Clergy for Choice Letter of Support

Clergy for Choice

We, clergy and religious leaders from across New Mexico, in accordance with our moral convictions and our personal faith, support a woman’s ability to access a full range of reproductive health services, including abortion.

Read more about faith, religion, and abortion from the faithful voice for choice in our Clergy Notes.

As leaders of various faith communities, we have lived and ministered closely with thousands of women and their families. Many of these women find themselves faced with the decision to have an abortion, and one in three will decide to end a pregnancy at some point in their lives.

These women are our neighbors, our co-workers, our friends, and our peers. As people of faith and as New Mexicans, we believe in loving our neighbors and treating one another as we would like to be treated—with dignity and respect. This means recognizing that the decision to have an abortion is deeply personal and should be left to a woman, her family, and her doctor, in consultation with her faith.

We live in an era where abortion is discussed at length both in the media and in our communities. Regardless of how we feel about abortion personally, we know that this is a complex and deeply personal decision. The decision to have an abortion is not something that should be restricted by elected officials. Every family and every pregnancy is different, and a woman should feel confident that if she decides to seek an abortion she is able to turn to a member of the clergy or a religious leader who will provide compassionate and nonjudgmental support.

We recognize there are a diversity of views in the faith community. Indeed, not everyone in our own congregations or denominations agrees on this complex issue. But as leaders, we feel called to declare our support for a woman’s ability to access abortion and other reproductive healthcare services as a basic issue of health and safety for women and their families.

Our religious principles are grounded in the love and acceptance of all people, and we believe deeply that means ending the shame and stigma associated with abortion and increasing access for all women to a full range of reproductive healthcare options.

New Mexico has a long history of valuing and protecting the dignity of all women. It is time to end all attempts to interfere in a woman’s deeply private medical decisions about abortion and leave them in the capable hands of a woman, her family, and her doctor, in consultation with her faith.

Signers

The congregations and/or organizations listed are for identification purposes only and were current at the time they signed the letter. These signatures represent the position of the individual clergy and religious leaders who have signed on in support.

Rev. Antonio (Tony) Aja, D.Min., Retired, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
The Rev. Dr. M. Lee Albertson, United Church of Christ, Retired, Albuquerque
Rabbi Neil Amswych, Temple Beth Shalom, Santa Fe
Rev. Nancy J. Anderson, Minister Emerita, Unitarian Universalist Church, Las Cruces
Pastor Tiago Arrais, Santa Fe
Rev. Dale Arnink, Minister Emeritus, Unitarian Universalist Church, Los Alamos
Rev. Talitha Arnold, Sr. Minister, The United Church of Santa Fe (United Church of Christ)
Rev. Robert Aubrey, Monte Vista Disciples of Christ, Albuquerque
Rev. Kathryn Barlow Westmoreland, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Rio Rancho
Rev. Virginia Bairby, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Taos
Rev. Dr. Holly Beaumont, Disciples of Christ, Santa Fe
Rev. Carl Boaz, Parish Associate, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Albuquerque
Rabbi Deborah Brin, Rabbi Emerita, Congregation Nahalat Shalom, Albuquerque
Rev. Dr. Kelly Jackson Brooks, Central United Methodist Church, Albuquerque
Rev. Carolyn Brown, Unitarian Universalist, Retired, Albuquerque
Rev. Joshin Brian Byrnes, Vice Abbot, Upaya Zen Center, Santa Fe
Rev. Jared Carson, Peace Lutheran Church (ELCA), Las Cruces
Rev. Vangie Chavez, Rising Sun Christian Community, Albuquerque
Rev. Dr. Don Childers, Disciples of Christ, Santa Fe
Rabbi Paul Citrin, Albuquerque
Rev. James M Collie, HR, Presbytery of Santa Fe, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Rev. Tyler Connoley, United Church of Christ, Silver City
Rev. Theodore Cooley, Disciples of Christ, Retired, Albuquerque
Rev. Patrick Crocker, Disciples of Christ, Las Cruces
The Rev. Pedro G. Cuevas, Associate Rector, St. Bede’s Episcopal Church, Santa Fe
Rev. John Cullinan, Pastor, Unitarian Church of Los Alamos
Rev. Tiffany Curtis, Pastor, First Christian Church of Santa Fe
Rev. Larry Davis, Trinity Lutheran Church (ELCA), Farmington
Rev. Patricia Davison, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A), Albuquerque
The Rev. Michael Peter Drinkwater, Episcopal Church, Alamogordo
Rev. Harry Eberts, First Presbyterian Church, Santa Fe
Cantor Barbara Finn, Albuquerque
Rabbi Arthur Flicker, Retired, Albuquerque
Minister Kimi Floyd Reisch, Unitarian Universalist of Santa Fe
Rev. Susan Gaffney, United Church of Christ, Albuquerque
Rabbi Shefa Gold, Center for Devotional, Energy and Ecstatic Practice, Jemez Springs
Rev. Andrew Groves, Center for Spiritual Living, Albuquerque
Rev. Joan Jiko Halifax, Abbot, Upaya Zen Center, Santa Fe
Rev. Trey Hammond, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Albuquerque
Rev. Madeline Hart-Andersen, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Santa Fe
Pastor Joene Herr, Christ Lutheran Church, (ELCA), Santa Fe
Rev. Angela Herrera, Senior Minister, First Unitarian Church, Albuquerque
Rev. William E. Hershey (ELCA-Ret.)
Rev. Harvey Daiho Hilbert Roshi, Abbot Emeritus of the Order of the Clear Zen Mind, retired, Las Cruces
Rev. Deborah Hill, United Church of Christ, Albuquerque
Rev. Diane Hill, Episcopal Church, Gallup, NM
Rev. Karen Hill, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.),
Rev. Dr. Nancy Hitt, Unitarian Universalist Westside Congregation, Rio Rancho
Rabbi Vicki Hollander, Albuquerque
Rev. Carolyn E. Hughes, American Baptist Churches, USA, retired, Albuquerque
Rev. Doug Inhofe, Unitarian Universalist, Taos
Rev. LaVonne Johnson, Lutheran Church (ELCA), Corona, NM
Rev. Sue Joiner, United Church of Christ, Albuquerque
The Rev. B. Gail Joralemon, United Church of Christ, Albuquerque
Rev. Xolani Kacela PhD, Minister, UU Church of Las Cruces
Rabbi Larry Karol, Union for Reform Judaism, Las Cruces
Rev. Lorelei Kay, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Gallup
Sara Koplik, Director, Hillel, University of New Mexico
Rev. Kristi Koppel, St. Paul Lutheran Church (ELCA), Albuquerque
Very Rev. Kristen Kopren, Rector Church of the Holy Cross, Edgewood, NM
Rev. Gary Kowalski, Co-Minister, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Taos
Rev. Dr. Mary J Kuhns, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A), Santa Fe
Rev. Erica Lea-Simka, Albuquerque
Sylvia Ledesma, Ceremonial Leader, Traditional Healer, Kalpulli Izkalli
Fr. James Lehman, Holy Family American National Catholic Church, Las Cruces
Rabbi Martin Levy, Congregation Beit Tikva, Santa Fe
Rev. Dean Lewis, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Retired, Medanales, NM
Rev. Sharon Littrell-Marsh, Retired, United Church of Christ, Rio Rancho
Rev’d  Canon Thomas Lowe, Episcopal Church, Alamogordo
Rev. Terry Lund, Unity, Las Cruces
Rev. Cheri Lyon, El Pueblito United Methodist Church, Taos
Rev. Gail Lindsey Marriner, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Santa Fe
Rev. Judith Maynard, Metropolitan Community Church, Albuquerque
Rev. Dr. John Paul McGarey, First Presbyterian Church, Raton
Rev. Liz McMaster, Unitarian Universalist, Retired, Albuquerque
Rev. Linda Mervine, Retired, Disciples of Christ and United Church of Christ, Las Cruces
Rev. Dr. Stephen J. Miller, Retired, Disciples of Christ Pastor, Albuquerque
Rev. Silvia Miller-Mutia, Episcopal Church, Albuquerque
Rev. Rebecca Morgan, United Church of Christ and Namaste House, Farmington
Carol Morrison, Board Chair, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Silver City
Rev. Janet Norden, United Methodist Church, Albuquerque
Fr. Mike Olsen, Retired, Episcopal Church, Taos
Rev. Richard Parker, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A)
The Rev. Scott D Penrod, Retired, New Mexico United Methodist Clergy, Albuquerque
Marlene Perrotte, Religious Sister of Mercy, Albuquerque
Rev. Amy Pospichal, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Tucumcari
Rev. Roger Scott Powers, Pastor, St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, Albuquerque
Rick Proctor, Board President and the members of the UU Fellowship of Otero County
Rev. Milton Propp, United Methodist Church, Retired, Albuquerque
Rev. Susan Joan Quass, Member at Large, Presbytery of Santa Fe, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Albuquerque
Fr. Francis Quintana, Blessed Oscar Romero Catholic Community, Albuquerque
Rev. William C. Renfro, retired, United Methodist Church, Albuquerque
Rev. Kylie Renner, One Center for Spiritual Living, Albuquerque
Rev. Maxim Rice, United Methodist Church, Retired, Albuquerque
Rev. Breonna T. Roberts, Campus Pastor, Lutheran Campus Ministry at UNM and CNM, Albuquerque
Rev. Catherine Robinson, Member at Large, Presbytery of Santa Fe, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Albuquerque
Rev. Christine Robinson, Retired, First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque
Rev. Warren Robinson, AME Church, Alamogordo
Rev. David Wilson Rogers, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Carlsbad
Rabbi Harry Rosenfeld, Congregation Albert, Albuquerque
Rev. Richard Safford, Retired, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Angel Fire
Rev. Pamela Shepherd, Taos United Community Church
Rabbi Dr. Jack Shlachter, Congregation HaMakom, Santa Fe
Rev. Willard Lee Steinsiek, United Methodist Church, Bernalillo
Rev. Virginia Stephenson, Spiritual Community of St. Mary Magdalene, Albuquerque
Rev. Richard Stoops, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Retired, Albuquerque
Rev. Dr. Leona Stucky-Abbott, D.Min., AAPC Diplomate, LPCC, Santa Fe
Rev. Carol Tuck, Retired, United Methodist Church, Las Cruces
Rev. Stephanie Urban, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Albuquerque
Rev. M. Catherine Volland, Rector, St. Bede’s Episcopal Church, Santa Fe
Pastor Steve Wiard, Retired, United Methodist Church, Taos
Rev. Robert Williams, Presbyterian (U.S.A.), Retired, Roswell
Rev. H. Blaine Wimberly, Zia United Methodist Church, Santa Fe
Todd Wynward, Mennonite Minister, Taos, NM