Resources on Faith, Worker Justice, and Labor Day

New materials for Labor Day Weekend 2008

• Prayer of Blessing the Work of Our Hands
• Labor in the Pulpits Reflection
• Litany for Workers
• Labor in the Pulpits Litany
• A reflection on the Jewish Torah Portion 2008 Re'eh
  
• Islamic Worship Aid
• Voter Guide
  
  

Faith-specific Labor Day resources:

• Catholic Worship Aids for Labor Day (8 pp)
• Lutheran Resources for Worker Justice (12 pp)
• Pan-Methodist Resources for Worker Justice (8 pp)
• Presbyterian Resources for Worker Justice (12 pp)
• Labor on the Bimah Worship Aids (Jewish, 8 pp)
• The Qur'an and Worker Justice (Muslim, 4 pp)

Materials for Labor Day Weekend 2007

• Prayers For Labor Day/ Welcoming the Immigrant and Supporting Justice for Workers
• Labor Day Weekend Responsive Reading (Spanish version)
• Labor Day Weekend Responsive Reading
• Reflection: Are You Invited to the Party?
• Reflection: Are You Invited to the Party? (Spanish)
• Reflection: The Big Table
• Dvar Torah for Ki Tavo
• Parshat Ki Tavo
• Labor in the Minbar Newsletter Vol.1 Issue 1
• Labor in the Pulpits/on the Bimah/in the Minbar Outreach Poster
  

Materials from Labor Day Weekend 2006

• Reflections on the Common Lectionary for Labor Day weekend (excerpts)
  • For Whom do the Rules Apply? by Rev. Noelle Damico, Associate for Fair Food, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
  • Listening Carefully and Hearing Deeply by Rev. Nelson Johnson, Faith Community Church, Greensboro, N.C. (Progressive National Baptist)
  • At the Door of Our Workplaces by Edie Rasell, United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries (Spanish version)
• Labor on the Bimah Responsive Reading by Rabbi Sim Glaser, Temple Israel, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Not a Shepherd, But a Pharaoh by Rabbi Robert J. Marx, Congregation Hakafa, Chicago
• Buddhist Labor Day Worship Resource
• Bulletin/newsletter inserts with specific information on the hotel, minimum wage, security guard, field worker and big box campaigns
  • Hospitality and Dignity (Hotel Campaign)
  • Maid In God's Image (Hotel Campaign)
  • Increase the Federal Minimum Wage
    • Increase the Minimum Wage, Arizona
    • Increase the Minimum Wage, Ohio
  • Providing Security for Security Officers
  • Coalition for Immokalee Workers Labor Day Litany
  • From Whom Much is Expected (Big Box Campaign)
  • When Prophets Confront Profits (Big Box Campaign)

See also two reflections on texts from previous years that have come back around in the cycle: a lectionary reflection from 2000 by Rev. Teresa Mithen in the Labor in the Pulpits Worship Aids from 2000, and the reflection on Parashat Ki Tetze from 2001/5761 in the Labor on the Bimah Worship Aids.

Labor Day worship materials from previous years (mostly reflections on religious values and worker justice that are still relevant today):

• Labor in the Pulpits Reflections 2005 (3 pp)
• Labor in the Pulpits Litany 2005 (2 pp)
• Labor in the Pulpits Prayers 2005 (1 pp)
• Employee Free Choice Act Bulletin Insert (2 pp)
• Complete Labor in the Pulpits 2005 (4 previous documents in one ZIP file)
• Labor on the Bimah: 2005 Torah Readings (1 pp)
• Labor in the Pulpits 2004 (4 pp)

• Labor in the Pulpits 2003 (Interfaith, 14 pp)
• Labor in the Pulpits 2002 (Interfaith, 10 pp)
• Faith and Work: Resources for Labor Day Services (2001, 4 pp)
• Labor in the Pulpits Worship Aids (Interfaith, 2000, 8 pp)

Organizing tools:

• Labor in the Pulpits Organizing Guide (8 pp)
• Labor in the Pulpits Speaker Training Guide (4 pp)
• Labor in the Pulpits Media Action Kit
• Labor in the Pulpits outreach flier

Labor in the Pulpits Links (including samples of media coverage):

A Service of Holy Communion for Labor Day (United Methodist Church)

Labor Day Resources from the United Church of Christ

Labor Day 2005 Reflections (United Methodist Church)

Council of Bishops Labor Day Message 2004 (United Methodist Church)

Labor Day Devotion: Faith Communities Focus on Workers International Labor Communications Assoc. - July, 2004

Putting Labor Back in the Pulpits
Salt of the Earth: Social Justice News - August, 2000

More than Pickets and Prayers: Fifteen ways to strengthen your congregation's justice ministry with workers
by Kim Bobo; Sojourners - May/June, 1999

Labor in the Pulpits/on the Bimah/in the Minbar is a joint project of Interfaith Worker Justice and
the AFL-CIO.

For more information. . .
Contact Renaye Manley at Interfaith Worker Justice, 773-728-8400 x15.

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