"Maryland Christians for Justice and Peace is a grass-roots organization of progressive Christian voters. We work to persuade our governmental officials in Washington and Annapolis to initiate and support legislation, budgets and policies bringing justice and peace to our state, our nation and our world" (Mission Statement). Members belong to many denominations. We conduct statewide meetings providing training for justice and peace advocacy in Annapolis and Washington, D.C. by concerned Maryland Christians (LIKE YOU!)who want to work with our elected officials and staffs for a just and peaceful state, nation, and world.

In 2006 Maryland Session we spoke up at Legislative hearings for 15 bills bringing JUSTICE and FAIRNESS to poor and disadvantaged in our state! We testified for Paper Trail Voting, Healthy Air Act, the Healthy Maryland Act, Health Care and Workers' Comp for Immigrants, Minimum Wage Increase, etc.--in individual and 5-person panel testimony in State Legislature hearings on bills.

MCJP met monthly May, 2005 to April, 2006 (we now meet about six times a year) to plan advocacy and lobbying efforts, and get educated, motivated and inspired by dynamic advocacy speakers like Tom Hucker of Progressive Maryland, Corinne Whitlatch of Churches for Middle East Peace, and the "prophetic advocacy" training team of Jim Wallis's Call to Renewal. We also participated in lobbying blitzes on Capitol Hill organized by Sojourners, and by the mainstream churches' Ecumenical Advocacy Days Conference.

***COME TO OUR "SPRING FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE" MEETING, SAT., APRIL 14, 2007, 1:30--4 pm at Christ Congregational Church, 9525 Colesville Rd., 2 bl. south of Beltway exit 30/30b in Silver Spring. RSVP/Info: PaulVerduin@starpower.net. Help plan upcoming lobbying,and plans to expand our efforts into D.C. and Northern VA by creating chapters there, and by bringing the three into ONE NON-PROFIT CORPORATION!! Thanks, & see you soon! --Paul Verduin, MCJP convener