The Capitol District Council of the New Jersey Regional Coalition Prayer Breakfast hosts more than 100.

Congressman Rush Holt and Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman pledge follow-up meetings

NJRC Capitol District Council hosted its annual Prayer Breakfast on June 8, 2009, at Shiloh Baptist Church in Trenton. The meeting centered on NJRC’s three primary social justice issues: (1) Regional equity in housing and transportation, (2) in-state tuition for the children of immigrants, and (3) criminal justice reform, with a special focus on reentry programs and juvenile justice reform. Congressman Rush Holt and Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman addressed the group on these three issues and pledged to meet again with leaders of the New Jersey Regional Coalition this summer in advance of the “Building One America: A National Summit on Regional Opportunity” (which took place at Lincoln Park United Methodist Church in Washington D.C. on September 17 and 18, 2009.)

The picture, above, shows Rev. Charles Stephens of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Washington Crossing moderating the NJRC Prayer Breakfast. As he introduced four NJRC action issues, he was assisted by Rev. Bruce Davidson (standing, left), Imam Dr. Abdul-Malik Ali, Diane Brake of PlanSmart NJ, and Rev. Karen Hernandez-Granzen of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Trenton. In front of the picture are honored guests NJ Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman and Congressman Rush Holt.

View more photos of NJRC leaders and honored guests here.

Some 115 guests attended the early-morning event including 42 members of the clergy from Trenton, Lawrenceville, Ewing, Princeton, Hightstown, New Brunswick, and Hunterdon County. The gathering was hosted by clergy leaders Rev. Darrell Armstrong of Shiloh Baptist Church, Rev. Javier Diaz, St. Joseph Catholic Church, Rev. Vincent Gartland of the Church of St. Ann in Lawrenceville, Rev. Dean René John of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Trenton, and Rev. Charles Stephens of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Washington Crossing.

Area religious organizations represented included leaders from Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Freedom Christian Worship Center, Masjidut-Taqwa Mosque, Nassau Presbyterian Church, Temple Beth Chaim, All Saints’ Episcopal Church, The Jewish Center of Princeton, Westminister Presbyterian Church, First Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hunterdon County, Congregation Adath Israel, St. Mary Cathedral, the Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry, String of Pearls, the Unitarian Society, New Brunswick, and Presbytery of New Brunswick.