Religious Coalition for the Common Good

“We believe in the integrity of Creation and that God desires health, food, shelter and security for every person in keeping with our fundamental dignity as human beings. Our convictions of hope and justice are shaped by a God ‘who executes justice for the orphan and widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them with food and clothing’” (Deuteronomy 10:18).

That forms the core belief of the Religious Coalition for the Common Good (RCCG), a working group of Washington State’s faith community formed in late 2006.

The RCCG, formed out of a common desire to present progressive moral imperatives on a broad public policy agenda in Washington State, is composed of the Washington Association of Churches (the WAC), Associated Ministries of Tacoma and Pierce County, the Church Council of Greater Seattle, Earth Ministry, the Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy, the Intercommunity Peace and Justice Center, the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle and the Lutheran Public Policy Office of Washington State.

The RCCG brings together Washington’s ecumenical and interfaith communities to attain the goal of communicating to Washington State government that its budget is a moral document, not just a rote exercise in public policy.

Also, the RCCG has a formal agenda that reflects the imperatives of the member groups. For 2007, the RCCG agenda is centered on housing, healthcare, living wages and poverty, environmental stewardship, criminal and restorative justice and tax fairness.

In each of these areas, the RCCG has identified key legislation that it is supporting during the 2007 Washington State Legislative Session through direct lobbying and legislative awareness campaigns throughout the state in churches and interfaith media.

RCCG has delivered a letter to state representatives and senators and will soon hold meetings with the majority and minority leaders of the house and senate and with Governor Gregoire.

“We are thrilled to support the efforts of the RCCG,” said Darel Grothaus, Interim Executive director of the WAC. “The RCCG is a wonderful example of the Movement of the Faithful that is part of the WAC’s vision for progressive activism and social justice among people of faith.”