With so many critical issues facing our education system and our children in Buffalo, we need officials to listen to our community. As parents, this is at the core of our hearts, and as Americans, this is at the core of our democracy. Our laws call for community members and leaders to work together to shape our children's future. So do our faith traditions – in His Sermon on the mount, Jesus says that we must live into the law better than those who made it, to help the most vulnerable among us. It's why we call on Education Commissioner King to listen to our community's stories on August 8th before he decides the education budget August 12th. Stories like Elizabeth's – a Burmese parent and teacher's aid at Lafayette. She strives to speak English and communicate with her community the lessons in the classroom. She came to America with hope for the future of her children, a hope that is not limited to vocational training alone. Her hopes include the opportunity for her children to go to college. Commissioner King – you need to meet Elizabeth so you can hear about her dreams. Commissioner King also needs to hear the tragic story of Jawaan Daniels. As he left the Lafayette campus after being suspended in 2010, he was shot and killed at a bus stop. Jawaan was a freshman. He'll never have the chance to go to college. And his parents can never have their son back. As parents, pastors, and community leaders, we are fighting so what happened to Jawaan never happens again, and so mothers like Elizabeth can achieve the American dream for her children. It's why we're calling on Commissioner King to meet with us, so we can share our stories, and call on him to take action to: Restore full funding to Lafayette and East High Schools Fund restorative justice in both these schools, and Work with Lafayette to provide language access through translation Please add your name by filling out the form to the right before our urgent deadline August 8th.

We are closer to reforming our broken immigration system than we have been for many years. However, the outcome is far from sure. At this historic moment, Christians have a unique role to play in the achievement of a fair system that reflects biblical values. Estamos casi al punto de lograr una reforma de nuestro sistema inmigratorio roto. Pero nada es seguro. En este momento historico, tenemos un papel muy importante como cristianos. Nosotros podemos asegurar que alcanzaremos un sistema justo lo cual refleja los valores biblicos. Location: Embrace UMC (Epworth Campus) 1015 N. Limestone Lexington, KY For More Information: Steve Pavey - [email protected] Rev. Chal Knox - [email protected]

“I was a stranger and you welcomed me…” – Jesus (Matthew 25:35) Dear Kentucky Legislators, As our nation debates immigration reform, our faith compels us to advocate on behalf of the immigrants who are part of our churches and our communities. When we open our Bibles, we read of God’s special concern for the immigrant (Deut.10:18, Psalm 146:9), and we take to heart the command to take special care of the immigrant, particularly as we ourselves are people with an immigrant history (Lev. 19:33-34, Ex. 23:9). When we look up from our Bibles, we see how immigrants—including many who are presently undocumented—are integral parts of our faith, school, and work communities. Together, we are neighbors and children of God. When one of us suffers, we all suffer (1 Cor. 12:26). Together, undocumented immigrants in Kentucky and their allies, want to create opportunities for all to be right with the law, embrace the responsibilities of citizenship and preserve their families. Presently, the law provides no avenue for this vision of compassion, justice, and hospitality to be possible. For these reasons, we urge you to support reforms to our nation’s immigration laws that meet these principles. As we are called to do, we pray for "kings and all those in authority" (1 Tim. 2:2), including you, our legislators in Kentucky, who have the opportunity to do the right thing. As you work on immigration reform, know that you have our support and our prayers to make the best decision possible for our brothers and sisters in Kentucky and the nation. We will be working to further educate and mobilize Kentucky’s congregations and faith leaders (your constituents) around this pressing issue. Toward that end, we invite you to join with people of faith across Kentucky who are taking the “I Was a Stranger…” challenge, which takes its name directly from Matthew 25:35, where Jesus says that by welcoming a stranger, we may be welcoming Him. Dive into Scripture by reading a short passage of Scripture each day for 40 consecutive days that speaks to God’s heart for immigrants and to pray for the immigrants in their community. See for yourself what God has to say on this issue, and open your heart and mind to seeing how these Scriptures speak to you. Thank you for your service to Kentucky and for taking the time to consider steps to preserve Kentucky’s families, communities, and moral commitment to the dignity of each person. Respectfully, Kentucky People of Faith

In Wisconsin, we know we have too many people in our prisons and we know the solution. We know that Treatment Alternatives and Diversions (TAD) work. They are cheaper and more effective than jail and prison time for low-risk offenders. There is no excuse for our legislature and Governor to delay any further. Every day we wait is a day of wasted money and wasted human potential. We need your voice. We need our elected officials to hear that: The evidence is in. The time is now. Expand TAD to $75 million per year in this budget; save more than $75 million in the next budget.

Every year, millions of Americans are locked out of our country’s health care system because of federal policies that prohibit some immigrants, including legal permanent residents, from obtaining health benefits. These are bad policies that cost lives and money. They are policies that were not remedied during health care reform. They should be addressed now, as the country moves forward to fix the broken immigration system.

As people of faith and moral calling, we can no longer tolerate our neighbors suffering after being imprisoned because of treatable mental health issues and substance abuse. We call on our representatives to help heal our communities with funding for treatment alternatives and diversions for our neighbors who made nonviolent errors in judgment. We cannot allow incarceration to continue to break apart families and cause suffering in our communities. $75 million/year in increased funding of existing treatment courts and other proven alternatives and diversions, will save the state money and improve the health and safety of our communities. Incarceration costs nearly twice as much as treatment. The state saves $1.93 with each dollar spent on alternatives versus incarceration. In addition, people who get treatment are 20% less likely to return to jail or prison and 13% more likely to be employed after the program than if they were incarcerated. Additionally, treatment gives parents a second chance and can transform their lives. They can return to their children and friends to rebuild their families, neighborhoods, and communities. For more information, visit www.prayforjusticeinwi.org.

For thousands of New Yorkers this winter, the unwanted and uninvited guest is Sandy. Three months after the storm devastated New York, 8,600 New Yorkers living in the Rockaway Peninsula still don’t have power, heat, or help to fix mold so severe it’s causing health problems in children and adults. Clergy in Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Lower Manhattan are supporting congregations reeling from Sandy, and families are trying to maintain their holiday spirit in spite of the hardship. Join faith and community leaders from across New York City as we stand with families in the Rockaways who will be forced to spend their winter in the dark and cold.

At $7.25 per hour, New York’s minimum wage remains decades out of date. With growing numbers of New York State residents relying on low-wage jobs to survive, too many workers do not earn enough to afford basic expenses. Governor Cuomo proposed raising New York's minimum wage to $8.75 per hour during his State of the State address this year. Key leaders in the Assembly and Senate have promised action on raising the minimum wage during this session. Now it's time for the legislature to deliver. New York’s lowest-paid workers cannot wait any longer. The Senate and Assembly should pass legislation raising the minimum wage to $8.75 per hour and indexing it to rise automatically with the cost of living each year. Raising the minimum wage is politically popular and morally right. Eighty percent of New York voters support raising the minimum wage.

This is important because having access to healthcare is a crucial part of not only surviving, but thriving, as human beings. Jesus revealed to us that access to healthcare was important to Him; this is why he told us the story of the Good Samaritan. As United Methodists, advocating for everyone to have the economic ability to see a doctor, or to be able to obtain needed surgery, medications, or other treatments is in accordance with our Book of Resolutions. http://www.umc.org/what-we-believe/health-care-for-all-in-the-united-states

Rickley is a 24 year old, hardworking young man who has been living in the United States since he was 11 years old. Rickley and his brother Voidette came to the United States to join his mother. Rickley attended high school and has been working in construction since. Voidette, Rickley’s brother, has a disability that limits his opportunity to independently go out and he requires extensive care. Rickley has always been a father figure to Voidette and has been helping his mother with taking care of Voidette. Rickley has two daughters, Emily and Allysi, of 7 and 4 years old who both have American citizenship. Rickley worked in construction in order to help support his family. Rickley has been held in detention since November 2012, and he has only seen Alyssi on one occasion. In June 2013, Rickley was transferred to Alabama and his family has not been able to visit him. Rickley’s father has never been involved in his childhood and Rickley grew up in an environment where domestic violence was not uncommon. Rickley was arrested because he had drugs on him, but the plea agreement which he took also included the sale of drugs. This is not true. However, as a result of his arrest, ICE began a deportation case against Rickley, even though that would mean that Rickley would be separated from his family. Rickley has taken ownership for his past mistakes and is determined to overcome his past struggles by focusing on the future. Rickley has been baptized last August, regularly attends bible classes, and encourages other detainees to get involved as well. The Obama administration has directed local ICE officers to exercise discretion. However, ICE has failed to exercise discretion for Rickley and they are continuing to advocate for his deportation. Additionally, last summer the Obama administration announced a program to defer the deportation of persons who arrived in the United States as children. Rickley and his family desperately want him to remain in the United States, the only country that he considers home. Please sign this petition asking ICE to follow their own directives and not deport Rickley.