On April 29, Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice filed an amicus brief with the Wisconsin Supreme Court in support of the governor’s Safer at Home order and in opposition to the suit filed by the Republican leadership seeking to block that order. http://www.thewheelerreport.com/wheeler_docs/files/042920wscwfvjbrief.pdf?fbclid=IwAR02N0rMBUiTaC4t9o9AgLrGJq9PqnL_t1qNzDsmuDxistNJM1srlH_flIM
The brief included letters from twenty-nine clergy and faith leaders—Protestants, Catholics, Quakers, Jews, and Buddhists—all refuting the suit’s contention that the Safer at Home order has led to “decreased access to community and religious support.” To the contrary, the letters all demonstrated the strength, resiliency, and creativity of these faith communities in quickly moving their worship, pastoral care, religious instruction, and programming online. The statements highlighted how moving online made worship and other activities more rather than less accessible to those who would otherwise have been unable to participate due to age, disability, or geographic distance.
In her letter, Reverend Kerri Parker, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Council of Churches, stressed that Christian faith does not require big face-to-face meetings to endure. The Church, she emphasized, “does not need to gather in buildings in large numbers to be the church.” For centuries, Christians “gathered in small numbers in homes, doing ministry as individuals and in small groups. Churches have had many worship, teaching, and ministry patterns over two thousand years of history; the church is profoundly adaptable. There is no reason we cannot continue dispersed practices for some time, for the good of all.”
Rabbi Bonnie Margulis, Executive Director of Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice, wrote how conducting services virtually rather than physically comports with fundamental Jewish values; in the current circumstances, she explained, preserving life takes precedence over congregational worship. “For Jews, pikuach nefesh—saving a life—is paramount above all other commandments. Social distancing has been shown in past pandemics to slow the spread of disease, and it seems to be doing the same now. The Safer at Home order is effective, and necessary, to keep us all safe.”
The writers acknowledged the terrible economic fallout resulting from the first Stay at Home order while also noting the toll that the disease has imposed, particularly on exceedingly vulnerable populations. Reviewing data indicating that African Americans are being tested less but dying more than many other groups, Rev. Dr. Marcus Allen, Pastor of Madison’s historic Mt. Zion Baptist Church, expressed astonishment that “people are now pleading to open the state back up.” He closed his church on March 14, nearly two weeks before the governor’s first order. Despite the resulting challenges, Mt. Zion is engaging “so many more people through our online efforts” and continuing “our mission.”
Recognizing that everyone looks forward to the day when congregants can once more embrace each other in their houses of worship, the clergy and faith leaders supporting the brief nevertheless affirmed the continuing vibrancy of their religious communities as they pray together—safely apart.
Organizations
Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice
Wisconsin Council of Churches
Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin
Clergy and faith leaders: (affiliations for identification purposes only)
Rev. Dr. Marcus Allen
Mt. Zion Baptist Church
Madison, WI
Rev. Curt Anderson
United Church of Christ, retired
Rev. Scott D. Anderson
Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church
Madison, WI
Bishop James Arends
LaCrosse Area Synod
ELCA
The Rev. Robert W. Ater
Immanuel Presbyterian Church
Milwaukee, WI
Pastor Katie Baardseth
Madison, WI
Reverend Joseph B. Baring, Jr.
Pastor/ ST. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church
Madison, WI
Rev. Jonathan W. Barker
Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church ELCA
Kenosha, WI
Rabbi Renée Bauer
Director of Chaplaincy and Outreach
Jewish Social Services of Madison
Rev. Ann Beaty
Associate Minister
First Congregational United Church of Christ
Madison, WI
Rev. Kevin Beebe
Spirit Alive! Church
Kenosha, WI
The Rev. Peter Beeson
Lead Pastor, St. John’s Lutheran Church
Madison, WI
Rabbi Marc E. Berkson
Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun
Milwaukee, WI
Rev. Lindsey Beukelman
Pastor
All Peoples Church
Milwaukee, WI
Rabbi Jonathan Biatch
Temple Beth El
Madison, WI
Pastor John Bischoff
United Lutheran Church
Racine, WI
Rev. Nicole Blanks
Pastor of Delafield Presbyterian Church P.C.(U.S.A.)
Delafield
Rev. Dr. Deborah A. Block
Immanuel Presbyterian Church
Milwaukee, WI
Rev. Heidi Borkenhagen
Grace Lutheran Church
Grafton, WI
Ruling Elder Bob Boswell
Stated Clerk
Winnebago Presbytery
The Rev’d Dr. Christian D. Boyd, Stated Clerk,
The Presbytery of Milwaukee of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Carin Bringelson
Intern Minister
First Unitarian Society
Madison, WI
Omega S. Burckhardt
Unitarian Universalist Candidate for Ministry
Milwaukee, WI
Rev. Martha Butzier
Interim Minister
Lake Edge Lutheran Church
Madison, WI
Reverend Scott Carlson
District Superintendent
South West District, Wisconsin Annual Conference
Sun Prairie, WI
Rev. Amanda Christensen
Good Shepherd Trinity Church
PCUSA / ELCA
Milwaukee, WI
Adam Clausen, Senior Leader
Life Center Madison
Madison, WI
Dr. Charles Cohen
Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice board member
Rabbi David Cohen
Congregation Sinai
Milwaukee, WI
Rev. Marty Coons, HR
Member of The Presbytery of Milwaukee
Pastor Marianne Cotter
First United Methodist Church
Baraboo, WI
Pastor Cindy Crane
Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin Director
Rev. Kelly J. Crocker
First Unitarian Society
Madison, WI
Pastor Laura Crow
Interim Senior Pastor
Orchard Ridge UCC
Madison, WI
The Rev Dr. Laurie Brubaker Davis
Pastor
First Presbyterian Church
Marshfield WI
Rev. Michelle Townsend de Lopez
Cross Ev. Lutheran Church (ELCA)
Milwaukee, WI
Rev. Dr. Teresa Dulyea-Parker
Regional Minister Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Illinois/Wisconsin
Rev. Joseph W. Ellwanger
Retired Minister
Hephatha Lutheran Church
Milwaukee, WI
Bishop Paul Erickson
Greater Milwaukee Synod
ELCA
The Rev. Josh Evans
Pastor, Unity Lutheran Church (ELCA)
Brookfield, WI
Rev. Alissa Kretzmann Farrar
Pastor, Lake Park Lutheran Church
Milwaukee, WI
Rabbi Dena A. Feingold
Beth Hillel Temple
Kenosha, WI
Bishop Katherine Finegan
Northern Great Lakes Synod
ELCA
The Rev. Don Fleischman
Rector
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
Madison, WI
Rev. Dr. Jerry L. Folk
ELCA retired
Madison, WI
Rabbi Betsy Forester
Beth Israel Center
Madison, WI
Rev. Selena Fox
Senior Minister & Chaplaincy Endorser
Circle Sanctuary
Barneveld, Wisconsin
Rev. Ann Gibbs
Associate for Ministry Vitality
Presbytery of Milwaukee
The Rev. Dr. Michael J Goodwin
Pastor
Memorial Presbyterian Church
Appleton WI
Rev. Kris Gorton
Memorial United Church of Christ
Fitchburg, WI
Kat Griffith
Winnebago Worship Group (Quakers)
Reirin Gumbel
Resident Priest
Milwaukee Zen Center
The Rt. Rev. Matthew Gunter
Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Fond du Lac
Rev. Karen Hagen
Tippecanoe Presbyterian Church
Milwaukee, WI
Rev. Timothy Hansen
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church
Sun Prairie, WI
The Rev. Dr. Paula Harris
St John ELCA
Reedsburg, WI
The Rev. Jack Harrison
Pastor
First Presbyterian Church
Fond du Lac WI
Rev. Phil Haslanger
United Church of Christ
Madison, WI
Rev. Eldonna Hazen
Senior Minister
First Congregational United Church of Christ
Madison, WI
The Rev. Carol J. Hegland
ELCA
Ravenna A. Helson
Presiding Clerk
Milwaukee Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
Rev. John A. Holm
Interim/Transition Pastor
Advent Lutheran Church, ELCA
Cedarburg, WI
The Rev. Dr. Andrew E. Holmes
Pastor, Jerusalem Presbyterian Church
Wales, WI
Pastor Maren Hooper, ELCA,
St. Stephen the Martyr Lutheran Church
Greendale, WI
Rev. James Iliff
Middleton, WI
United Church of Christ
Rev. Sonja L. Ingebritsen
Community of Hope United Church of Christ
Madison, WI
Pastor Elizabeth Jaeger
St. Luke ELCA
Sheboygan Falls, WI
Pastor Greg Jewison
Bethany United Methodist Church
Madison, Wisconsin
Khyati Penney Johns
Priest at Still Point Zen Center
Random Lake, WI
The Rev. Kimbrel Johnson
Pastor
First Presbyterian Church
Neenah WI
Rev. Dr. Bruce Jones
Interim Pastor, PCUSA
Hee Soo Jung, Bishop
Wisconsin Conference United Methodist Church
Pastor Mary Martha Kannass
Hephatha Lutheran Church
Milwaukee, WI
Barbara Kehrein
Madison, WI
Revs. David and Barbara Kell
Retired United Methodist Clergy
Rev. Robert Koepcke
United Church of Christ
Rev. David Kraemer
Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Waukesha, WI
Rev. Tina S. Lang
Executive Associate Pastor
First United Methodist Church
Madison, WI
Rev. Gregory Lewis
Pastor
St. Gabriel Church of God in Christ
President, Souls to the Polls
Milwaukee, WI
The Rev. Cynthia Little
Pastor
First Presbyterian Church
Sheboygan, WI
Rev. Erica Liu
Pastor
Pres House
Madison, WI
The Rev. Melodie Long
Transitional Pastor
First Presbyterian Church
Oshkosh, WI
Sr. Marie Lucek, OP
Madison, WI
The Rev. Suzelle Lynch, Minister
Unitarian Universalist Church West
Brookfield, WI
Dr. Laiman Mai
Meditation teacher
Chinese Buddhist students group teacher
Madison, WI
Bishop Gerald Mansholt
East Central Synod of Wisconsin
ELCA
Rabbi Bonnie Margulis
Executive Director
Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice
The Rev. Staci Marrese-Wheeler
Lakeview & Glenwood Moravian Congregations
Madison, WI
Deborah Martin
Cantor/Spiritual Leader
Congregation Emanu-El of Waukesha
Waukesha, Wisconsin
The Rev. Dan McCurdy
Moderator
Winnebago Presbytery
Pastor
First Presbyterian Church
Weyauwega WI
The Rev. Ruth A. “Rose” McCurdy
Pastor
First Presbyterian Church
Winneconne, WI
Maureen McDonnell, O.P.
Catholic Dominican Sister of Sinsinawa
The Rt. Rev. Steven Andrew Miller Bishop
The Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI
The Rev. Sarah Moore-Nokes
General Presbyter
Winnebago Presbytery
Rev. Dr. Michael Willett Newheart
Transitional Minister
First Baptist Church
Madison WI
Cantor Jacob Niemi
Temple Beth El
Madison, WI
Rev. Diane M. Olson,
Milwaukee, WI
ELCA
Rev. Jennifer L. Olson
ELCA
Rev. Dr. Marie Onwubuariri
Regional Executive Minister
American Baptist Churches of WI
Reverend Gail O’Neal
United Church of Christ
Rev. Kerri Parker
Executive Director
Wisconsin Council of Churches
Rev. Beth A. Patton
Presbytery of Milwaukee
PC (USA)
Rev. Kenneth L. Pennings
Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ
Madison, WI
Pastor Kevan Penvose
Unity Lutheran Church
Milwaukee
Rev. Dr. Rich Pleva
Zwingli United Church of Christ
Paoli, WI
The Rev. Dr. James M. Rand
Presbytery of Milwaukee, Honorably Retired
Rev. Ellen Rasmussen
Brown Deer United Methodist Church
Rev. Franz Rigert
Conference Minister
WI Conference United Church of Christ
Interim Bishop Peter Rogness
South-Central Synod of Wisconsin
ELCA
Rev. Blake Rohrer
Madison, WI
Rev. Chaz Ruark
Executive Presbyter
John Knox Presbytery
Rev. Tanya Sadagopan
Minister
First Congregational UCC
Janesville, WI
Dr. Ibrahim Saeed
Imam
Islamic Center of Madison
The Rev Dr Matthew L Sauer
Pastor
Manitowoc Cooperative Ministry
PCUSA/UCC
Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Rev. Leslie M. Schenk
Pastor
Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ
Madison, WI
Rev. Karla Schmidt
Campus Minister
The Crossing Campus Ministry
Madison, WI