“United in Faith: A Call to Action”
An Ecumenical Gathering of Unity and Solidarity
Saturday, January 24, 2 to 3:30 pm
St. Andrew Lutheran Church * 5607 NE Gher Rd. Vancouver WA 98662
Purpose: To educate, awaken, connect, and empower communities of faith to stand for justice, truth, the vulnerable in our community, and the common good.
Why We Gather: As Christians and people of faith in Clark County, we are called to live out the values of love, compassion, justice, and truth. At this moment in history, when religion is being misused to consolidate power and silence dissent, we gather to rise as a different witness: a witness rooted in the teachings of Jesus and the prophetic tradition that calls us to love our neighbors, speak truth to power, and protect the vulnerable.
Our Shared Commitments:
Expose the misuse of religion for political gain: We seek to raise awareness of how faith is being weaponized to legitimize authoritarian power and suppress dissenting voices.
Resist false anointings and cults of personality: We stand against narratives that claim divine endorsement of any political leader or agenda, especially when they undermine justice, personhood, or the common good.
Uphold the freedom of faith, not the imposition of it: We believe faith should never be coerced or legislated—especially in public schools and civic spaces. True faith inspires love with one another, not domination of the other.
Learn from history to guard against repeating it. We remember how religious complacency and complicity enabled atrocities in the past—from Nazi Germany to other regimes that co-opted faith for oppression. We honor those who resisted, such as Rev. Dietrich Bonhoeffer and countless unnamed faithful dissenters.
Activate hope and courage: We invite people of faith to join a visible, peaceful public witness that proclaims: democracy, dignity, and truth still matter—and our voices can help preserve them.
Live the values Jesus taught:
Love your neighbor, NO exceptions.
Blessed are the meek, the peacemakers, the humble.
Welcome the stranger, care for the vulnerable.
Resist the corruption of faith by power and profit.
Why Here? Why Now? We gather in Clark County as part of a growing national and global movement of faithful resistance—standing in solidarity to protect the integrity of our democracy, the depth of our values, and the soul of our shared future.
By coming together, we embolden our neighbors, support our civic institutions, and bear witness to a God of justice and love.
Who is the host of this event? God’s Good Trouble of St. Andrew Lutheran Church formed in response to the 2024 election to support one another in the work of speaking out for justice and democracy. GGT meets regularly to talk about the latest issues, participate in protests, and collective actions.
What is the format of the event?
An ecumenical worship gathering with prayers, singing, a sermon, and a blessing for public witness. Our preacher is Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth, Greater Northwest Area of The United Methodist Church
In person and available online at: SALC VAN (St. Andrew Lutheran - YouTube)
Followed by a resource fair where local justice and service organizations will present opportunities for action.
Coalition/network of local progressive churches
At this event we will gather names of religious leaders interested in forming a coalition and rapid response network to act together as situations unfold over the coming months and years that require our unified and targeted action.
Contact:
Rev. Donna Pritchard, Retired UMC Pastor revpritch@comcast.net 503-724-2464 (call or text)
Rev. Martha Maier, Retired ELCA Pastor maierm@comcast.net 360-690-5243 (call or text)
Our thanks to Edmonds United Methodist Church who has allowed us to use their materials for our event. Find out more at: United in Faith: A Call to Action — Edmonds United Methodist Church
Reflecting Jesus’ calling, we, the community of St. Andrew, proclaim that the gifts of God are for all, so we welcome and advocate for equity and justice for… All abilities and disabilities, All believers and unbelievers, All races and ethnicities, All religions and creeds, All gender identities and expressions, All countries of origin, All sexual orientations, All immigrants and refugees, All economic levels, All spoken and signed languages, All…no exceptions!