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Guidelines
for church participation in the campaign |
Political Activity Guidelines for PC(USA)
Organizations:Permissible Activities for Churches
and Other Entities, Especially During Election Years
Click here for the same material on the PCUSA website.
[8-6-04]
In this Presidential election year, questions regarding
permissible activities from churches have been raised. As a federal tax
exempt 501(c) (3) organization, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), at all
levels (i.e., General Assembly, synod, presbytery, and particular church),
is permitted to engage in a limited, insubstantial amount of witnessing or
lobbying activities which attempt to influence legislation or issues. It is
strictly prohibited, however, from engaging in political activity which
includes, but is not limited to, participating or intervening, directly or
indirectly, in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any
candidate for elective public office. Violation of these limits may result
in the revocation of exempt status and the imposition of certain excise
taxes.
For more information concerning these issues, the
following websites provide additional information:
1. The Pew Forum's article titled
Politics and the Pulpit:
http://pewforum.org/publications/reports/IRCbrochureBIG.pdf
2. The Legal Resource Manual for Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) Middle Governing Bodies and Churches' Taxation section:
http://www.pcusa.org/legal/Taxation/index.htm
The pertinent information is contained under the heading
"Restrictions on Political Activity and Lobbying."
3. The Internal Revenue Service's June 10, 2004
letter to the national political parties:
http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=123922,00.html
4. The Internal Revenue Service's publication 1828
titled Tax Guide for Churches and Religious
Organizations:
http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1828.pdf
If your particular church or middle governing body has
specific questions regarding these issues, you may contact
April L. Davenport, Staff Attorney in the Office of Legal and Risk
Management Services of the General Assembly Council, at (888) 728-7228, ext.
5350.
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| More on non-profits and
political expression [9-13-04]
Derrick Kikuchi has posted on his website (which is well worth a visit in
itself) another resource on what a non-profit tax-exempt organization can
and can't do in articulating its voice during this very important election
year.
You can view it at
reachandteach.com. |
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If you like what
you find here,
we hope you'll help us keep Voices for Justice going ... and
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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