Contact: Rev. David Runnion-Bareford, Association for Church Renewal, 207-505-0600, Renewall.acr@gmail.com

MEDIA ADVISORY, Dec. 2 /Christian Newswire/ -- Leaders, Clergy, and Members of the UCC, Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran, and other Mainline Churches were called today to stand for the "sanctity of human life, the dignity of marriage and the rights of conscience and religious liberty" by signing onto the Manhattan Declaration, an ecumenical call to conscience. www.manhattandeclaration.org

Association for Church Renewal President, Rev. David Runnion-Bareford, called his mainline colleagues to, "make this public commitment as followers of Jesus Christ on behalf of the historic churches which once established the spiritual foundation of our nation."

"Now is the hour to speak our conviction in defense of the least of these who are the victims when life and marriage are no longer sacred and our Christian witness is coerced into silence," Rev Runnion-Bareford said. "We recognize that brothers and sisters who serve as we do in denominations that have publicly compromised with culture, will take this public stand at personal cost. We recognize that in the name of 'affirming diversity' and 'extravagant welcome,' our denominational structures have created cultures of intolerance in which those who publicly sign this Manhattan Declaration risk our future promotion, placement, and collegial affirmation. In these times the cost of discipleship is real. Come! Let us stand together in the courage of conviction as followers of Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Lord who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life."

The Association for Church Renewal is a strategic alliance of renewal leaders representing over 30 renewal ministries in the mainline denominations of the U.S. and Canada. Rev. Runnion-Bareford is ordained in the United Church of Christ. There are now over 230,000 signatories to the Manhattan Declaration.