Faithful Witness Wednesday: A Call for Congressional Courage
Sojourners and the Washington Interfaith Staff Community (WISC) are co-organizing a series of faithful witness vigils at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. every Wednesday in March at 12 noon EST 10:00 a.m. MST, beginning March 5. These multi-faith vigils will call on Congress to exercise greater moral courage in upholding its Article 1 powers and preventing executive overreach.
Our nation faces an escalating threat of a constitutional crisis fueled by the Trump administration’s overreach and unconstitutional actions. A lack of leadership in Congress has allowed this crisis to grow, as it cedes its role as a co-equal branch of government. The faith community will be raising a prophetic and pastoral call to Congressional leaders to serve as a check and balance to advance the common good. These nonpartisan vigils will speak truth to power, highlighting what’s at stake and the communities already harmed. They will feature faith leaders from diverse traditions offering inspirational prayers and calls for faithful action.
Here is the confirmed speaker lineup for the March 5th Vigil:
Rev. Adam Russell Taylor, President, Sojourners
Amanda Tyler, Executive Director, Baptist Joint Committee
Darcy Hirsh, Director of Government Relations and Advocacy, National Council of Jewish Women.
Bishop Julius Trimble, General Secretary, General Board of Church and Society, United Methodist Church
Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ
Rev. Terri Hord Owens, General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the US and Canada
Register below today to join us either in-person or virtually. Together we can provide a faithful witness by speaking truth to power about this mounting crisis, what is at stake, the people and communities who are already being harmed - and what we can do to make a difference!
Time 12-1 p.m EST.
Location (in-person): Upper Senate Park just across the street from the Capitol on the Senate side (off Constitution Ave.)
Livestreaming link: https://youtube.com/live/5FFhNM7c0rI?feature=share
Link to event page on Sojo website: https://sojo.net/join/events/faithful-witness-wednesday-call-congressional-courage
Registration page link: https://act.sojo.net/page/79871/survey/1?ea.tracking.id=event
Flyer link: sojourners_faithful_witness_wednesday_march2025.pdf
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Partner Quotes for Sojourner Faithful Witness Vigil Series
Reverend Adam Russell Taylor, President of Sojourners:
"Our nation is facing the increasing threat of a Constitutional crisis, which is being precipitated by the overreach and unconstitutional policies and actions of the Trump Administration. Congress has a responsibility to truly represent the American people as a co-equal branch of our government and we are coming together to demand that Congress live up to the trust that the American people, especially those whom this Administration is already actively harming, have tasked it with."
Bishop Julius C. Trimble, General Secretary of the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church:
“As the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said many times, it takes ‘the fierce urgency of now’ to fight social injustice, and we as people of faith cannot be bystanders while our nation faces a deep social crisis at the hands of the Trump Administration. We note a serious absence of concern for the most vulnerable, and call on Congress to demonstrate greater moral courage to help prevent the abuse of executive power.”
Amanda Tyler, Executive Director of Baptist Joint Committee:
“People of all faiths and of no faith have the right and responsibility to engage in the public square. It is an exercise of religious freedom when we bring our unique religious identities alongside others in our pluralistic country, sharing what matters most to us as a faithful witness at this perilous time for democracy."
Aura Kanegis, American Friends Service Committee Director of Global Policy and Strategy:
“We are in a moment of grave moral reckoning as a nation, and our Congress stands at its very heart. Are We the People committed to laboring together to forge a more perfect union, or can our representatives’ assent to that union’s destruction be bought for the price of an uncontested primary? If we believe in the shared, collaborative future of checks and balances laid out in the Constitution, the path forward is crystal clear: regardless of party or political perspective members of congress must carry out their duty to the Constitution and to the citizens they represent, acting swiftly and decisively to stop this breathtaking breach."
Fran Eskin-Royer, Executive Director of the National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd:
“The United States of America has been a successful, if imperfect, experiment in democracy for nearly 250 years. In this new climate, the faith community is coming together for Faithful Witness Wednesdays to raise our voices and ensure that our nation stands freely for another 250 years. We embrace our moral voice and call for greater leadership from Congress to prevent overreach by the executive branch and to guarantee that funding continues for programs protecting individuals in need.”
Darcy Hirsh, Director of Government Relations and Advocacy at the National Council of Jewish Women:
“As people of diverse faiths and backgrounds, we are called to ensure that our democracy is strong and stable. National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is proud to join Faithful Witness Wednesdays to heed the Torah’s call to action, 'Tzedek, tzedek, tirdof (justice, justice, you shall pursue)' and join together with our partners in our shared work of creating a democratic society that works for everyone — regardless of race, immigration status, gender, income, religion, or any other factor."
Avery Davis Lamb, Executive Director of Creation Justice Ministries:
"In this critical moment, we need Congress to demonstrate moral leadership by protecting both God's people and planet from executive overreach. Our faith calls us to speak up when policies threaten the most vulnerable among us. As Christians committed to environmental justice, we believe holding our democratic institutions accountable is essential for building a world where all creation can thrive."
Sheri A. Brady, Vice President and Chief Program Officer of the Children's Defense Fund:
“We have long believed that our nation’s faith leaders have the power to inspire and lead change. This fight is an important one. We are confident that – together – we will defend the freedoms of all America’s children and young people and help them to grow up with dignity, hope, and joy.”
Reverend Michael Neuroth, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy at the United Church of Christ:
"Now is a critical time for people of faith and conscience to speak boldly and show up at vigils such as this 'Faithful Witness Wednesday'. Our nation's reputation as a global leader and force for good in the world is at stake when we fail to extend basic compassion to the most vulnerable, whether the poor, the immigrant, or the refugee."
Susan Gunn, Director of the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns:
"Having ministered to the needs of people in some of the most vulnerable communities in the world, Maryknoll missioners deeply value the American democratic principles of participation, human rights, and the common good. We join Sojourners at the Faithful Witness Wednesdays to prayerfully and respectfully call on our elected officials to work to maintain the balance of power between government branches that is essential for protecting these crucial pillars of our democratic system.”
Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance:
“Religious communities are suffering greatly from the Trump Administration’s authoritarian overreach – and religious communities are playing a critical role in fighting back. These vigils will make absolutely clear to Congress that people of faith want them to do everything in their power to defend democracy, civil rights and religious freedom. In the face of unprecedented attacks, we cannot and will not back down.”
Jeanné Lewis, CEO of Faith in Public Life
"Our faith traditions teach us that balance and harmony are part of the design of God's creation. This wisdom is reflected in our country's government, through Congress providing intentional checks and balances to the Executive Branch. The president and his appointees are showing a blatant disdain for the rule of law, and congressional representatives are not standing in their constitutional authority to ensure his accountability, which is necessary for the protection of all of us. To each member of Congress, we exhort you to remember the truths of your faith traditions in this moment and stand courageously to protect the common good. Do not cede your power to authoritarian overreach, but stand with us in faith to uphold your responsibility of ensuring all voices are represented in our political process."