A Call for Marchers: An Interfaith March for Marriage Equality

~ Brooks Berndt

For too long people of faith have been associated with opposition to marriage equality. In the state of Washington, we have the opportunity to change that. We can turn the tide and show that it is now time to associate people of faith with support for marriage equality. You can help us accomplish this by participating in “The Love for All March for Marriage Equality.” To show support for a marriage equality bill that will be presented in Olympia in February of 2012, a seven day march will take place from Vancouver to Olympia. Teams of walkers of all faiths and persuasions will cover these seven days. A special call for clergy to participate on either the first or the last day of the march is being made. Rabbi Joshua Heschel once described his participation in the Selma to Montgomery, Alabama march as an act of “praying with his legs.” In this same tradition of advancing equality for all, we will be undertaking this march.

Read more about the march…Then volunteer to join us!

Sponsors: Equal Rights Washington, the Community of Welcoming Congregations, the Religious Coalition for Equality, and the Faith Action Network of Washington.

Kick Off and Grand Finale Events:

The march will take place from February 9th to the 15th. At the beginning and end of the march, we will be having special events. Clergy are especially encouraged to attend these events, but all are welcome. On February 9th, we will kick off the march with a special prayer breakfast held at Vancouver United Methodist Church at 7 am.

For the last day of the march on February 15th,  marchers and their supporters will gather at United Churches of Olympia at 4 pm to walk the final blocks to the steps of the Legislative Building for a rally and press conference. Following this event, United Churches of Olympia will host a celebration dinner for us.

Daily Plan:

Over the course of seven days, teams of walkers will walk from Vancouver to Olympia during the daylight hours of 8 am to 4:30 pm. The walkers will walk between 13 and 18 miles a day depending upon the day they are walking. Each day of the march will correspond to a pre-determined route that will have a definite beginning point and end point. Here is a rough approximation of miles that will be walked on each day of the march:

Thursday, February 9th: From Vancouver to La Center—16 miles
Friday, February 10th: From La Center to Kalama—17 miles
Saturday, February 11th: From Kalama to Longview—13 miles
Sunday, February 12th: From Longview to Vader—17 miles
Monday, February 13th: From Vader to Napavine—18 miles
Tuesday, February 14th: From Napavine to Tenino—18miles
Wednesday, February 15th: From Tenino to Olympia—17 miles

Logistics:

1)      You can walk as little or as much as you desire. Vans and RVs will accompany the marchers, so that a marcher can choose to rest in a vehicle at any point during the march. When you register, please indicate how much you intend to walk so that we will be able to plan for the appropriate number of vehicles to carry those resting.

2)      Whenever a walker is walking, that walker must wear a reflective vest. Clergy will be loaned vests to wear if they intend to walk on the first or the last day.  Non-clergy may also be loaned if vest if we have enough. Otherwise, walkers will be responsible for bringing their own.

3)      Walkers are responsible for bringing their own food to eat during the march. March organizers will provide a van with water for marchers. March organizers will also provide a van with first aid supplies and a medical professional.

4)      Registration costs $25 per person unless one is registering as a team. (To register as a team, please send a request for the team registration information and form to brooks@vanucc.org). The registration fee will go toward financing the water, the first aid van, and any other necessary expenses. Any additional money will go to the sponsoring organizations of the march.

5)      March organizers will work with the sponsoring organizations to bring publicity and media attention to the march. The stories of march participants will be highlighted in outreach to the media.

RSVP and Registration: If one wishes to march as an individual, fill out the attached registration form and submit it by January 19, 2012. If one wishes to attend either the opening prayer breakfast or the concluding rally and press conference, please RSVP by sending an email brooks@vanucc.org.

Questions:

If you have questions, please contact Rev. Brooks Berndt at brooks@vanucc.org or (510) 333-4264