaith Center and other groups dealing with social justice issues in identifying the financial consequences of bills and statutes.  It assists in assuring the accuracy of models used by state agencies to predict the financial effects of proposed legislation which, if enacted, will have social justice ramifications.  This work may help steer legislation away from bad consequences for the poor and disadvantaged before the bills have garnered public attention and polarized constituencies.

             It is our expectation that the Interfaith Center will continue to shelter the Commonwealth Institute as part of the Center for a number of years, and that it will then become a free-standing entity.

             Health Care Listening Tour.   The Interfaith Center has conducted meetings on the Health Care Listening Tour at sites all across Virginia which have provided informal settings for people to express their concerns about the provision of health care in Virginia, and so enable the crafting of a health care bill of rights for Virginians as policy which can be implemented by legislation and other appropriate means.  The informality of the meetings allowed of freer expression than may sometimes be the case in more formally conducted hearings by state agencies.  This atmosphere has allowed conversation about the practicalities of providing for people’s health care needs today.  Ryan Rinn, the Interfaith Center’s grass roots coordinator, acting in support of local chapters of the Center, assumed a primary role in carrying out these meetings.

             Grass Roots Activism.   The Interfaith’s Center’s support of activities by and in local chapters across Virginia helps mobilize the Center’s members to demonstrate to members of the General Assembly that the Center is made up of people who are their constituents.  The Center, both from its office in Richmond and by its activities through local chapters, encourages the Center’s members to be in contact with their elected representatives at Richmond and at home, to draw their attention to the religious and moral perspective of social justice on legislation.         

Payday Lending.  The most conspicuous single issue of the Interfaith’s Center’s involvement in the 2007 General Assembly was legislation to restrain payday lenders who fees equate to usurious interest, with annual percentage rate interest (APR) which can amount to 390%.   Although the industry is engaged in massive advertising which recommends the “wise use” of payday loans, its actual practices instead encourage its users to come back repeatedly, usually at two week intervals.  The Interfaith Center participates in VAPERL, a coalition opposed to oppressive lending practices, seeking to cap payday lenders at 36% APR.  2007 legislation which the governor declared he would use as a vehicle for an amendment to impose the 36% APR cap was withdrawn on behalf of the industry before it could reach the governor’s desk.  The 36% cap will foreseeably also be an issue in the 2008 General Assembly. 

            Virginia Power and Light.   The Interfaith Center also now shelters Virginia Power and Light, in accordance with the recently added emphasis of the Center to bring the religious values of stewardship of creation to bear in public policy.  Pat Watkins, a United Methodist clergyman in the Virginia Conference, is director, and the Center hopes to provide for this to be a full time position soon.  Pat has observed legislators responding well to people expressing their religious motivation for their environmental concerns about legislation.  Our presbytery is also a support of Virginia Power and Light which has sponsored Caring for Creation workshops to train teams in local congregations. 

            A More Perfect Union.   The Center has also brought in A More Perfect Union (AMPUR) as part of the Center, which had formerly been associated with the University of Richmond.  It serves to expose ethnic and religious bias and intolerance, most recently as it has affected Muslims and people of apparent Middle Eastern descent, and to encourage ethnic and religious tolerance.  Advertising campaigns by AMPUR have effectively drawn people’s attention to this issue and won recognition for the Interfaith Center’s activity in this respect. 

            Social Justice U and Compassion U.   The Interfaith Center continues to schedule sessions of its Social Justice U, designed to inform citizens about issues involving social justice and teach them about communicating effectively with their representatives, under the name of Compassion U.   

            New Office.   While the office of the Interfaith Center has long been sheltered in United Methodist Church Sunday school room facilities close to the Capitol, the host church literally cannot provide enough room for the Center’s current staff.  After discussion in recent years and extensive inquiry, the board approved the acquisition of a building at 1716 East Franklin Street in Richmond, located in the Shockoe Bottom neighborhood close to the Richmond train station and just east of Capitol.   

            Where the Money is Coming From.   Substantial increases in the Center’s budget in recent years have been largely attributable to grant funding, while financial support from the religious judicatory organizations whose representatives form a substantial part of the board is a dwindling proportion of the budget.  The Center is acutely aware of the importance of maintaining its ties with these organizations, including the Presbytery of the James, to help assure the religious underpinnings of the Center’s activities, and to help avoid the peril of losing its religious orientation to the agendas of secular organizations which provide financial support.  The Center is also undertaking activities to promote the broadening of its individual membership, which can both help the financial needs of the Center and also demonstrate to legislators that the Interfaith Center staff who talk with them have the support of and represent people who are legislators’ constituents. 

            The Staff, the Board and the Presbytery.   The Center enjoys the services of a staff who keep social justice close to their hearts, led by the Center’s executive director, the Reverend Doug Smith, for whose work and initiatives the board has consistently expressed deep support.  However lively the discussions of the Center’s numerous and opinionated board, its members treat one another with the respect and attention appropriately due to God’s creatures.  We must, after all, be the peace and justice we desire.  It has been my privilege to serve as a Board member because of my role as liaison between the Center and the PMB.    I am excited about the internship of Nancy Summerlin to educate and equip Presbyterians to advocate for a cap on pay day lending rates at 36%.  The payday lending workshop at the October POJ meeting was very well attended!  Finally, in light of our recent discussions re PMB budget for 2008, I am working with Doug Smith to bring a one time grant request back to the PMB for consideration.  The proposal will outline and request funding for efforts to more deeply engage the presbytery and its congregations around issues of hunger and the environment.  I hope to have the proposal before us for consideration in November – please stay tuned!

Presbytery of the James
3218 Chamberlayne Avenue
Richmond, VA 23227
Telephone: 804.262.2074 (direct) ■ 877.262.2074 (toll free)
web: http://www.presbyteryofthejames.org
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