This is Part 1 of our legislative update, reviewing the just completed Missouri Legislature general session. J-MO, Organizer and Lead Campaign Strategist for MCU, and Allyn Harris Dault, of the MCU Legislative Task Force, the ups and downs of this spring, including voting rights, nurseries for new mothers who are incarcerated, public school funding, sexual assault survivors rights, the Missouri Nondiscrimination Act, and controlling utility rate increases on those with limited incomes.

This is Part 1 of our legislative update, reviewing the just completed Missouri Legislature general session. J-MO, Organizer and Lead Campaign Strategist for MCU, and Allyn Harris Dault, of the MCU Legislative Task Force, the ups and downs of this spring, including removing lead from school drinking water, protecting the initiative petition process and Medicaid expansion, and the attempt to restrict the teaching of truth in school.

Did you miss the MCU gala 'Dancing In The Streets"? Listen to powerful testimonies from Bethany Johnson-Javois, President & CEO of Deaconess Foundation, Barbara Johnson, MCU board member and organizer, Rev. Dr. Wendy Bruner, MCU Board President, DeMarco Davidson, MCU Sacred Votes Lead Organizer, Sarah Rose, MCU Treasurer, and Fran Collier, MCU organizer. We also recognized the long-term work of Rev. Dietra Wise Baker, Rev. Susan Sneed, and Jai Johnson.

Your contribution supports the work of these amazing people as we increase voter turnout, break the school-to-prison pipeline, get lead out of school drinking water, track air quality, and hold those in power accountable for creating a just and equitable community where all can thrive.

Give now at https://secure.everyaction.com/ejChtOI04U-HfLpTOd4L_g2

Tenants are joining together to protest poor living conditions in their apartments. Congregations are tracking the air quality in their neighborhoods. MCU organizers Myisha Johnson and Beth Gutzler bring us up to date on all of the action from the Housing and Environmental Justice Task forces.

Join MCU for the Housing Task Force Kick Off Event, May 31st at 7:30 PM over Zoom.

Join MCU for the Clean Air Rally and March, July 23rd at the McKinley Bridge Roadside Park.

For more information contact Myisha Johnson at [email protected] or Beth Gutzler at [email protected]

You and your congregation are invited to "Dancing in the Streets" on May 19th, the 2022 MCU fundraising gala, featuring dinner, dancing, organizing, fundraising, and community building. In this episode, hear what MCU means to our organizers as we work to create a better life for all residents of the St. Louis region. You can support these powerful organizers by joining us on May 19th at the Polish Heritage Center for Dancing in the Streets. Purchase tickets at https://tinyurl.com/MCUGala.

Listen to another presentation from the 2022 Marilyn Stavenger Social Justice Symposium. Denise Lieberman, Director & General Counsel at Missouri Voter Protection Coalition describes the struggle for voting rights in the United States and in Missouri and the current threats to voting rights in bills before the state legislature.

Learn more about the Deaconess Foundation at https://www.facebook.com/ProtectMissouriVoters/

If you are ready to join us in the work for justice in the St. Louis area, contact us at 314-367-3484 or [email protected]

You can learn more and contribute to Metropolitan Congregations United on our website: mcustlouis.org. Also be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for news and events.

Listen to presentations from the 2022 Marilyn Stavenger Social Justice Symposium. Through the Psalms, Dr. Clint McCann, Evangelical Professor of Biblical Interpretation at Eden Seminary, shows how the work for justice is the desire of God. And Bethany Johnson-Javois, the President and CEO of the Deaconess Foundation, challenges participants to understand how citizens can feel that their daily lives are disconnected from voting, and a new approach is needed to increase participation.

Learn more about the Deaconess Foundation at https://deaconess.org/

Learn more about Eden Seminary at https://www.eden.edu/

If you are ready to join us in the work for justice in the St. Louis area, contact us at 314-367-3484 or [email protected]

You can learn more and contribute to Metropolitan Congregations United on our website: mcustlouis.org. Also be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for news and events.

MCU and other members of the national Gamaliel Network will be meeting in Memphis, TN, April 21-24, for a Get Out The Vote canvassing event ahead of the Tenessee primaries. MCU Executive Director, David Gerth, and MCU Sacred Votes Organizer, DeMarco Davidson tell us how the issues in Memphis are similar to issues in St. Louis. The weekend promises to build national relationships and energize local organizers for the August and November elections.

Learn more about the Gamaliel Network at https://gamaliel.org/

If you are ready to join us in the work for justice in the St. Louis area, contact us at 314-367-3484 or [email protected]

You can learn more and contribute to Metropolitan Congregations United on our website: mcustlouis.org. Also be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for news and events.

Join MCU, Peace United Church of Christ, and Eden seminary for the 2022 Marilyn Stavenger Social Justice Symposium. Register at www.eden.edu/events/marilyn-stavenger-justice-symposium

We talk with MCU Board President, Rev. Wendy Bruner about the program and Julie Burchett of Churches Together for Justice of Webster Groves about activities related to the Symposium that put the symposium's values in action.

This year's symposium is entitled, “Rooted in Justice: Claiming Our Dignity, Embracing Our Power.” Featured speakers will be Bethany Johnson-Javois, President & CEO, Deaconess Foundation, Denise Lieberman, Director & General Counsel, Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, J. Clinton McCann, Evangelical Professor of Biblical Interpretation, Eden Theological Seminary.

The Missouri legislative session is in full swing and today we talk about the attempts by the legislature to stifle the teaching of historical truth in classrooms and the attempt to change the initiative petition process. Our guests are J-MO, Organizer & Lead Campaign Strategist for MCU, and Allyn Harris Dault, a leader with the MCU Legislative Task Force.

Quick links to participate in our legislative actions:

Stop Suppression of Honest Teaching About Racism: take action to protect academic freedom and comprehensive education about racism and U.S. history: https://secure.everyaction.com/uI-KumCa5Emig4m5YiLqmw2

Protect Our Initiative Petition Process: Email your legislators now and tell them to oppose any effort to censor Missouri voters by making it harder to put issues on the ballot: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/protect-our-initiative-petition-process

If you are ready to join us in the work for justice in the St. Louis area, contact us at 314-367-3484 or [email protected]

You can learn more and contribute to Metropolitan Congregations United on our website: mcustlouis.org. Also be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for news and events.