Six dozen faith leaders send letter to Sununu on homelessness

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The following is a letter from the Granite State Organizing Project to Governor Chris Sununu

To the Honorable Governor Chris Sununu,

We, the 60 undersigned New Hampshire faith leaders, write to you about the issue of housing, which weighs heavily on our hearts at this time of freezing temperatures, long nights, spreading sickness, and widespread unemployment. Although we are followers of several faith traditions, the values we share unite us to ask you to use your power as governor to show compassion and honor the humanity of all our neighbors. Keeping our neighbors housed ought to be a top priority of your administration.

In Leviticus 25, when Moses was on Mount Sinai, God established regular Jubilee Years, a year of Sabbath for the land, when all servants are freed and debts forgiven. When buying land from a neighbor, the people of God are told not to take advantage of each other. Leviticus is also the origin of the familiar commandment, “love your neighbor as yourself.” In the Christian tradition, Jesus’s ministry emphasizes compassion and mutual support. In fact, these values are fundamental in all of our faith traditions, affirming that that no person should be evicted in such a time. We implore you to let these values guide your policymaking.

We appreciate the allocation of $20 million to the New Hampshire Housing Relief Program, yet less than half has been spent while the need for assistance remains great. People have come to us who have been unaware of the program, whose applications are still being processed months after submission, who have been denied, and who have received a grant but are still in need. In the spirit of Jubilee, we ask you to better publicize the program, add funding, remove grant limits, and loosen requirements for approval. We encourage you to add staff to the program to implement these administrative improvements, and to keep the full allocation in housing relief, rather than “waterfalling” it into any other account.

We further ask you to restore and strengthen your statewide eviction moratorium. Provide New Hampshire residents security beyond the CDC’s eviction moratorium by creating a grace period for repayment, prohibiting late fees and interest, and deferring filing of eviction proceedings.

Our various traditions guide us to make this request, that you use your authority to provide security to our neighbors and prevent any New Hampshire residents from being forced onto the streets because of the pandemic and recession. The 60 of us and the congregations we represent stand united on this issue of housing.

Sincerely,

The undersigned faith leaders of New Hampshire

 

 

 

The Rt. Rev. A. Robert Hirschfeld, Bishop

Episcopal Churches of New Hampshire

Concord, NH

 

Rev. Jason Wells

NH Council of Churches

Pembroke, NH

 

Rabbi Beth D. Davidson

Temple Adath Yeshurun

Manchester, NH

The Rev. David Grishaw-Jones

Community Church of Durham (UCC)

Durham, NH

 

Sister Mary Ellen Foley

Sisters of Mercy

Manchester, NH

“This is an urgent request.”

 

Karen Summer, Guiding Teacher

Valley Insight Meditation Society

Lebanon, NH

“This is an important issue. Thank you for giving it your attention.”

 

Rev. John M. Gregory-Davis

Meriden Congregational Church, UCC

Meriden, NH

 

Rev. Emily Burr

Starr King Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

Plymouth, NH

“Please do ALL you can to insure all NH residents have a safe, warm place to be this winter.”

 

Rev. Jonathan Hopkins

Concordia Lutheran

Concord, NH

 

 

 

Chris Potter, Faith Community Organizer & Candidate for Diaconal Ordination

Granite State Organizing Project & Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire

Concord, NH

 

The Ven. Derek Scalia, Archdeacon of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire

St. James Episcopal Church

Keene, NH

 

Rev. Rob Grabill

Church of Christ at Dartmouth College, UCC

Hanover, NH

 

Rev. Gregory Baker

Church of the Good Shepherd

Nashua, NH

 

Miclena Linares

Grace Episcopal Church

Manchester, NH

“Housing is not a right but an essential part of life.”

 

Pastor Scott Masters

Asbury United Methodist Church

Chesterfield, NH

 

Rev. Michael Leuchtenberger

Unitarian Universalist Church of Concord, NH

Concord, NH

 

David Blair

Community Church of Harrisville and Chesham

Harrisville, NH

 

Phoebe Stone

Unitarian Universalist Church of Manchester

Manchester, NH

 

The Rev. Canon Gail Avery

Episcopal Church of NH

Concord, NH

 

Rev. Shayna Appel

UU Congregation in Milford

Milford, NH

 

Virginia Kristl, Ministry & Worship Leader

Dover Friends Meeting (Quaker)

Dover, NH

 

Deacon Michelle Scott

Mason Congregational Church

Mason, NH

 

Martha A. Hunt, Delegate to General Convention

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

Hopkinton, NH

 

Rev. Patrick McLaughlin

Unitarian Universalist Church of Manchester

Manchester, NH

 

Rev. Dr. Rob Spencer

Interfaith-Interspiritual Minister

Concord, NH

 

Rev. Allen Hoyt

First Congregational Church, UCC

Milford, NH

 

The Rev Jane W Van Zandt

Grace Episcopal Church

Manchester NH

 

Rev. Dr. Guy Collins, Rector

St Thomas Episcopal Church

Hanover, NH

 

The Rev. Sarah Rockwell

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

Manchester, NH

 

 

 

 

 

The Rev. Dr. Marjorie Gerbracht-Stagnaro

Grace Episcopal Church

Manchester, NH

“Please be compassionate to our fragile neighbors while we still live in this pandemic time.”

 

The Rev. Dr. Nancy A.G. Vogele, Rector

St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church

Goffstown, NH

 

The Reverend Reed Loy

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

Hopkinton, NH

“Thank you!”

 

Rev. Lyn Marshall

Unitarian Universalist Church of Concord

Concord, NH

 

Veronica Colby

Catholic Diocese of Manchester

Lebanon, NH

 

Fr. Ray Bonin

Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration

Derry, NH

 

Rev. Joel Eaton

American Baptist Churches of Vermont and New Hampshire

Concord, NH

“Hebrews 13:2: ‘Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.’”

 

Gendo Allyn Field

Upper Valley Zen Center

White River Junction, VT

“Our center is located VT, but NH incorporated and my personal residence is  Lebanon, NH.

 

Rev. Kelly Sundberg Seaman

Emmanuel Episcopal Church

Ashland, Holderness, & Plymouth, NH

 

Rev. Maryan Davis, Deacon

Emmanuel Episcopal Church

Ashland, Holderness, & Plymouth, NH

“Please be willing to pass policy that provides and promises to value the lives of every human being in NH by granting them the certainty of housing during the present pandemic and recession.”

 

The Rev. Nancy R Meyer, Deacon

Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd

Nashua, NH

 

The Rev. Deacon TJ Ballew

St. George’s Episcopal Church

Durham, NH

 

Rev. Michelle DeCoste

South Congregational Church

Concord, NH

 

The Rev. Teresa Gocha

Church of the Messiah

North Woodstock, NH

“Please do not let our neighbors be out in the cold.”

 

Claudia Istel

United Church of Acworth

Acworth, NH

 

Richard Kleinschmidt (Presiding Clerk)

Concord Friends Meeting (Quakers)

Canterbury, NH

“This letter is endorsed by the Quaker Meeting using our process for Time-sensitive Public Statements.”

 

Doreen Schweizer, Senior Teacher

Valley Insight Meditation Society – Buddhist

Upper Valley of New Hampshire

“Thank you for helping to keeping the people of NH safe, healthy, and warm.”

 

Fr. Zachary Harmon

St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church

Hampstead, NH

The Rev. Richard E. Greenleaf, Senior Chaplain Emeritus

St. Paul’s School

Concord, NH

 

Rev. Barbara McKusick Liscord,

UU Congregation in Milford

Milford, NH

 

Barbara Carbonneau

St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church

Goffstown, NH

“As members of the human race, we need to help all people with food and adequate shelter or consider ourselves inhumane.”

 

Jessica Price

Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashua

Nashua, NH

“The people of NH need to feel safe and secure in their homes. Fear of homelessness should not be added to the concerns of people in need at this time of health crisis. Please show compassion in facilitating the distribution of much needed funds for housing.”

 

Rev. Carlos Jauhola-Straight

First Congregational Church

Pelham, NH

 

Rev. Tanya Stormo Rasmussen

Congregational Church of Hollis, U.C.C.

Hollis, NH

 

Rev. Shawn LaFrance, Deacon

Grace Episcopal Church

East Concord, NH

 

Rev. Dr. Andrew Armstrong

First Church Nashua

Nashua, NH

 

Bishop Kenta Hood

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Nashua, NH

James R. Jensen

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Merrimack, NH

 

Mary Gail Neroni

St Denis Catholic Church

Hanover, NH

“Please show compassion to those in need.”

 

The Rev. Stephen R. Silver

First Congregational Church of Lebanon

Lebanon, NH

 

Joan Goeckel

Siddha Yoga

Nashua, NH

“Much gratitude for your positive response and support of the housing relief – so very needed!”

 

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Granite State Organizing Project