Many of us are disturbed and perplexed by the current political landscape, and the tensions can leave us feeling paralyzed. But there is something we can do. We can invite charitable conversations about our highest ideals, which Jesus called the kingdom of God, the Creator’s unfolding dreams for all of creation. We hope you'll join us!
On the Vote Common Good tour, our team of authors, speakers and pastors will be visiting towns across the country, setting up a revival rally and inviting folks to join us in making the following commitments:
1. We will vote in the 2018 midterm elections – not merely for personal, group, or party interests, but for the common good. We are all part of something larger than our own lives.
2. We will vote with the poor, vulnerable, and forgotten in mind, with religious, racial, and gender minorities, with children and the elderly, with the sick and diversely-abled, upholding the God-given dignity of all people, no exceptions.
3. We will vote with peace and safety in mind, and we will oppose policies and politicians who believe that more weapons and more threats of war will bring peace.
4. We will vote with God’s creation (The Planet) in mind – the oceans, rivers, and streams; the mountains, valleys, and farmland; the atmosphere, the delicate balance of nature, and our fellow creatures.
5. We will vote against policies and politicians who promise special privileges for any religion, including our own.
6. We will vote for politicians who support laws against the corrupting influence of corporate and special interest group donations on our political system.
Hope to see you there and hope you vote for the common good on November 6, 2018!
Our speakers and musicians include:
Jacqui Lewis
The Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis is Senior Minister at Middle Collegiate Church, a 1000-member multiracial, welcoming, and inclusive congregation in New York City. She is an activist, preacher, and fierce advocate for racial equality, economic justice, and LGBTQ equality.
Genesis Be
In 2016, artist/activist Genesis Be, captivated America with a bold theatric protest against the Mississippi State Flag that went viral. Covered by publications such as VICE, Billboard and NY DailyNews, her work focuses on bringing human dignity to the forefront of a divided America.
Christy Berghoef
Christy Berghoef is the CEO of the Institute of Faith, Justice & Dialogue, and the author of Cracking the Pot: Releasing God from the Theologies that Bind Him.
Doug Pagitt
Doug Pagitt is the Executive Director and one of the founders of Vote Common Good. He is also a national Initiator with Convergence, a collective of faith-engaged organizations, individuals, institutions, and networks who seek to embody a generous and just Christian ethos leading to constructive collective action in the United States.
Samir Selmanović
Samir Selmanović Ph.D., PCC Serves as Co-Chair and Director of Strategy and Partnerships and Vote Common Good. Over the years, Samir has been an ally to individuals and organizations who want to grow simpler and practice real change in real time. He grew up in a European Muslim family, served twelve years as an ordained Evangelical pastor in the U.S., and founded an interfaith organization in NYC.
Vince Anderson
Raised in Fresno, California, Vince Anderson moved to New York City in 1994 to study at Union Theological Seminary with the intention of becoming a Methodist minister. The Reverend lasted three months in seminary, before sensing a new direction to take his music and message to where the people were—into the bars and taverns. He promptly started holding weekly “Services” in New York’s Lower East Side and in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.