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Religious Leaders Taking Grassroots
PATH to Influence Legislation
By George Berkheimer
July 2006
Leaders from a variety of religious backgrounds across Howard
County have organized both themselves and a small army of
volunteers with the intention of confronting what they see as the
county's most dispiriting quality of life issues.
At a work session attended by more than 400 supporters in May, the
founders of People Acting Together in Howard (PATH) challenged
elected officials and candidates for office to hear what they have
to say and work with them to help improve life for many of the
county's least fortunate citizens.
Participants in the group include leaders from the Christian,
Jewish and Muslim faiths who represent 38 religious institutions
and organizations, as well as a youth group from Oakland Mills
High School.
According to Father Gerry Bowen of the St. Augustine Church in
Elkridge, the session moderator, PATH is patterned after
Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development (BUILD) and looks to
sister organizations, such as Action in Montgomery and the
Washington (D.C.) Interfaith Network, for mentoring, guidance and
encouragement.
"It would be wrong of me not to use BUILD as an example of what
can come from working with and cooperating with and even
confronting our representatives," Bowen said, citing a list of
accomplishments attributed to the 30-year-old organization that
include winning America's first living wage, constructing and
selling more than 700 homes for working and poor people and
creating the first authority for children in America.
Setting Agendas
A contingent of political hopefuls attending the event expressed a
willingness to meet with PATH leaders both before and after the
fall election, including Sen. Ed Kasemeyer (D); Councilmen Guy
Guzzone (D-Dist. 3) and Calvin Ball (D-Dist. 2); Circuit Court
Judges Richard Bernhardt and Louis Becker; and Delegates Frank
Turner (D-13), Neil Quinter (D-13), Steven DeBoy (D-12A) and Jimmy
Malone (D-12A). A host of county council candidates, Columbia
Association members and General Assembly candidates were also in
attendance.
County executive candidates Chris Merdon (R), Ken Ulman (D) and
Steve Wallis (I), told PATH organizers they would accept an
invitation to attend the group's next scheduled event, a
county-wide action to be held on Oct. 8 at Oakland Mills High
School.
"Some of our issues will be issues that can be addressed by a
county council or county executive, but for others, we will have
to look to Annapolis for cooperation," said Bowen, who added that
the group aims to have gubernatorial candidates in attendance as
well.
"We are radically non-partisan and do not endorse a candidate for
office," announced Rev. Max Ware, pastor of the Cornerstone
Community Church of God in Ellicott City. "The only candidate we
will ever endorse will be our own agenda issues, which arise out
of our house meetings. We will then ask all candidates running for
office to endorse our agenda, rather than the other way around."
Power and Purpose
Rev. Paige Getty of the Universalist Unitarian Congregation of
Columbia explained PATH's purpose. "We seek power," she told the
crowd assembled at St. Augustine Church. "Three years ago, we
weren't so comfortable admitting that we wanted power � but we are
reminded that power is simply the ability to act. And we recognize
that Howard County needs a new kind of power, not to replace
corporate or political power, but to negotiate and work with them
to act on our values in the public square."
To date, PATH has formed so-called action teams around three areas
of most concern to members of participating institutions: youth,
transportation and housing. Guest speakers cited the need to
improve connections and schedules for senior citizens who depend
on public transportation and also illustrated the difficulties
many have in finding affordable housing in the community or
finding opportunities to engage the teens and younger adolescents
who are at risk from negative societal pressures and lack safe
recreational options.
Each of the teams will study problems associated with the issues
and the groups of citizens they adversely affect, and will make
recommendations for legislative action or policies in an effort to
influence positive change.
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