As MLP works to end discrimination against LGBT persons and their families in both church and society, we understand that LGBT families are disproportionately impacted by economic inequality. We give thanks for Rev. Brian Merritt, pastor at Palisades Presbyterian Church, a More Light church for his work with Occupy Faith DC and the People's Prayer Breakfast. We are also grateful that Church of the Pilgrims, a More Light church in Washington, DC is hosting this event.
 
The People's Prayer Breakfast will focus on the suffering created by economic inequality while "The Family" conducts its annual invitation-only, $650-a-plate National Prayer Breakfast. "The Family" is known to be anti-gay by opposing fairness and equality for LGBT persons in our country and overseas.

The People's Prayer Breakfast's motto, "Enough for Everyone!" rings true to the majority of Americans according to a new report on economic inequalities in America released by the University of California at Santa Cruz. Researchers found that Americans are more egalitarian than we typically think, and are very concerned with unequal wealth distribution. A majority of Americans claim that a more ideal wealth distribution would be one in which the top 20 percent owned between 30 and 40 percent of the privately held wealth, which is a far cry from the 85 percent that the top 20 percent actually own.

In what many have criticized as a leaderless revolution, religious leaders and communities of faith offer an established leadership structure to Occupy. The leaders and organizers of the People's Prayer Breakfast hope to expand this model outside of Washington, D.C., similar to how the National Prayer Breakfast has expanded to dozens of cities nationwide. Rev. Brian Merritt, one of the founding members of Occupy Faith DC is participating in the alternative prayer breakfast, "because prayer is a sacred act that connects us to something greater than ourselves and moves us to action in transforming the world." Rev. Merritt, a Pastor in the Palisades Community Church will join dozens of other national faith leaders in declaring that, "prayer is not about bringing people into access to powerful people and giving the wealthy assurance that they should remain untroubled by those who hunger, cry, struggle and are left out by their actions."

The full article is available at the Huffington Post.

Here is the invitation to the People's Prayer Breakfast:

Occupy Faith DC invites you to the
People’s Prayer Breakfast
Thursday February 2, 2012
7:30am to 9:30am
Church of the Pilgrims
2201 P St NW Washington, DC 20037

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Ref: http://www.mlp.org/article.php/PeoplesPrayerBreakfast