Read and Sign Our Interfaith Covenant Agreement
Covenant among Religious Communities of the Lehigh Valley
As communities of faith, we, the undersigned on behalf of our respective organizations, believe that our religions are the rich wellsprings from which we draw commitments to serve, support, and benefit one another. Our religions teach us that G_d is the creator and sustainer of the world and that responding faithfully to G_d requires us to commit to serve creation.
Responding to G_d requires us to strive together for the common good: the care of the earth for the generations to come, the pursuit of justice for all, and the protection of our rights to practice and express our faiths as best as we can. Responding to G_d requires us to take to heart a genuine concern for the well-being of each other. When our neighbors’ well being becomes our own concern, we can we truly be faithful to G_d. So, consistent with our religious teachings, we commit to stand together for those in the Lehigh Valley who are vulnerable and whose voices are not heard. We commit to teach our children compassion for those whose struggles are different from our own. We promise to become a force for good.
In order to achieve this vision, we recognize that our respective communities in the Lehigh Valley have much work to do. With sincere effort, we commit ourselves
- To deepen our understanding of each other’s religions
- To recognize that we do not agree on all things
- To model respect for each other’s religions
- To work together on issues of human equality and social justice, consistent with our religious
- To stand and work together to combat hate in all its forms wherever we find it
Together we place our trust and hope in G_d, that G_d will bless and guide our efforts and that G_d will tum our efforts into a blessing for us and our neighbors.
For more information, please contact Genie Watson at gwatson@lehighchurches.org or 610-433-6421.
Add Your Signature
Dr. Jack Felch, Executive Director, The Lehigh Conference of Churches
Rev. Dr. Larry Pickens, Ecumenical Director, The Lehigh Conference of Churches
Timothy Bingham, Interfaith in Action Committee, The Lehigh Conference of Churches, Allentown
Rev. Tom Cormier, Co-chair, Interfaith in Action Committee, The Lehigh Conference of Churches
Mohammad Khaku, Interfaith in Action Committee, The Lehigh Conference of Churches, Allentown, and Islamic Community Activist, Upper Macungie Township
Rabbi Seth Phillips, Congregation Keneseth Israel, Allentown, and Interfaith in Action Committee, The Lehigh Conference of Churches, Allentown
Rev. Thomas N. Thomas, Rev. Tom Thomas, Co-chair, Interfaith Action Committee, The Lehigh Conference of Churches, Allentown
The Rev. Canon Maria W. E. Tjeltveit, Rector, Episcopal Church of the Mediator, Allentown; Canon for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations, Diocese of Bethlehem; and Interfaith in Action Committee, The Lehigh Conference of Churches, Allentown
Samina Anthony, Al Maqasid Islamic Learning Center, Alburtis, and Interfaith in Action Committee, The Lehigh Conference of Churches, Allentown
Aqeel Syed, MALV Outreach Director, and Interfaith in Action Committee, The Lehigh Conference of Churches
The Rev. T. Scott Allen, Rector, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
Rev. Sharon Solt Harfman, United Church of Christ pastor, retired
Karen A Yonney, Heidelberg United Church of Christ
Pastor Ray Hand, Weisenberg Lutheran Church
William Falla
The Rev Dr Susan Pizor Yoder, The Barn Faith Community
The Rev Dr. Joanne Marchetto, The Barn Faith Community
Rev. Dr. Bonnie L Bates, Conference Minister, Penn Northeast Conference, United Church of Christ
Elder Jack Felch, Moderator of Lehigh Presbytery
Gwen Ellen Johnson – College Hill Presbyterian Church, Easton, PA
The Rev Barbara B Lucia retired pastor, member of Lehigh Presbytery
Janet L. Ney, Clerk of Session, First Presbyterian Church of Allentown
Sue Bennetch, First Presbyterian Church Bethlehem, PCUSA
Rev. Ruth Ann Christopher, Faith United Presbyterian Church
Jane Detra Davenport, Elder, First Presbyterian Church of Allentown
Elder Paul A. Lucia, Pennside Presbyterian Church of Lehigh Presbytery
Vincent and Evelyn Stravino, First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem PC(USA)
Rev. Dr. Steven H. Shussett, St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church – Allentown
Rev. Elizabeth Goudy, Pastor, Metropolitan Community Church of the Lehigh Valley
Rev. Timothy Beville, Senior Pastor, Restoration Temple-Allentown
Lorraine S. Horn, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Allentown
Bruce W. Marold, Trinity Episcopal Church of Bethlehem
Rev. Daniel W. Brettell, St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Fountain Hill
Bishop Peggy A. Johnson, Eastern PA Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
William A. Seaman, Member Hope UCC, Former Director Lehigh Conference of Churches
Rev. Dr. John A. Krivak, Ph.D., Ed.D., Director of Ecumenical and Interfaith Dialogue, Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown, Pennsylvania
Marcie Lightwood, Schools Program Coordinator, Institute for Jewish-Christian Understanding of Muhlenberg College
Rev. Sharon Solt Harfman, UCC retired pastor
Rev. Dr. Gregory J. Edwards, Resurrected Life Community Church
James Hoegg, Clerk of Session, The First Presbyterian Church of Hazleton, PA
Sheikh Yahya Rhodes, Al Maqasid Islamic Learning Center, Alburtis PA
Ameen Datoo, President, Al Ahad Islamic Center, Allentown PA
Rev. Evelyn Stupp, retired United Methodist Pastor
Michael J. Kaucher, Executive Director – Reading Berks Conference of Churches
Rev. Kris Snyder-Samuelson, Union United Church of Christ, Neffs
The Rev. Stephen T. Emick, Pastor for Discipleship, First Presbyterian Church – Allentown, PA
The Session of First Presbyterian Church of Allentown and its Pastors – Rev. Dr. Jack Haberer, Rev. Stephen Emick, Rev. Lindsay Harren-Lewis
Rev. Judy K. Brandon, UCC Greenawalds, Allentown
Blue Sky Chaplain Marian Johnson, Interfaith Minister
Rev. Don Garrett, The Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley
Rev. Bob Stevens, Zion’s ‘Liberty Bell’ United Church of Christ, Allentown
Laura and Henry Lawrence, Baha’i Group of Bethlehem, PA
Roseann Bowerman, Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’is of Bethlehem Township, PA
Joe Seger, Temple Beth EL
Joseph R. Chuk, Member, Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church, Whitehall
Pushpinder S. Puri, Lehigh Valley Sikh Community
Maggie Fenstermacher, representing The Barn
Sarah Nicklin, representing Lehigh Valley Friends Meeting (Quakers)
Rev. Michael P. Lonergan, Salem United Church of Christ, Pocono Pines PA
Vincent Smith
S Aqeel Syed, Outreach Director, Muslim Association of Lehigh Valley
Erik Klockemann, Al-Maqasid
Mark F. Freeh
The Session of Faith Presbyterian Church, Emmaus PA
Rev. Bill Schram, interim pastor, Faith Presbyterian Church, Emmaus, PA
Rev. Cliffert Herring, Emmanuel United Church of Christ
The Rev. Dr. John A. Krivak, Director of Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue, Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown
Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley
Temple Shirat Shalom, Allentown
Congregation Brith Shalom, Bethlehem
Temple Beth El, Allentown
Karen Berry, Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley, Bethlehem
Pastor Eugenia Watson, PTM One Church