FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TO: All Kentucky Media
FROM: Nancy J. Kemper, Executive Director
Kentucky Council of Churches
Media Spokesperson, CAGE, Citizens Against Gambling Expansion
DATE: January 25, 2006
A contingent of over 35 Christian religious leaders from across
the state of Kentucky, and representing the majority of churches
and denominations in the Commonwealth, will convene in the Capitol
Rotunda at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, January 26, prior to a meeting
with Governor Ernie Fletcher at 4:00 p.m.
The religious leaders include Bishop James King, Jr., of the Kentucky
Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church; Rev. Herschael
York, past president of the Kentucky Baptist Convention; Dr. Paul
Chitwood, the current president of the Kentucky Baptist Convention;
Dr. A. Russell Awkard, Moderator of the General Association of
Baptists in Kentucky, and many others. Denominations to be represented
include: the Kentucky Assemblies of God; the Church of God (Anderson,
IN); Independent Baptists; the Church of God (Cleveland, TN);
the Church of the Nazarene; The Episcopal Church; the Presbyterian
Church, USA; the African Methodist Episcopal Church; the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America; the Roman Catholic Church; the Christian
Church (Disciples of Christ), the United Church of Christ; plus
representatives from the Kentucky Council of Churches, the Family
Foundation, the Kentucky League on Alcohol and Gambling Problems;
and the Kentucky Baptist Convention.
This will be the most diverse gathering of Christian church leaders
in recent memory. Their purpose in meeting with Governor Fletcher
is to thank him for not supporting the cause of expanded gambling
in Kentucky, and to ask him to join these church leaders in their
opposition to casinos in Kentucky anywhere. Although each individual
church leader will have different reasons for opposition to casinos,
each will be present because we are united in our convictions
that expanded gambling in the form of casinos or racinos or other
such expansions will not be good for Kentucky. They will be bad
for the people of Kentucky, bad for families and children, bad
for business, destructive of our quality of life, and will be
destructive to the cause of just and good government.
The group will gather to briefly discuss the plans for the meeting
with the Governor that will take place from 4:00 - 4:45 p.m.,
and to have a word of prayer together before meeting with the
Governor.
A list of those attending include:
| Alexander, Rev. Greg | Acting General Minister | Christian Church in Kentucky (Disciples of Christ) | |
| Awkard, Rev. Dr. A. Russell | Sr. Minister, New Zion Baptist Church, Louisville | Moderator of General Association of Baptists in Kentucky | |
| Beauman, Rev. Dr. Howard | Executive Director | The Kentucky League | |
| Berrian, Rev. Harold | East Kentucky District Superintendent | Church of the Nazarene | |
| Bridges, Rev. Richard | Pastor, Franklin Presbyterian Church | Presbytery of Western Kentucky | |
| Brown, Rev. Dr. William | Vice President & Academic Dean; Ecumenical Officer | Midway College; Episcopal Diocese of Lexington | |
| Chitwood, Dr. Paul | current president | Kentucky Baptist Convention; 1st Baptist Church, Mt. Washington | |
| Chowning, Dr. John | Chairman, Committee on Public Affairs | Ky Baptist Convention --unable to attend | |
| Cooper, Rev. Richard | Executive Presbyter | Presbytery of Western Kentucky | |
| Crawford, Linda | Associate General Presbyter | Presbytery of Transylvania | |
| Crayton, Rev. Bernard | Pastor of Little Flock Missionary Baptist Church | Louisville, Bullitt County | |
| Douglas, Rev. David | Cathedral Church of God | Church of God (Cleveland, TN) | |
| Figge, Rev. Eugene | District Superintendent | Church of the Nazarene | |
| Girdler, Rev. Joseph S. | District Superintendent | Kentucky Assemblies of God | |
| Hall, Rev. Tim | most-recent President of the Kentucky Freewill Baptists | First Freewill Baptist Church (Owensboro) | |
| Hawkins, Rev. Dr. Charles | Minister, St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Louisville | Ecumenical Officer, Episcopal Diocese of Kentucky | |
| Johnson, Dr. Kathryn | President | Kentucky Council of Churches | |
| Kemper, Rev. Dr. Nancy Jo | executive director | Kentucky Council of Churches | |
| King, Jr. Rev. James | Bishop | Ky Annual Conference, United Methodist Church | |
| Mackey, Rev. Dr. Bill | Executive Director | Kentucky Baptist Convention | |
| Martin-Thomas, Elder Linda | Presiding Elder | Kentucky Conference, AME | |
| McKee, Dr. David | Executive Presbyter | Presbytery of Transylvania | |
| Monahan, Ed | executive director | Catholic Conference of Kentucky | |
| Montgomery, Rev. Randy | State Coordinator | Church of God (Anderson, IN) | |
| Moore, Rev. K.L. | Pastor, 1st Baptist Church, Frankfort | Assoc. Moderator, General Assoc. of Baptists in KY | |
| Ostrander, Kent | executive director | The Family Foundation | |
| Pace, Rev. Tobias | AME Pastor | Bethel AME Church in Shelbyville | |
| Pearson, Pastor Steve | independent community churches | Church of the Savior | |
| Renwick, Rev. Dr. David | Moderator | Presbytery of Transylvania | |
| Rivera, Pastor Vincent | Chaplain | Bluegrass Farms Chaplaincy | |
| Russ, Rev. Tim | Senior Pastor Greater Vision Baptist Church | Independent Baptists--will not be present | |
| Scott, Rev. Derrick t | AME Pastor | Greater St. James AME Church, Louisville | |
| Stephenson, Pastor Jerry | Senior Minister and Elder | Midwest Church of Christ | |
| Tyra, Rev. A.G. | Associate Pastor Clays Mill Baptist Church | Independent Baptists | |
| York, Rev. Dr. Hershael | most recent past-president; Pastor | Ky Baptist Convention; Buck Run Baptist Church | |
| Zabilka, Dr. Ivan | retired public educator | Centenary United Methodist Church | |