Guest Column: Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon

As the leading ecumenical voice of America's Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican, historic African American and traditional peace churches, the National Council of Churches is in partnership with 35 Christian communions and 45 million faithful members in 100,000 congregations in all 50 states. An important objective of the NCC is to promote open dialogue among faith groups throughout the country regarding social justice issues. It is in response to a basic need shared by all Americans for access to affordable health care that NCC has joined with Divided We Fail. Divided We Fail principles echo the long term commitments of the National Council of Churches and more centrally the Gospel's injunction to care for the "least of these" among us.

Committed to witnessing on the moral and ethical dimensions of social-political public policy, NCC is working to encourage conversation on the local level in congregations and the community regarding health care reform. The NCC and Divided We Fail relationship is an effort to create an environment where people can begin asking the important questions regarding a complex social issue. As far as I understand, there is no one "answer" to health care reform. I do believe, however, that faith communities have long influenced social reform efforts in this country. Divided We Fail Faith Month offers members of congregations the opportunity to share their health care stories and listen to the stories of others. Change comes when people put aside their agendas and come together in open and honest dialogue.

The NCC Health Task Force has worked to identify interfaith contacts throughout the country to receive and distribute Divided We Fail educational resources designed to promote conversation. Among these resources are the scripturally based Sermon Seeds created by the NCC for clergy and worship leaders to use in sermon preparation. Through dialogue, the NCC is committed to the justice we seek for all citizens to have affordable access to health care.

The Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) clergyman and a long-time educator and ecumenical leader, is the ninth General Secretary of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA.