Katrina Survivors in "Gut and Wait Mode"

by Carolynn Race

It has been six months since Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Gulf Coast. What is the state of the region? How have Congress and the Administration responded to the devastation, the cleanup, rebuilding, and recovery? What needs to be done? How can we, through our Lenten journeys of preparation, reflection, humility, and discovery, live out our lives and our response to Katrina following Christ's example — serving others and sharing our love with those who are in need?

The State of the Region

In their "Katrina Index," Bruce Katz, Matt Fellowes, and Mia Mabanta noted, "New Orleans remains primarily in a gut and wait mode. Homeowners have gutted their houses, but are waiting to invest in their homes until they receive greater signs of certainty. Families are awaiting confirmation of levee strengths, guidance from the forthcoming FEMA revised flood plain zones for the state, results from a city-wide neighborhood planning process to determine which neighborhoods will be rebuilt, and details about additional housing aid, especially from new federal Community Development Block Grant funds."

Eighty Presbyterian churches in the region sustained major damage or total destruction. Many congregations in the affected areas have not held worship services either because of damaged facilities or the relocation of congregation members. This has led to a financial strain on pastors. Gary Torrens, Coordinator for Middle Governing Bodies, who, with Helen Locklear, Deputy Executive Director of the General Assembly Council, is leading a GA Interagency Task Force to coordinate the support efforts of the six General Assembly agencies and to coordinate and increase support for rebuilding of churches, shared one word about the situation: "overwhelming."

There are signs of progress. Stories of hope from the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance are available. In February, more than 400 members of the ACORN Katrina Survivors Association came to D.C. to tell their stories and to push for funding to rebuild. In rallies, many survivors shouted "We refuse to be forgotten!" Enrollment for area universities is higher than expected, and the population of New Orleans has increased, though still 300,000 below pre-Katrina levels. But there is much left to be done.

A White House report on the response stated that the disaster resulted in "the largest national housing crisis since the Dust Bowl of the 1930s." An estimated 300,000 homes were destroyed or made uninhabitable. Both homeowners and renters face difficulty. In February, FEMA extended to March 15 the hotel/motel subsidy program providing shelter for evacuees in Mississippi and Louisiana. The FEMA deadline for evacuees in other states expired on March 1.

According to the Katrina Index, FEMA has allocated more than $5.3 billion for trailers and mobile homes that currently house just 83,000 of the nearly 800,000 households still displaced. As of March 1, there were 1,276 evacuated households living in cruise ships, 10,266 living in hotels, 83,500 in trailer or mobile homes, and 700,000 receiving rental assistance.

How to rebuild the health care infrastructure is a major issue. As of February 14th, 36 percent of Orleans Parish hospitals had reopened; waits for emergency room visits had exceeded six hours. On PBS's NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Susan Dentzer reported, "This could be a MASH unit from a remote battlefield. But in reality this is urgent health care as it looks now .... Operating in tents in the Convention Center, doctors and nurses from the city's shuttered Charity Hospital care for patients ...." Health care workers are sparse. According to the Orleans Parish Medical Society, there are 1,200 physicians in the New Orleans area, down from 4,500 before Katrina.

With people in the Gulf region dispersed across the U.S., how will they rebuild their communities? How will they be represented on local planning committees? How will they vote in local elections? Who will be making decisions for the future of the region? A key date is April 22, the upcoming elections in Orleans Parish (with a mayoral primary).

As was noted by the NCC Eco-Justice Working Group, "The desire to restore must be guided by principles that will ensure that a just society will emerge from the receding waters. The Gospel compels the church to advocate on behalf of the voiceless, to be a champion for the rights of the powerless and an ardent guardian of God's creation. The foundations of renewed communities must be sound ecology, social equity, racial justice, and pervasive compassion towards the least, the voiceless, and the marginalized."

Congressional Responses

Congress has appropriated more than $100 billion in aid following Katrina, reported in Congressional Quarterly. Around $60 billion of that aid went to the FEMA disaster relief fund. In February, President Bush proposed an additional $19.8 billion in supplemental appropriations, including $9.4 billion for the FEMA disaster relief fund, $4.2 billion in Community Development Block Grants for housing redevelopment in Louisiana, $1.5 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers, and $1.3 billion for the Small Business Administration. Congress has yet to act on this request.

How can we respond to help in the just rebuilding of the Gulf Coast? First, we can pray. The Gameliel Foundation has called for a Season of Prayer and Action for Justice After Katrina.

Second, we can learn more about issues impacting the Gulf Coast and partner with others there. Go to:

• Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
• Synod of the Sun
• Presbytery of South Louisiana
• Presbytery of Mississippi
• NCC Special Commission for the Just Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast

Third, we can advocate to elected officials for funding and support for the just rebuilding of communities.

A Season of Prayer, Reflection, and Action for Justice After Katrina

(Shared among the 1600 congregations of the Gamaliel Network.)

A Litany for a Six Month Remembrance of Katrina

God of mercy, hear our prayers for all those still burdened by unimaginable losses from Hurricane Katrina and its chaotic aftermath.

Hear us, O God.

God of grace, forgive us for insulating our lives from the ongoing suffering of others and for embracing normalcy instead of compassion.

Forgive us, O God.

God of love, teach us to share abundantly as individuals and as a nation from the abundance we have received from your hand.

Teach us, O God.

God of power, move us and our nation past mere sentimentality and casual promises to the collective resolve and bold action that can restore devastated communities.

Move us, O God.

God of justice, free us from weak resignation to the status quo and lead our government to a just rebuilding of New Orleans and other afflicted communities.

Free us, O God.

Grant that our actions may conform with your will.

Amen.

Permission is granted to use or adapt this in ways appropriate for your community.

Election Year Do's and Dont's

by Elenora Giddings Ivory

Sunday, November 5 has been designated Christian & Citizen day in our 2006 Presbyterian planning calendar. During the upcoming midterm campaigns, those who use the lectionary may be preaching from the Gospel of Mark 10-12. In particular, Mark 10: 17-28 speaks about the questions and responsibilities of the Rich Man. Some, in their preaching, may also lift up the fact that this passage is very similar to Luke 18: 18-30, "The Rich Ruler." What is the Rich Ruler to do? What are our responsibilities as we speak to the potential ruler, rich or otherwise?

The Internal Revenue Service has just issued guidelines for churches and other non-profit groups. Also, there are 16 resources listed in the Christian & Citizen packet. Some were written by Louisville advisory staff and give us added perspective on appropriate activity. The bottom line is that we are not prohibited when it comes to speaking about issues, but only in the endorsement of particular candidates.

The "Christian & Citizen Election Year Resource" has a variety of materials. You will find a booklet of General Assembly policy statement summaries and an accompanying study guide. There are worship resources relevant to the role of Christian leadership in society, and sample sermons for individual/corporate reflection. Other resources help complete your own election-year ministry, including handouts on faith-based initiatives and state advocacy, flyers on select resources and Web sites, and contributions from the Hunger and Peacemaking programs.

WCC Assembly Looks to Future of Spirituality, Justice and Witness

Approving a substantial change in priorities and culture, the World Council of Churches (WCC) 9th Assembly completed its meeting with prayer in Porto Alegre Thursday, and agreed to give priority to spirituality, ecumenical formation, global justice and prophetic witness.

The Assembly set a new agenda for the WCC in the coming period in its church and ecumenical relationships, agreed on several major programmatic initiatives for the fellowship, and elected a new top governing body to lead the organization into its new mandate.

"This Assembly has affirmed the vitality of the ecumenical movement and the commitment of the churches to the ecumenical vision and goal of unity, and to strive for a more just and peaceful world," said WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia following the closure of the event.

The 9th Assembly was the first to be held in Latin America since the Council´s creation in 1948, and the host churches from Brazil and the broader region were actively involved in the event. The rich daily prayer life of the gathering was combined with Sunday worship in local Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox congregations.

The Assembly met in Porto Alegre, Brazil, 14-23 February 2006, and gathered over 4,000 participants, including 691 delegates from the 348 member churches of the WCC, and representatives and observers from other churches, organizations and movements.

New Constitution

During the first week of the Assembly, delegates adopted a substantially revised Constitution and Rules which move the WCC to decision-making based on consensus and which amend membership criteria. The reforms stem from concerns articulated by Orthodox member churches, and aim to strengthen participation of churches from diverse cultures and traditions.

Church Unity

Addressing the core issues of Christian unity, the Assembly agreed on a new text, "Called to be the One Church," and urged that WCC and its member churches give priority to the questions of unity, catholicity, baptism and prayer.

The delegates called for renewed efforts to manifest visible church unity which would allow the ecumenical movement to offer to the world the "coherent, grace-filled spiritual message of Christianity".

The Assembly pointed to ways in which collaboration with the Roman Catholic Church, which is not a member of the WCC, and with Pentecostal churches could be reinforced in the coming period. Delegates agreed to develop ways of working with other church groupings that "improve cooperation and coherence of message" of all the ecumenical instruments.

Following an appeal from the general secretary, the Assembly supported a proposal to "explore the feasibility of a structure for WCC assemblies" that could be linked to global meetings of other church bodies in the coming years.

Youth Participation

For the first time, young adults appointed by the churches participated in all Assembly committee work, and delegates urged steps to strengthen active involvement of youth (under 30 years) in the life and work of the Council. The Assembly endorsed proposals to create a special body to represent young adults in the decision-making and leadership of the Council.

Programme Priorities

Recognising a rapidly-evolving church and social context, and faced with a decline in income, the delegates agreed to focus future WCC work on a limited number of core issues and urged the WCC to "claim a clearer and stronger public profile in its witness to the world".

"The WCC should do less, do it well, in an integrated, collaborative and interactive approach," said the Rev. Dr Walter Altmann (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil), moderator of the programme guidelines committee which formulated the proposals. Calling for a strengthened theological basis for all areas of activity, the delegates also pointed to the need for comprehensive planning and communication strategies "to build engagement and ownership by the churches".

The programme priorities centre on four areas of engagement: unity, spirituality and mission; ecumenical formation focusing on youth in particular; global justice; and bringing a credible voice and prophetic witness to the world.

The Assembly affirmed that WCC should expand its work on alternatives to economic globalization, deepening the theological and analytical grounding of this work, and sharing "practical, positive approaches from the churches".

Churches Seeking Peace

The mid-term of WCC's Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV) was celebrated at the Assembly — which received messages from three Nobel Peace Prize-winners — and the delegates recommended that the WCC move towards an international Ecumenical Peace Convocation. A candlelight vigil for peace was held in central Porto Alegre to launch the Latin American annual focus for the DOV.

Public Issues

The Assembly took action on several issues of international concern. Delegates approved statements on the protection of vulnerable populations; terrorism, counter-terrorism and human rights; nuclear disarmament; the Latin American region; water for life; and the reform of the UN. Responding to widespread inter-communal and inter-religious violence related to caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed, the Assembly voiced its concern for mutual respect, responsibility and dialogue with people of other faiths. Delegates also expressed grave concern about the situation in Northern Uganda.

New Governing Bodies

The Assembly elected a 150-person central committee, which serves as the main decision-making body of the Council between assemblies. The new committee counts 63 women and 22 young adults. The Assembly also appointed eight presidents to represent the Council in their respective regions.

The central committee elected the Rev. Dr Walter Altmann (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil) as moderator, and as vice-moderators Metropolitan Gennadios of Sassima (Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople) and the Rev. Dr Margaretha M. Hendriks-Ririmasse, Protestant Church in the Moluccas (Indonesia).

Feb. 24, 2006

IRS Releases New Guidance and Results of Political Intervention Examinations

WASHINGTON - Internal Revenue Service officials today released a report on the agency's examination of political activity by tax-exempt organizations during the 2004 election campaign. In connection with the report, the IRS is also unveiling new procedures today for the 2006 election season, which provide additional guidance to charities regarding political activities.

The IRS began this review following an increase in complaints about political activities during the 2004 election cycle. To ensure fairness and impartiality, the issues examined stretched across the political spectrum. Further, IRS career civil servants handled the cases without regard to political affiliation.

Nearly three-quarters of 82 examinations completed to date have concluded that the tax-exempt organizations, including churches, engaged in some level of prohibited activity. Most of these exams concerned one-time, isolated occurrences of prohibited political activity, which the IRS addressed through written advisories to the organizations. In three cases — involving tax-exempt organizations that were not churches — the prohibited activity was egregious enough to warrant the IRS proposing the revocation of the organizations' tax-exempt status. The recent examinations resulted from specific referrals and covered only a small segment of the tax-exempt community, which includes more than 1 million tax-exempt 501c(3) organizations in the U.S.

"The law does not allow charities to participate in political campaigns," said IRS Commissioner Mark W. Everson. "While the vast majority of charities, including churches, did not engage in politicking, our examinations substantiated a disturbing amount of political intervention in the 2004 electoral cycle. As the 2006 electoral season approaches, we are going to provide more and better guidance and move quickly to address prohibited activities."

Some of the specific instances of political intervention alleged and examined include the following:

• Charities, including churches, distributing diverse printed materials that encouraged their members to vote for a particular candidate (24 alleged; 9 determined),
• Religious leaders using the pulpit to endorse or oppose a particular candidate (19 alleged; 12 determined),
• Charities, including churches, disseminating voter guides or candidate ratings that encourage readers to vote for particular candidates (14 alleged; 4 determined),
• Charities, including churches, placing signs on their property that show they support a particular candidate (12 alleged; 9 determined),
• Charities, including churches, giving improper preferential treatment to certain candidates by permitting them to speak at functions (11 alleged; 9 determined), and
• Charities, including churches, making cash contributions to a candidate's political campaign (7 alleged; 5 determined).

The report outlines new procedures for the 2006 election period that will ensure that all referrals the IRS receives from the public, as well as activity the IRS itself uncovers, are reviewed expeditiously, and treated consistently and fairly.

These procedures reaffirm the agency's commitment that all examination and investigation decisions are made in a nonpartisan manner.

As a part of its approach to combating this activity, the IRS has also begun its educational and enforcement efforts to help ensure that charities have enough advance notice of the statutory rules against engaging in political activities. The IRS is releasing a new fact sheet that provides information to help 501c(3) organizations stay in compliance with the federal tax law.

The fact sheet provides detailed examples of the types of activities the IRS investigated during the 2004 election cycle. The examples and related commentary are intended to help tax-exempt organizations, including churches, better understand what activity constitutes prohibited political intervention.

Today's report covered the 2004 election cycle, beginning on July 30, 2004 and running through Nov. 30, 2004. In this initiative, the IRS contacted 110 tax-exempt organizations — many of them churches — and found some violation of the prohibition on political activity in 59 of the 82 cases closed-to-date. The cases covered the full spectrum of political viewpoints.

These findings, released today, form the basis of an enhanced IRS program to ensure that tax-exempt charities, including churches, know the legal prohibitions against engaging in political campaigns and the consequences of violating them. They also underlie new procedures that allow the IRS to move more swiftly to stop inappropriate political campaign intervention when it is discovered.

Oppose Punitive Measures Against Palestinian People

by Catherine Gordon

In January, with the Palestinian elections and the ascent to power of Hamas, another dramatic turn was taken in the saga of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. With the new Palestinian leadership and the shifting political landscape in Israel, this is a time of flux with many new challenges.

The result of the free and fair elections in the Occupied Territories causes serious concern, considering Hamas' use of terrorism and its policy toward Israel. All should condemn Hamas' use of violence and its refusal to recognize Israel. U.S. policies that cause further isolation and suffering for the Palestinian people will make them become just that — isolated.

Most analysts agree that after years of corruption, suffering, and lack of progress, the Palestinians voted for a party that ran on the platform of change, anti-corruption, and Palestinian opportunity. The United States must stay involved and promote policies that engage the moderate Palestinian politicians and people, support the moderation of Hamas actions and policies, and lead the two parties to the negotiating table.

On February 28, Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders, representing heads of 25 national organizations including the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), met with Karen Hughes, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, to continue urging President Bush to make Israeli-Palestinian peace an urgent priority. In a letter to the President, the leaders said, "[I]n light of Hamas' victory in the recent Palestinian democratic elections and the incapacitating illness of Ariel Sharon, it is more important than ever that Israelis and Palestinians be assured that the United States, in coordination with the Quartet, will provide consistent and determined leadership for peace."

The religious leaders urged the Administration to support a careful U.S. response to Hamas' victory, and to continue humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. They told Hughes [they believe] "a decision about aid to the new Palestinian government should not be made until the government is formed and its policies become clear." While urging the U.S. "to work immediately for a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire, something that both sides could support, the leaders agree with President Bush's firm insistence that Hamas reject violence, recognize Israel, and, consistent with the documented views of Palestinian and Israeli majorities, accept the international consensus for a two-state solution to resolve the conflict.

The group included national leaders of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Greek Orthodox and Armenian Orthodox churches, six major Protestant denominations, the President of World Vision and other prominent mainline Christian evangelical leaders; Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist Jewish leaders; and heads of major American Islamic organizations, including the Islamic Society of North America. These organizations have a combined outreach to more than 100 million Americans.

Unfortunately, on February 1, HR 4681 was introduced. It is a punitive and damaging measure that would isolate all Palestinians, even the moderates, and would set up permanent restrictions and conditions. It bans direct aid to the P.A. It removes the President's waiver authority, which limits the Administration's ability to conduct foreign policy and its ability to pursue national security interests. If the President needs to stop a humanitarian disaster and failed state in the West Bank and Gaza, he should be able to do so.

HR 4681 imposes severe restrictions on aid provided by NGOs to the Palestinians. It places extreme restrictions on the P.A.-U.S. relationship and the ability of the U.S. to engage in peacemaking. The bill also bars all Palestinian officials from carrying on diplomatic relations in the U.S. or with U.S. officials. This is severely detrimental.

Urge Congress to write stronger legislation that keeps open the potential for progress and reform and allows the U.S. to remain engaged. The majority of both the Palestinian and Israeli people support - and the only solution to the decade-long conflict - is still an independent, democratic and viable Palestine existing alongside the State of Israel, with peace and security for both peoples. The U.S. must remain engaged. Achieving Arab-Israeli-Palestinian peace is essential for Israelis and Palestinians. It could reduce the threat of global terrorism, ease tensions among religious communities, encourage democracy in the region, and build world peace.