COVID Vaccine: SA Faith Leaders to build Community Confidence (as of December 17, 2020)
INTRODUCTION
Archbishop Garcia-Siller, other faith leaders and local bishops (~70 clergy) are stepping forward to publicize their taking of the vaccine via local and social media when their status level enters the upcoming vaccination queue.
Human Services’ Faith Based Initiative is aiding in the coordination of this multi-faith effort coming out of the faith community at-large and specifically from @TheIntersection* weekly gathering of SA faith leaders on December 10th following a COVID briefing by Mayor Nirenberg. Metro Health and UT Health are partnered in this significant effort.
PLANNED STEPS
- Formulate a process and point of contact to collect and publicize leaders taking the vaccine.
- Compose a joint statement of intent to disseminate and present individually to leaders as well as @TheIntersection, December 17, 2020.
- Record the agreement of the statement @TheIntersection, December 17th, to be utilized as a link in the media release.
- Acquire a significant number of signatures by December 18.
- Compose media release intro and contacts to accompany the statement of intent.
- Issue statement as media release on December 21.
- Continue process in #1 above as long as is needed.
PROCESS (#1 above)
- COSA’s Faith Liaison will be the collection point of photos for posting on CompassionateSA Facebook. Ann Helmke, ann.helmke@sanantonio.gov
- When a faith leader receives their vaccination appointment, they will:
- Contact the Faith Liaison for any potential collaboration with others with similar or near in time appointments,
- Work within their own institution in possibly issuing their own media release (this is optional and of their own discernment),
- Take a photo (selfie or otherwise) receiving the vaccination,
- Email photo with name, title and date of vaccination to Faith Liaison,
- Post the photo on CompassionateSA Facebook and share,
- Individuals, institutions and organizations can link from there and share throughout their networks, newsletters, etc.
- Review and assess along the way for any potential collaboration, any larger effort media releases, op-eds that coincide, etc.
- Updates, reports, feedback, etc. will be disseminated on a regular basis with stakeholders.
JOINT STATEMENT OF INTENT (#2 above)
We, as many faith leaders from many spiritual paths, faith traditions and religions, are:
committed to compassion and community in Greater San Antonio,
determined to do our part in slowing the spread of COVID-19,
confident in those that developed the vaccines and that the vaccines are essential in that slowing process,
aware that both time and patience are of the essence in this upcoming time of vaccination,
trusting that those we serve will follow lead in similar timeliness and equal patience toward all others.
Therefore, we the undersigned, in commitment to each other and our community will:
trust civic and health leaders in discerning the priority of the vaccine dissemination,
be responsible and timely in planning our own vaccinations once our status level appears in the vaccination queue,
be patient and compassionately supportive of all others who appear in the vaccination queue prior to ourselves,
encourage each other and all others to do likewise in this dark hour of need.
In Respect for All of Creation, Our Common Humanity, and Our Children’s Futures,
our signatures bear our commitment and the light of our love for this world.
December 21, 2020
First Day of Winter and Longest Night of the Year
Rev. Andries Coetzee | Pastor, University Presbyterian Church
Rev. Ann E. Helmke | Faith Liaison, Department of Human Services, City of San Antonio
Rabbi Aryeh Scheinberg | Rabbi Emeritus, Congregation Rodfei Sholom
Dr. J. August Higgins | Church & Community Strategist, Trinity Baptist Church
Rabbi Avraham Scheinberg | Rabbi, Congregation Rodfei Sholom
Rev. Dr. Bart Roush | Pastor, Madison Square Presbyterian Church
Rabbi Ben Richards | Associate Rabbi, Congregation Agudas Achim
Rev. Beth Knowlton | Rector, St Mark’s Episcopal Church
Rev. Bethany Hull Somers| Head Pastor, Grace Lutheran Church
Bill Neely | Acting Executive Director, San Antonio Community Resource Directory (SACRD.org)
Rev. Dr. Darrell Smith | Associate Pastor, Alamo Heights United Methodist Church
Rev. Dr. Carolyn L. Stapleton | Pastor, St. John’s United Methodist Church
Rev. David Diercksen | Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Yorktown
Father David García | Retired Priest, Archdiocese of San Antonio | Former Director Old Spanish Missions
Rev. David Schulte | Senior Pastor, Zion Lutheran Church
Rev. Dhawn B. Martin, Ph.D. | Director, SoL Center | Parish Associate, University Presbyterian Church
Rev. Dr. Doug Dalglish |Pastor, Saint Andrew Presbyterian Church
Dr. D. Leslie Hollon | Senior Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church
Eric S. Cooper | President and CEO, San Antonio Food Bank
Rev. Eric Vogt | Senior Pastor, Travis Park Church
Garrett Vickrey | Senior Pastor, Woodland Baptist Church
Rev. Gavin Rogers | Associate Pastor, Travis Park Church
Gayle Johnson | Executive Director, Community of Churches for Social Action (CCSA)
Rev. Gin Courtney | Madison Square Presbyterian Church
Rev. Greg Hackett | District Superintendent | United Methodist Church
Most Reverend Gustavo Garcia-Siller | Archbishop, Archdiocese of San Antonio
Rev. Holly Y. Gotelli | Senior Pastor, Alamo Heights United Methodist Church
Sr. Jane Ann Slater | Chancellor, Archdiocese of San Antonio
Dr. Jerry Wm. Dailey | Pastor, Macedonia Baptist Church | Chairman, Community of Churches For Social Action
Jim Spickard | Clerk, Friends Meeting of San Antonio (Quakers)
Joseph Luedecke, LMSW| Professional Social Worker | Member, University Presbyterian Church | Leader, Interfaith/Community Action Network
Rev. Justin Lindstrom | Associate Rector for Community Formation, Christ Episcopal Church
Rev. Dr. Kenneth R. Kemp | Senior Pastor, Antioch Missionary Baptist Church
Lauren Deal | Interfaith Engagement Manager | San Antonio Food Bank
Linda Mockeridge | Shastri (senior teacher), Shambhala Meditation Center of San Antonio
Lisa Epstein | Director, Jewish Community Relations Council | Jewish Federation of San Antonio
Lisa J. Goldstein, RJE, MAEd | Cantorial Soloist/Educator/Administrator | Temple Chai
Sr. Martha Ann Kirk | University of the Incarnate Word
Mara S. Nathan | Senior Rabbi, Temple Beth-El
Margaret Salvatierra-Earl | Leader, Interfaith Community Action Network | Member, Abiding Presence Lutheran Church
Marina Yergin | Associate Rabbi, Temple Beth-El
Mehmet Oguz | Board Member, Raindrop Foundation San Antonio
Most Reverend Michael Boulette | Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of San Antonio
Olga Rodriguez | Regional Health Coordinator | CRW & Associates, LLC | Washington, D.C.
Rev. Patrick Gahan | Rector, Christ Episcopal Church
Paul L. Escamilla | Senior Pastor, Laurel Heights United Methodist Church
Dr. Paul Furukawa, LMSW | Professional Social Worker | Abiding Presence Lutheran Church
Rev. Dr. Paul Ziese | Retired Pastor, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America | Former President, San Antonio Community of Congregations
Rev. Dr. W. Raymond Bryant | Presiding Elder, San Antonio District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
Rebecca Baker | Member, Madison Square Presbyterian Church
Rev. Rick McClatchy | Executive Minister | Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Texas
Rev. Robert W. Mueller | Minister, Divine Redeemer Presbyterian Church
Rev. Dr. Sallie Watson | General Presbyter | Mission Presbytery, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Samuel M. Stahl | Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Beth-El
Rev. Sandra Leifeste | Pastor, House of Prayer Lutheran
Rev. Sarah E. Roemer |Transitional Pastor, MacArthur Park Lutheran Church
Rev. Scott Kitayama | Chief of Staff, Christ Episcopal Church
Rev. Scott D. Nowack | Lead Pastor, New Braunfels Presbyterian Church
Rabbi Sharon Cohen | Rabbi, Congregation Agudas Achim
Simon Salas | CEO, Good Samaritan Community Services
Rev. Sue Briner | Bishop, Southwestern Texas Synod | Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Dr. Sumeyra Tek | Board of Directors | Raindrop Foundation San Antonio
Rev. Sylvia Vasquez | Assisting Priest, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Rev. Taylor S. Boone | Retired Pastor, United Methodist Church
Rev. Thomas L. Robison | Pastor, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America | Interim Minister, Bethany Congregational United Church of Christ
Rev. Valerie Vogt | Travis Park Church
Waheeda Kara | Chair, SoL Center | Member, Ismaili Jamatkhana
Rev. Dr. William H. Knight | Senior Pastor, Metropolitan Community Church
Rev. Victor Rodriguez | Director, Hispanic Evangelism, Texas Baptist | Member, Life Church of San Antonio
Rev. Wyndee E. Holbrook | Executive Director, Interfaith San Antonio Alliance | Member, Covenant Baptist Church
