BLOGGING TOWARD SUNDAY…

140,000 join faith-based call on health care

3 United Methodist pastors featured

(UMNS) — Three United Methodist pastors joined other religious leaders and President Obama in a national conference call and webcast on faith-based health-care reform that attracted more than 140,000 listeners last week.

The call launched a “40 Days for Health Reform” campaign to ask people of faith to press Congress to finish work on a health plan when lawmakers return after Labor Day. The United Methodist Boards of Church & Society and Global Ministries were among the more than 30 religious denominations and organizations that sponsored the call.

They recognized the important role of the faith community in finally achieving health-care reform.
President Obama and his Domestic Policy Director Melody Barnes spoke directly to the most pressing issues on the minds of people of faith. By addressing the moral dimension of the health-care debate, they recognized the important role of the faith community in finally achieving health-care reform.

The president asked people of faith to “spread the facts and speak the truth” about his proposed health-care reform. He said some folks are “bearing false witness” about what the reform will mean.

“I know we have thousands on this call from many different denominations and faiths, but the one thing you all share is a moral conviction, you know that this debate over health care goes to the heart of who we are as a people,” the president said. “I believe no one in America should be denied basic health care because he or she lacks health insurance. And no one in American should be pushed to the edge of ruin because an insurance company denies them coverage or drops their coverage.”

The Rev. Adam Hamilton said the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kan., will hold a health-care forum on Aug. 25. (UMNS photo by Kathy Gilbert)
The United Methodist Church states in its Book of Discipline, which sets forth the laws and beliefs of the denomination, that it is a “governmental responsibility to provide all citizens with health care.”

In the conference call, Katie Paris, from Faith in Public Life, said a recent survey of 1,500 families indicated 25% of the respondents said they had to delay or avoid health care because the cost was too great.

The Rev. Cory Sparks, pastor of Faith United Methodist Church in Lafayette, La., said, “With comprehensive health-care reform we can address many of these injustices.”

Sparks pointed out several changes he considers crucial in the president’s plan to provide better care for all.

“First, insurance companies will not be able to discriminate against people for getting sick, no more denying people coverage for pre-existing conditions, jacking up rates when people become sick or forcing folks to pay way more than they can afford for the care they need,” Sparks said.

Second, health-care coverage will be available for people losing or changing jobs, and subsidies would help pay for private or public insurance, Sparks stated. Third, he said small business will get tax credits to buy health coverage and not be charged higher rates than larger companies. He said the cost of health care would be controlled by paying doctors and hospitals for improving the quality of their service under the president’s plan.

The Rev. Adam Hamilton, pastor of United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kan., told listeners about a forum on health care that will be held at his church Aug. 25. The forum is designed to help congregations understand the health-care issue from a variety of perspectives.

The Rev. Stephen Copley of Justice for Our Neighbors in the Arkansas Conference talked about being part of a faith coalition that has hosted staff members of congressional offices, sent postcards to Congress and held local prayer vigils.

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Editor’s note: Kathy Gilbert wrote this article for United Methodist News Service, Nashville.
A recording of the call is available at Faith for Health or Blog Talk Radio, which live-streamed the call.

More information about the 40 Day Campaign for Health Care Reform is available at Faith for Health, including the call co-sponsors.

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