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An estimated 140,000 people of faith (including at least 1000 Disciples) gathered on a historic national conference call with President Barack Obama and the American faith community. Sponsored by Faithful Reform in Health Care, the Disciples Justice Action Network, the Disciples Center for Public Witness, and more than thirty other denominational, ecumenical, and interfaith organizations, the conference call included prayer and moments of silence, stories from people struggling with and suffering from the current health care system, suggestions from local religious leaders about ways to engage people in dialogue and action, answers to questions about health care reform from a White House domestic policy advisor, and comments by the President of the United States about the moral imperative for health insurance reform and the important role of people of faith in making it happen.

Among the speakers on the call were two prominent Disciples: Dr. Sharon E. Watkins, General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and Dr. Cynthia Hale, Senior Pastor of Ray of Hope Christian Church in Decatur, GA. Also on the call was Dr. Joel Hunter, Senior Pastor of Northland, A Church Disributed, in Northland, FL. (Joel attended seminary at a Disciples institution of higher learning, the Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, IN).

This highly successful conference call was linked with two efforts that are currently underway: the "40 Days for Health Reform" campaign to mobilize people of faith to pressure Congress to pass health insurance reform; and the "Let Our Light Shine" campaign to organize health care reform prayer vigils, worship services and other events throughout the month of August. (The health care vigil and rally at the recent General Assembly, organized by Faithful Reform in Health Care and the Disciples Justice Action Network, was the kick-off event for this campaign).

Yesterday's call lifted up the inspiring efforts of tens of thousands of people of faith across the United States to promote a civil dialogue and ensure that Congress passes legislation in 2009 that will make quality health care accessible and affordable for all Americans.

A recording of the call is available at www.blogtalkradio.com/40mins4health, which live-streamed the call.

More information about the call and about ongoing campaigns is available at www.faithfulreform.org and www.faithforhealth.org.