September 24 Rally by Pennsylvania Pastors Network & Coalition of African American Pastors

Contact: Colin Hanna, Pennsylvania Pastors Network, 610-793-1800, 610-291-3700 cell

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 22 /Standard Newswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Pastors Network will feature greetings from Governor Ed Rendell, Gubernatorial candidate Lynn Swann, Senator Rick Santorum and State Treasurer and candidate for U.S. Senate, Robert Casey at the “Philadelphia for Faith & Family Rally” on Sunday, September 24, at 4:00 p.m. at the Mount Airy Church of God in Christ.

Among the speakers are Reverend Herb Lusk of the Greater Exodus Baptist Church, Rev. William Owens, president of the Coalition of African American Pastors, Bishop Ernest Morris of the Mount Airy Church of God in Christ, Michael Geer, president of the Pennsylvania Family Institute, Bishop Janice Hollis of the Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Colin Hanna, president of Let Freedom Ring.

Mr. Hanna said “We are delighted that the major statewide party candidates in the upcoming election are joining us through video greetings, to send a message to pastors transcending racial barriers and stereotypes, about the responsibility that Christians have to register and vote their values.”

Rev. William Owens, President of the Coalition of African-American Pastors, stated that, “I will come to Philadelphia to safeguard and defend the heritage of the civil rights movement. I marched with Dr. King and we did not march one step to promote same-sex ‘marriage’. My calling is to bring together Christians of all races on the common ground of shared faith and values. What we share as Christians is far more important than any differences we may have in background or race. God made us all equal, and wants us all to work together in furthering His kingdom. ”

Rev. Dr. Gary Cass, Executive Director of the Center for Reclaiming America, the third co-sponsor of the rally, said “We come together united in our commitment to protect our children from those who seek to redefine marriage and deconstruct the natural family. In spite of what the Rosie O’Donnells of the world might say or do, children need both a mom and a dad. Sometimes, that’s not possible, but we should never support a public policy measure which implies that a family unit without a mother or a father is just as healthy, just as nurturing, as one with both.”

The general theme of the rally will be pastors encouraging their congregations to be active in the public policy process by informing them about those matters that are related to the Christian faith, and by encouraging them to participate in the process by voting. Within that general framework, the specific public policy matter will be the proper stance of the Church on same-sex marriage and whether Constitutional amendments, at both the State and Federal levels, should be promoted as a means of achieving public policies that are consistent with that stance.

The Pennsylvania Pastors Network is project of Let Freedom Ring, Inc., a 501(c)(4) non-profit supporting Pennsylvania pastors in educating their congregations on public policy issues facing families and individuals today. For more information, visit www.pennsylvaniapastors.com or call 610-793-1800.

The Coalition of African American Pastors was formed to strengthen social conservatism among African American churches in the U.S. It is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.

The Center for Reclaiming America is an outreach of Coral Ridge Ministries in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.