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William Willimon
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Robert Parham
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Clergy for Tolerance is hosting a special breakfast in Nashville next Wednesday, November 30, 2011, featuring United Methodist Bishop William Willimon, head of the North Alabama Conference and leader in the faith community’s opposition and response to Alabama’s immigration law.
The breakfast is meant to update faith leaders on the constantly evolving immigration bureaucracy in the federal government and in states like Alabama, and to encourage them to continue serving as spokespersons of compassion and reason.
Bishop Willimon will specifically address the importance of clergy involvement in preventing similar legislation from passing in Tennessee and will provide examples of the challenges for faith communities in Alabama under this new law. Alabama's HB 56 went into effect on September 29, 2011 and is widely considered the toughest-in-the-nation legislation on the targeted workers.
Also speaking will be Robert Parham, Founder and Executive Director of the Baptist Center for Ethics. Reared in Nigeria as the child of missionaries, Parham has a doctorate from Baylor University, a master's of divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a bachelor's in foreign service from Georgetown University. In addition to appearing on Fox News, CNN Talk Back Live, MSNBC News Chat, ABC World News Tonight and NPR’s Morning Edition, he interfaces with reporters across the country. Parham will introduce the topic of faith and immigration within a framework of morality.
Organizers say that 180 Tennessee clergymembers and faith leaders are scheduled to attend, but space is still available for registration.
Online registration for clergy is free - here, or to register manually, clergy may send their name, email address, and organization to kathy@clergyfortolerance.org
Hosts:
Kasar Abdulla, TIRRC
Rev. April Baker, Pastor, Glendale Baptist Church
Father Joseph Breen, St. Edward Catholic Church
Rev. Kristina Brown, Community Ministries and Communications, First Baptist Church, Murfreesboro
Bishop Ben Chamness, Interim Bishop, Tennessee Conference, United Methodist Church
A.R. Chao, Director of Education, Islamic Center of Tennessee
Rev. James Cole, Pastor, Hillcrest United Methodist Church
Rev. John Collett, Nashville District Superintendent, United Methodist Church
Rev. Dr. Judy Cummings, Senior Pastor, New Covenant Christian Church
Rev. Sonnye Dixon, Pastor, Hobson United Methodist Church
Dr. Donovan Drake, Senior Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church
Rev. Ken Edwards, Senior Pastor, Belmont United Methodist Church
Rev. Brian Fesler, Church of Scientology
Stephen Fotopulos, TIRRC
Rev. Kaki Friskics-Warren, TNJFON
Rev. Kaye Harvey, Pastor of Congregational Care, Brentwood United Methodist Church
Rev. Heidi Hudnut-Beumler, Pastor, Trinity Presbyterian Church
Nathan Kinser, Youth Director, Stones River Baptist Church and Director of World Relief Nashville
Rev Thomas Kleinert, Senior Pastor, Vine Street Christian Church
Dr. Todd Lake, VP for Spiritual Development, Belmont University and Interim Pastor at First Baptist Church, Murfreesboro
Dr. Frank Lewis, Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Nashville
Rev. Ken Locke, Pastor, Downtown Presbyterian Church
Rev. James Milton McCarroll, Jr., First Baptist Church, Murfreesboro
Amelia Post, TIRRC
Avi Poster, CEI
Rev. Gail S. Seavey, Pastor, First Unitarian Universalist
Bill Sinclair, Executive Director of Catholic Charities of Tennessee
Renata Soto, Conexión Américas
Chantho Sourinho, Wat Lao Buddharam (Lao Buddhist Temple)
Rev. Jay Vorhees, Pastor, Old Hickory United Methodist Church
Hedy Weinberg, ACLU
Sponsored By:
ACLU-TN
Baptist Center for Ethics
Belmont University Office of Spiritual Development
Catholic Charities
Coalition for Education about Immigration (CEI)
Conexión Américas
HispanicNashville.com
Islamic Center of Nashville (ICN)
Islamic Center of Tennessee
The Nashville Board of Rabbis
Nashville for All of Us
Tennessee for All of Us
Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC)
Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors (TNJFON)
Wat Lao Buddharam (Lao Buddhist Temple)
