By BJC Staff Reports
Strong Baptist roots and work in public education led G.J. and Kay Tarazi to the Baptist Joint Committee. “As retired public educators, we have repeatedly heard the fallacy that ‘God has been thrown out of our schools.’ We knew better. But simply and accurately explaining the relationship between our democratic government, our diverse and multicultural population, and the role of religion in our society was often challenging,” they said.
The Tarazis began relying on the BJC to help them in their professional lives. “The BJC’s legal and biblical foundation for this necessary separation between government and religion resonates with us,” they said. “In addition, the BJC protects the intended separation found in our Constitution’s First Amendment, and their literature explains it well.”
The Tarazis’ relationship with the BJC dates back to when former executive director James Dunn served as interim pastor at Ravensworth Baptist Church in Annandale, Va. “We have also been very fortunate to have BJC staff as members of our church. In addition, a number of BJC interns have served as youth leaders at Ravensworth. We have been blessed by this wonderful relationship throughout the years,” they said.
Consistent Annual Fund donors for many years, the Tarazis recently became monthly donors. “We chose to be monthly donors to ensure that the BJC has a more steady and reliable cash flow,” they said. “We believe that monthly giving helps staff to better develop their long-range work plans. In addition, it’s simple to set up, and it makes our giving so much easier. It’s a win-win situation as far as we’re concerned.”
Make a lasting investment in religious liberty by becoming a monthly donor today. Visit BJConline.org/donate to set up your gift or contact Development Director Taryn Deaton at [email protected] or 202-544-4226 for assistance.
This is the final story in the February 2014 Report from the Capital. Click here to read the cover story.