Editor’s note: In the face of the emotional and, at times, abusive nature of the opposition to the State Street shelter and Interfaith Sanctuary, the Boise faith-based community rallied to support expanded homeless support. This was originally published on February 10, 2022.

Boise Faith Group raises their voices in support of Interfaith Sanctuary

As interfaith leaders and voices of conscience, we are deeply committed to ensuring that everyone in our community without a home will have access to safe shelter. We will always recognize and honor the dignity of all people.

As members of a community of diverse faiths, we find common ground in our unwavering support of Interfaith Sanctuary and their proposed move to the State Street location to continue and further their and our, essential work. Interfaith Sanctuary offers practical solutions that build upon the work of community partners to expand both the scope and access of services to persons who need shelter and a place to rest and recover.

We believe in the sacred worth of all people; we are all deserving of dignity. It is essential to remove barriers to shelter, keeping families together, fostering hope and providing opportunities.

Our teachings lead us to support Interfaith Sanctuary’s calling to serve the basic needs of our vulnerable neighbors in Boise and the surrounding area. We all deserve to be treated with the same compassion and grace.

We invite all people of faith and conscience to join the efforts to support Interfaith Sanctuary’s move to the proposed State Street location – and our movement to extend grace and compassion to all people regardless of faith, disability, race, color, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Let our actions be a shining example of unity in a fragmented world.

We Are Interfaith Sanctuary.

• Rev. Dr. Andrew Kukla, First Presbyterian Church
• Rabbi Dan Fink, Congregation AhavethBeth Israel
• Rev. Sara LaWall, Boise Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
• Pastor Rob Tulloch, Boise First Congregational United
• Ed Keener, Boise First Congregational United
• Rev. Jenny Willison Hirst Collister, United Methodist Church
• Debbie Mallis, Interfaith Equality Coalition
• Pastor Todd Mills, Cathedral of the Rockies
• Pastor Duane Anders, Cathedral of the Rockies
• Dr. Said Ahmed-Zaid, Islamic Center of Boise
• Pete Schroeder, Cathedral of the Rockies
• Pastor Christie Dahlin, Hyde Park Mennonite Fellowship
• Pastor Brenda Sene Hillview, United Methodist Church
• Pastor Debbie Coutts, Cathedral of the Rockies
• Pastor Stacie Ballard, Cathedral of the Rockies
• Rev. Karen Hernandez Sage, District Superintendent UMC
• Nick Armstrong and Laura Armstrong Glocal
• Bishop Elaine J W Stanovsky Greater Northwest Episcopal Area of the United Methodist Church
• Reverend Kathy Abend, retired from the United Church of Christ
• Rev. Gretchen J Bingea, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Retired
• Rev. Dr. Tom and Sharyn Christensen, King of Glory Lutheran ELCA
• The Rev. Blake Coats, Episcopal Church
• Rev. Barbara Condon, retired from Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
• Judy Cross, President of the Interfaith Alliance of Idaho
• Pastor Mia Crosthwaite, Kuna United Methodist Church
• Rev. Bruce D. Ervin, retired from Disciples of Christ
• Rev. Connie Winter-Eulberg, King of Glory Lutheran Church
• Rev. Jim Grunow, retired from Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
• Arun Gupta, Pastor Hare Krishna Temple
• Reshma Kamal, Humanitarian Director Islamic Center of Boise
• Renee McCall, M.C., Pastor Liberating Spirit Metropolitan Church (MCC)
• Marilesta Nelson, Faith in Action Chair Hillview United Methodist Church
• Rev. Pete Nelson, United Methodist Church, Retired
• Rev. Marcus Schlegel-Preheim, Shelter Coordinator Corpus Christi House
• Dharmacharya Michele Tae, Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism
• Rev. Christina Thompson, United Methodist Clergy
• Rev. Dr. Steve Tollefson, Pastor at Emeritus First United Methodist Church, Boise
• The Reverend David W. Wettstein, retired from Episcopal Church
• Pastor Ben Cremer, Amity Campus Cathedral of the Rockies

—
Joseph Bankard, Ph.D
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Chair of Philosophy Department
Northwest Nazarene University
School of Theology and Christian Ministries