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Faith in Action for Reproductive Choice and Justice

Download our 2008 Annual Report

From the Chair of the Board: An Exciting Year of Putting Faith into Action

Dear Friends,
RCRC’s broad scope and enormous vitality were never more apparent to me than during 2008, when I visited our programs and participated in activities in the United States and South Africa. RCRC defines what it means to put faith into action, in concrete ways that touch people’s hearts and improve their lives.

In March, I had the great opportunity to travel to Cape Town, South Africa, with Reverend Veazey and Council of Governors Chair Ann Hanson to visit RCRC’s South Africa Initiative, which has introduced the “Keeping It Real!” sexuality education curriculum to more than 29,000 young people from well over 30 denominations.

In April I joined RCRC staff and volunteers at the General Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC) in Fort Worth, where there was an attempt by the Institute on Religion and Democracy – a political lobby trying to take over mainline churches - to dissolve the historic relationship between the UMC and RCRC. We prevailed in the final vote but it’s clear that our adversaries will try this tactic again, and we will be ready to defeat it again.

In July, I attended the National Black Religious Summit on Sexuality in Washington, DC, where I heard great preaching, amazing music by talented young people, and experts from the worlds of theology, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS prevention, and much more.

August brought me to Denver, where RCRC was one of the most visible organizations at the Democratic National Convention. While I was not able to attend the Republican convention, RCRC staff members were there to attend events and meet delegates.

In November, the election of President Obama brought hope for scientifically based reproductive health policies and increased funding for programs and services. RCRC is uniquely positioned as a faith-informed organization to be an important voice as the administration makes critical decisions on women’s health care and sexuality education. Thank you for your ongoing support, which makes our work possible.

Carol Blowers
Chair of the Board


From the President and CEO: Engaged in the World

Dear Colleagues,

RCRC puts faith into action in dozens of ways every day. A young woman calls us, in desperation, and seeks counsel. A doctor is murdered and the reproductive rights community seeks solace. A clergyperson asks how he can talk about sexuality to his congregation. Another wants advice on testifying before her state legislature. Young people are buoyed by our faith-infused efforts to find funding for comprehensive sexuality education. And clergy look to us for training in counseling women and couples about an abortion decision and about other reproductive losses such as stillbirth and problems with conceiving.

RCRC is known for outstanding grassroots organizing in communities of faith. Our readiness to act for justice is a hallmark of RCRC’s witness in the world. We believe that being people of faith means being engaged in the world.

Our faith-based activism was raised to a new level in 2008 by our grassroots, public policy, multicultural and youth and young adult programs and services. This year, we established a new department – Interfaith Outreach – focused on broadening our strong networks of clergy, seminarians and activists to be even more multi-generational, multi-racial, and multi-ethnic.

In the most religiously pluralistic nation in the world, we bring together people from across the spectrum of faiths to work for social justice. RCRC is at the forefront in articulating the religious foundation for supporting faith-based sexuality education, reproductive health and reproductive rights, sexual morality, justice and healing and wholeness.

It is our privilege and responsibility to be the only interfaith organization acting solely to ensure reproductive choice and reproductive justice. On behalf of our Board of Directors and Council of Governors, I thank you for your financial and moral support of this great cause and movement for justice. It has been critical in enabling us to bring prophetic witness and pastoral concern to the struggle for women’s dignity and equality.

Reverend Dr. Carlton W. Veazey, President and CEO

An Overview of the Year: Increasing the Visibility and Scope Of Clergy and Religious Activism

Through advocacy, education, and organizing in religious and religiously affiliated organizations, congregations, seminaries and communities, our clergy and religious activists protected reproductive choice and access to a full range of reproductive health options
• We supported clergy efforts to communicate their religious, pro-choice values through a variety of means including congregational dialogues and services, interfaith panels on campuses, seminary education programs, and advocacy initiatives in their state houses and on Capitol Hill.
• We increased awareness of religious support for reproductive choice through our participation in both the Democratic and Republican national conventions.
• Our educational programs significantly increased the ability of youth and adults to understanding reproductive choice issues and advocate for reproductive justice.
• Our 12th Annual National Black Religious Summit on Sexuality continued to be an effective strategy to engage youth, adults and clergy in “breaking the silence” about sex and sexuality in African American religious communities.

Read our 2007 Annual Report.

Read our 2006 Annual Report

Read about the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice's 2005 accomplishments.