If today is an average workday, three Seventh-day Adventists will lose their jobs for no other crime than keeping the Sabbath. Passage of the Workplace Religious Freedom Act (WRFA), S-893, is the highest legislative priority our Church has faced in a generation.

This effort gained new momentum this summer in the face of strong opposition from the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU claimed that protecting religious freedom in the workplace undermines gay rights and abortion rights.

The signal for a concerted grassroots campaign to pass the bill was the word from Senator Santorum (R-PA), lead Senate sponsor of WRFA, that he would attach the measure to another bill that was expected to pass the Senate.

With prospects for a Senate vote, and with the need to counter ACLU opposition, the Adventist Church mounted a serious grassroots effort to flood the Senate with e-mails in support of WRFA. Unless the bill has passed, that effort will still be ongoing when you read this. As of press time, more than 8,000 e-mails have been sent nationwide from our automated system at www.religiousliberty.info, fewer than a thousand of which were from the Pacific Union. With nearly one million Adventists in the United States, we can do much better.

Letters were sent to every pastor across the U.S. by North American Division President Don Schneider urging every church to conduct an e-mail campaign. This e-mail system is so simple that anyone can send their e-mail to the Senate in 60 seconds. A form letter is already in the system and is changed regularly, so church members only need to know their own name and address. Anyone can do it—even children and immigrants. Every person has a right to tell Congress how they feel about legislation.

Every church has members who have faced Sabbath work problems. Every church member can take personal responsibility for insuring that their own church gets with the program and sends their e-mails. This is no time for apathy. We must all do our part to pass this bill.

The political winds are blowing in our favor this year. If we miss this opportunity, and fail to pass the bill, we may never have another chance. Our web site, www.churchstate.org, has information on what you and your church can do to effectively support this bill. There are also bulletin announcements and inserts that you can use. Public service announcements have been produced and sent to Christian radio stations across the country. Request a CD of the PSAs, and take them to your local Christian radio station, and urge them to play it.

Finally, don’t forget to pray. It is always a miracle when legislation passes Congress.

By the Way...

Adventists are being fired every day for no other crime than Sabbath-keeping. Send your e-mail today in support of the Workplace Religious Freedom Act, S-893, and urge Congress to pass this important law to protect people of faith from losing their jobs. Go to www.churchstate.org to send your e-mail today.