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MINNESOTANS UNITED FOR ALL FAMILIES ANNOUNCES 200TH COALITION PARTNER

March 7, 2012 St. Paul, MN Minnesotans United for All Families, the organization working to defeat the ban on marriage for gay and lesbian couples this November, is celebrating the addition of Edina Community Lutheran Church as its 200th coalition partner. Edina Community Lutheran Church is also the 40th faith organization to officially join the coalition opposed to this amendment. Edina Community Lutheran Church has joined in the broad effort to oppose the constitutional amendment restricting marriage because we are a congregation engaged in a public witness to the deep welcome of Jesus, said Erik Strand, pastor at Edina Community Lutheran Church. We are a congregation supporting families of every kind, and oppose the harmful effects this amendment would have upon some of our members and neighbors. Multiple communities of faith have expressed their opposition to the hurtful amendment. Last month the Minneapolis Area Synod of the ELCA voted to publicly oppose the amendment. Jewish Community Action drew nearly 800 people on March 4 to Minnetonka as part of an effort to mobilize the Jewish community to vote no in November. Catholics for Marriage Equality Minnesota are also calling on Archbishop Nienstedt and all the bishops of Minnesota to withdraw all financial support from the anti-marriage amendment, following the lead of Maine Bishop Richard Malone. The Minnesotans United for All Families coalition includes representatives from every major political party in Minnesota, and includes city governments, labor unions, a range of nonprofits, and small businesses. For a complete list of our coalition partners, please click here to visit our Coalition page on our website or see the attached PDF. Were excited to see our diverse coalition continue to grow, said Leah Solo, chair of the coalitions committee for Minnesotans United for All Families. Minnesotans from all across the state are standing up to say they believe marriage is about love and commitment and are ready to vote no this November. In addition to the organizations joining the growing coalition, Minnesotans are volunteering by the thousands to staff phone banks six days a week in locations across the state. These volunteers are having meaningful conversations with people about why marriage is important to them. Were confident we will beat this amendment in Minnesota, Solo said. The growing opposition to this hurtful amendment reinforces what Minnesotans already know to be true: marriage is about love and commitment. This amendment would harm their friends, family and neighbors for generations to come, and its simply not the Minnesotan thing to do.