Members of the North American Religious Liberty Association – West (NARLA–West) met in Washington, D.C., for the annual NARLA Capitol Hill Conference April 7-10 where they lobbied members of Congress in support of the Workplace Religious Freedom Act (WRFA).

During one meeting in the Capitol building, Congressman Jerry Lewis (R-San Bernardino) mentioned that this was the first time he remembered a group of Adventists from his district visiting him in Washington to discuss religious liberty issues.

One of the highlights of the week was the Seventh-day Adventist Religious Liberty Dinner held in the U.S. Senate Caucus Room. Keynote speaker Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, a key supporter of WRFA, emphasized the importance of protecting religious freedom for all Americans and promoting religious liberty worldwide. She also praised the work of the Church. “There is no group that has been more focused on the issue of religious liberty than the Seventh-day Adventist Church,” she said.

“Coming to Washington was a great opportunity for NARLA–West members to put their passion into action and to see the tangible results of our efforts,” said Michael Peabody, executive director of NARLA–West. “It was wonderful to see such a strong showing from the west coast.”

The conference, which was co-sponsored by Liberty Magazine and the North American Division, included scheduled visits with members of Congress, informational seminars on domestic and international issues, and a tour of some of the historical sites of Washington, D.C.

“Even though it may seem like our voices are small as individuals, when we work together for religious liberty, we make a real difference,” said Peabody. For more information about the event, including more pictures and the text of Clinton’s speech, and information on how you can be a part of NARLA–West, visit www.churchstate.org.