GSOP along with IVP and OLTP is in the process of gathering over 250 signatures of Religious Leaders through out NEw England to encourge our New Englan Congreessional Memembers to lok at the Federal Budget as a Moral Document.

It is oour hope to be able to deliver to the members of Congress this letter and it's endorser's by September 9, 2005.

 

 

51 New Hampshire Religious Leader's urge Sen Gregg to make the Federal Budget a Moral Document!!!

 

Granite State Organizing Project
383 Beech Street
Manchester, New Hampshire 03103

July 2005

Senator Judd Gregg
125 North Main Street
Concord, NH 03301

Dear Senator Gregg,

We are writing to support the position of the Granite State Organizing
Project (GSOP) that *budgets are moral documents and to ask you to meet
with GSOP leaders* to discuss their concerns about threatened federal
budget cuts to affordable housing and education programs that would
affect thousands of New Hampshire families. GSOP’s position is expressed in the attached Guest Commentary which appeared in the New Hampshire /Union Leader/ in May.

The May 21st gathering of 850 people in Manchester for the New England Joint Action Regional Assembly exemplifies the level of concern about
federal budget priorities among religious and community leaders from New Hampshire and throughout New England. We are sorry that neither you nor any of your staff were present to hear first-hand from people affected by the proposed cuts to federal housing and education programs. We also regret that repeated calls to your Concord office since May 21^st have failed to result in a meeting with you, or even the prospect of such a
meeting.

Most leaders and supporters of Granite State Organizing Project and its
sister organizations in New England belong to religious congregations,
from a range of faith traditions. While we have a concern for all who
live in New England, each of our faith traditions stresses the
importance of fair and compassionate treatment of "the least among us."
In New Hampshire, many of "the least among us" rely on Section 8 and
CDBG funds for decent housing, and on Adult Basic Education funding and
Pell Grants for the prospect of a better future. Major cuts to those
programs are a blow to the current and future living standards of the
region's low-income people and ultimately hurt us all. The Platform of
the New England Joint Action calls for sustained federal funding for
each of those programs. In addition to preserving the values of shared
prosperity, widened opportunity, and practicality that Brother Paul
Crawford described in his essay, continued funding for those programs
sends the message that our country cares about its low-income families
as well as its wealthy ones, and that the United States will not balance
its budget on the backs of the poor.

*We ask that you take seriously these concerns, and meet with GSOP
leaders to discuss those concerns before the August recess*.

Respectfully yours,

Rev. Richard G. Leavitt, Senior Pastor, Congregational Church of Amherst
(UCC), Amherst
Sr. Monique Therriault, RSM, Berlin
Sr. Denise Therriault, RSM, Berlin
Rev. Bayard Hancock, Campton
Sr. Louise Foisy, RSM, Claremont
Arnie Alpert, American Friends Service Committee-NH, Concord
Revs. Jeanne and Olav Nieuwejaar, District Executives, New
Hampshire-Vermont District of Unitarian Universalist Societies, Concord
Rev. Charles B. Higgins, United Church of Christ, Danbury
Sr. Felicia Mc Kone, RSM, Dover
Deacon Jennifer H. Stiefel, Ph.D., St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Dover
The Rev. Robert E. Stiefel, Ph.D., St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Dover
Rev. David Richardson, Congregational Church of Hooksett (UCC), Hooksett
Rev. Gordon Crouch, First Congregational Church (UCC), Hopkinton
Sr. Joan O'Donnell, RSM, Jaffrey
Sr. Monique St. Cyr, RSM, Jaffrey
Rev. Dr. Wesley Palmer, Londonderry United Methodist Church, Londonderry
Rev. Sarah Rockwell, St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Londonderry
Fr. John D. Bavaro, OFM, Blessed Sacrament Church, Manchester
Sr. Eileen Brady, RSM, Manchester
Bro. Paul Crawford, OFM Cap., National Association of Social Workers-NH, Manchester
Sr. Peggy Crosby, SNDdeN, Diocese of Manchester, Manchester
Sr. Carol J. Descoteaux, Regional Animator, Sisters of Holy Cross,
Manchester
Sr. Mary Ellen Foley, RSM, Manchester
Fr. John Gallagher, OFM Cap., St. Anne-St. Augustin Parish, Manchester
Sr. Kathleen Mc Innis, RSM, Manchester
Sr. Madonna Moran, RSM, Manchester
Sr. Jackie Placona, RSM, Manchester
Sr. Karen Ross, RSM, Manchester
The Rev. Dr. Richard O. Wyatt, General Presbyter, Presbytery of Northern
New England, Manchester
Rev. Tom Getchell-Lacey, Milford United Methodist Church, Milford
Rev. Barbara McKusick Liscord, Unitarian Universalist Congregation in
Milford
The Rev. David G. Robinson, Jr., Rector, The Church of Our Saviour
(Episcopal), Milford
Rose H. Arthur, Th.D., Rivier Institute for Senior Education, Nashua
Sr. Mary Cronin, RSM, Nashua
Rev. Steve Edington, Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashua
Rev. Ed Koonz, Pilgrim Congregational Church, Nashua
Fr. Robert Odierna, Church of the Good Shepherd (Episcopal), Nashua
Sr. Elizabeth Scadova, RSM, Nashua
Sr. Anastasia Smith, RSM, Nashua
Rev. Melissa Tustin, Arlington Street United Methodist Church, Nashua
Rev. Tom Woodward, Nashua Presbyterian Church, Nashua
Rev. Richard W. Dutton (retired), First Baptist Church, New London
Rev. Les Norman, United Church of Christ, New London
Rev. Gayle Murphy, Northwood Congregational Church, Northwood
David Lamarre-Vincent, New Hampshire Council of Churches, Pembroke
The Rev. Ralph H. Booth, Presbyterian Church, USA (retired), Peterborough
Sr. Virginia Griffin, RSM, Portsmouth
Sr. Vivian Gentes, RSM, Rindge
Rev. Susan Grant Rosen, West Lebanon Congregational Church, West Lebanon
Sr. Dympna Smith, RSM, Mashpee, MA
Sisters of Mercy Region II Leadership Team

(Organizational affiliation for identification purposes only)