Written by Don Byrd
If you subscribe to the Baptist Joint Committee’s emails, you are likely already aware of the opportunity to maximize your support for their important work on #GivingTuesday, which is this week, November 27. The first $12,500 in donations, including your 12-month total if you commit to giving monthly, will be matched! The BJC’s goal this year is to raise the $30,000 necessary to fund the BJC Fellows Program.
You can use this link to donate. And use the hashtag #BJCFellows on social media to share your support and let others know about this innovative and empowering program. Here is a little bit more about the BJC Fellows Program, which will be entering its Fifth year!
Baptist Joint Committee Fellows come from diverse educational, professional and religious backgrounds, to learn in an intensive education program that equips BJC Fellows for activism. Fellows should have less than six years of experience in their current profession, and they must commit to being religious liberty advocates in the future. All BJC Fellows will have projects to complete during a seminar in Colonial Williamsburg, as well as individual projects following the seminar. There are no religious requirements necessary to be a BJC Fellow — early-career professionals from any or no religious background are welcome.
Since 2015, the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty has offered the BJC Fellows Program, offering young professionals the opportunity to deepen their historical, theological and legal understanding of religious liberty and develop skills to advocate for the cause throughout their careers.
It is an important time to support the BJC and a critical moment in our nation’s history in terms of defending the promise to protect religious liberty and the institutional separation of church and state. The work of the Baptist Joint Committee in promoting religious liberty for all has never been more essential, and their key role has never been clearer.
Among other initiatives and issues, the BJC continues to lead in protecting all congregations from politicization through the Johnson Amendment, and is a leading advocate for interfaith dialogue and engagement as a key religious liberty ingredient. A voice of reason, a balanced view, respected on all sides, an educational force in Washington, a fierce advocate for everyone’s religious freedom rights, the Baptist Joint Committee is my voice on Capitol Hill. That is why I am proud to help give them the support they need. If they are your voice too, I hope you will join me and would encourage you to give what you can this #Giving Tuesday.
In addition, if you are shopping via Amazon.com this Cyber Monday – or any time! – remember to shop through the Amazon Smile program and select the Baptist Joint Committee to receive a small portion of the money you spend.
