EpiscoPols
EpiscoPols
The Episcopal Church
Tune in to this public policy podcast to explore critical issues in federal legislation and policy, best practices for advocacy, and more, all aimed at equipping you for action through the Episcopal Public Policy Network.
Support the American Dream and Promise Act
This ⁠podcast⁠ from the church’s Office of Government Relations aims to help educate, equip, and inspire Episcopalians to weave public policy advocacy into their personal lives and church communities.  In Season 4, Episode 6, policy advisor Troy Collazo talks with host Alan Yarborough about ways to support proposed legislation that offers a pathway to citizenship for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients and “Dreamers.”    Host: Alan Yarborough, Director of Government Relations and Global Partnerships  Speaker: Troy Collazo, Policy Advisor for the Office of Government Relations    New episodes come out each Monday. Subscribe to EpiscoPols on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Listen to the podcast and find shownotes and resources here,⁠⁠⁠⁠ or watch the video on YouTube ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠.   Next Steps Take action: https://www.votervoice.net/EPISCOPAL/Campaigns/123317/Respond Register for the Episcopal Church Immigration Updates - Every Tuesday 1:00-1:30p.m. ET: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMlfu6qqjIpHdav-xm_G83OMLdkNV7YKZas#/registration  Register for the Office of Government Relations Weekly Network Call - Every Thursday 1:00-1:30p.m. ET: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwkcemtrz0jHNMX0okGlkW1lTiNDUIysNLQ#/registration  Learn more: iam.ec/OGR   Resolution Links 2024-C031: Migration with Dignity https://digitalarchives.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution.pl?resolution=2024-C031 2018-D009: Set Forth Christian Principles to Guide Responses to Human Migration https://digitalarchives.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution.pl?resolution=2018-D009 2015-D079: Urge Church-Wide Assistance to Undocumented Persons https://digitalarchives.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution.pl?resolution=2015-D079 2012-D067: Support the DREAM Act https://digitalarchives.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution.pl?resolution=2012-D067 2009-B006: Advocate for Immigration Reform https://digitalarchives.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution.pl?resolution=2009-B006 1985-D113: Request Congress to Reform Immigration Legislation https://digitalarchives.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution.pl?resolution=1985-D113
Nov 3, 2025
13 min
Protect the Arctic Refuge
This ⁠podcast⁠ from the church’s Office of Government Relations aims to help educate, equip, and inspire Episcopalians to weave public policy advocacy into their personal lives and church communities.  In Season 4, Episode 5, policy advisor Susie Faria talks with host Alan Yarborough about the ecological and cultural importance of the Arctic Refuge, how wildlife and Indigenous rights are threatened, and legislation aimed at permanently protecting the region, among other topics. Host: Alan Yarborough, Director of Government Relations and Global Partnerships  Speaker: Susie Faria, Policy Advisor for the Office of Government Relations  New episodes come out each Monday. Subscribe to EpiscoPols on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠.⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Listen to the podcast and find shownotes and resources here,⁠⁠⁠⁠ or watch the video on YouTube ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠. Coming Nov. 3: ‘Support the American Dream and Promise Act’  Partner Organization Links The Gwich’in Steering Committee: https://gwichinsteering.org/  Alaska Wilderness League: https://alaskawild.org/ National Religious Partnership for the Environment: http://www.nrpe.org/ Resolution Links 2015-C053: Support Subsistence Rights of Indigenous Cultures: https://digitalarchives.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution.pl?resolution=2015-C053  1991-D125: Oppose Oil Development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: https://digitalarchives.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution.pl?resolution=1991-D125
Oct 27, 2025
15 min
Support Global Nuclear Disarmament
This podcast from the church’s Office of Government Relations aims to help educate, equip, and inspire Episcopalians to weave public policy advocacy into their personal lives and church communities. In Season 4, Episode 4, policy advisor Susie Faria talks with host Alan Yarborough about the human and environmental impacts of nuclear exposure and testing and how the church advocates for disarmament. Host: Alan Yarborough, Director of Government Relations and Global Partnerships  Speaker: Susie Faria, Policy Advisor for the Office of Government Relations  New episodes come out each Monday. Subscribe to EpiscoPols on Apple Podcasts, Spotify.⁠ Listen to the podcast and find shownotes and resources here,⁠ or watch the video on YouTube ⁠here⁠. Coming Oct. 27: 'Protect the Arctic refuge' Next Steps Learn more: iam.ec/OGR  Take Action: https://www.votervoice.net/EPISCOPAL/Campaigns/129387/Respond  Register for the Office of Government Relations Weekly Network Call - Every Thursday 1:00-1:30p.m. ET: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwkcemtrz0jHNMX0okGlkW1lTiNDUIysNLQ#/registration  Register for the Episcopal Church Immigration Updates - Every Tuesday 1:00-1:30p.m. ET: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMlfu6qqjIpHdav-xm_G83OMLdkNV7YKZas#/registration  Partner Organization Links Back from the Brink: https://preventnuclearwar.org/  Episcopal Peace Fellowship - https://www.episcopalpeacefellowship.net/ Resolution Links 2022-C027: Endorse "Back from the Brink: A Call to Prevent Nuclear War” - https://digitalarchives.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution.pl?resolution=2022-C027 2009-D060: Dismantle US Nuclear Weapons and Explore a Nuclear Arms Moratorium - https://digitalarchives.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution.pl?resolution=2009-D060 1997-D022: Support the Goal of Total Nuclear Disarmament - https://digitalarchives.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution.pl?resolution=1997-D022
Oct 20, 2025
13 min
Say No to Expanding Immigration Detention
This podcast from the church’s Office of Government Relations aims to help educate, equip, and inspire Episcopalians to weave public policy advocacy into their personal lives and church communities. In Season 4, Episode 3, policy advisor Troy Collazo talks with host Alan Yarborough about the current state of immigration detention in the U.S. and how public support has shifted since the 2024 election, among other topics. New episodes come out each Monday. Subscribe to EpiscoPols on Apple Podcasts, Spotify. ⁠Listen to the podcast and find shownotes and resources here,⁠ or watch the video on YouTube ⁠here⁠. Coming Oct. 20: ‘Support global nuclear disarmament’ Partner Organizations and Community Engagement The episode highlights collaboration with groups like Church World Service and the National Immigration Law Center, and encourages ecumenical partnerships to support immigrants and refugees at the local level.  Resolution Links 2022-D031: Advocate to End Immigrant Detention and Surveillance: https://digitalarchives.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution.pl?resolution=2022-D031   2018-A178: Denounce Inhumane Immigration Policies and Advocate on Behalf of Migrants: https://digitalarchives.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution.pl?resolution=2018-A178  2018-D029: Condemn Prolonged Solitary Confinement as a Form of Torture: https://digitalarchives.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution.pl?resolution=2018-D029  2009-B006: Advocate for Immigration Reform: https://digitalarchives.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution.pl?resolution=2009-B006
Oct 13, 2025
12 min
Ending Gun Violence
This podcast from The Episcopal Church's Office of Government Relations aims to help educate, equip, and inspire Episcopalians to weave public policy advocacy into their personal lives and church communities. New episodes come out each Monday. Listen to the podcast and find shownotes and resources here, or watch the video on YouTube here. Relevant Links Action alert direct link: https://www.votervoice.net/EPISCOPAL/Campaigns/129092/Respond Partner Organizations Links Find Your Local Brady Chapter: https://www.bradyunited.org/take-action/join-movement/brady-chapters Find Your Local Moms Demand Action Chapter: https://momsdemandaction.org/about/chapters/ Find Your Local NAACP Chapter: https://naacp.org/take-action/become-member Rawtools: https://rawtools.org/swords-to-plowshares/ Be SMART: https://besmartforkids.org/secure-gun-storage/ Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/ Mental Health First Aid: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/population-focused-modules/adults/ Resolution Links You can find a link to our listing of resolutions dealing with gun violence here.
Oct 6, 2025
11 min
How We Can Address Homelessness
Join host Alan Yarborough, director of government relations and global partnerships for The Episcopal Church, for Season 4 discussions about recent “action alerts” from the Episcopal Public Policy Network. This episode, featuring policy advisor Lindsey Delks, looks at the rise in homelessness; how housing intersects with health care, food access, and education; what Episcopal parishes are doing to help unhoused people; how you can take action to advocate for better programs; and more. New episodes come out each Monday. Host: Alan Yarborough, Director of Government Relations and Global Partnerships Speaker: Lindsey Delks, Policy Advisor for the Office of Government Relations Relevant links Action alert direct link: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/office-government-relations/action-alerts/ Partner organizations links Habitat for Humanity: https://www.habitat.org/ National Low Income Housing Coalition https://nlihc.org/ Resolution links 2024-D057: Advocate for Housing Solutions: https://digitalarchives.episcopalarch... 2018-C041: Advocate for Policies Supporting Nutrition, Healthcare, Housing as Human Rights: https://digitalarchives.episcopalarch...
Sep 29, 2025
10 min
#TrustedInfo2024 - Getting Accurate Information About Elections
This episode of Episco-Pols features two guest speakers in conversation about the role of secretaries of state and how voters can get trusted information about the upcoming election. The Rev. Canon C.K. Robertson, canon to the presiding bishop for ministry beyond The Episcopal Church, interviews the current president of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), the Honorable Scott Schwab of Kansas. NASS is the nation's oldest, nonpartisan professional organization for public officials. Their president is elected from within the membership, and each term alternates political party affiliation. How might a secretary of state play an important role in our country’s election? Listen to the episode to find out. NASS has also continued their “Trusted Info” initiative this year with #TrustedInfo2024 to help voters connect to their local election officials and learn trusted, accurate information about our country’s elections. We hope you will make use of their resources and recommendations this election. The Office of Government Relations aims to represent the policy priorities of The Episcopal Church to the U.S. government in Washington, D.C., and to influence policy and legislation on critical issues, highlighting the voices and experiences of Episcopalians and Anglicans globally. The office facilitates the Episcopal Public Policy Network, a grassroots network of Episcopalians engaged in the ministry of public policy advocacy.  Links:  Election Engagement Resources including the Vote Faithfully toolkit and the Election Activators volunteer application National Association of Secretaries of State #TrustedInfo2024 The Office of Government Relations  Internship Program
Jun 17, 2024
18 min
Getting Ready to Vote Early!
Getting Ready to Vote Early!  Tune in to hear from Bryce Bennett, executive director of Vote Early Day, about how this organization and the civic holiday it represents can help you in your personal efforts to vote and in boosting your church’s impact on voting in your area. Vote Early Day is October 29th, a moment to celebrate opportunities to cast our votes early, taking advantage where we can of early voting that can minimize the chances of unexpected disruptions preventing us from voting on Election Day. The Episcopal Church through the Office of Government Relations is an official partner of Vote Early Day once again this year, building upon years of collaboration celebrating democracy and encouraging early voting across the United States. The Office of Government Relations represents the policy priorities of The Episcopal Church to the U.S. government in Washington, D.C., and influences policy and legislation on critical issues, highlighting the voices and experiences of Episcopalians and Anglicans globally. The office facilitates the Episcopal Public Policy Network, a grassroots network of Episcopalians engaged in the ministry of public policy advocacy.    Links:  Vote Early Day Election Engagement Resources including the Vote Faithfully toolkit and the Election Activators volunteer application The Office of Government Relations  Internship Program
May 21, 2024
13 min
Churches as Polling Sites
Episcopal churches can not only motivate people to vote through individual outreach, but they can also play integral roles in the processes that make our election happen. A parish serving as a polling site can be a critical way to help make voting more accessible. Serving as a polling site is also a helpful way to have a visible impact in our communities. While particularities will vary by state and location, the overall process can be surprisingly easy and is centered on forming important relationships around your community.  In this episode, we speak with Antoinette Cheney, parish administrator at Saint John’s Episcopal Church in Memphis, Tenn., a parish that has served as a polling site in the past and plans to again in 2024. She will explore the details of how this process impacted the parish and offer inspiration for others considering this action. The Office of Government Relations aims to represent the policy priorities of The Episcopal Church to the U.S. government in Washington, D.C., and to influence policy and legislation on critical issues, highlighting the voices and experiences of Episcopalians and Anglicans globally. The office facilitates the Episcopal Public Policy Network, a grassroots network of Episcopalians engaged in the ministry of public policy advocacy. Links:  Election Engagement Resources including the Vote Faithfully toolkit and the Election Activators volunteer application  The National Disability Rights Network can help with polling site accessibility  The Office of Government Relations  Internship Program
May 7, 2024
16 min
Election Protection in Action
Our guest speaker is Armani Eady, a national organizer from the Voting Rights Project at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, where she is a part of the non-partisan coalition, Election Protection. Ms. Eady speaks about Election Protection’s crucial role in the 2024 U.S. election. You will learn how you can collaborate to ensure confidence in the electoral process, including year-round non-partisan voter protection. The Voting Rights Project features a network of over 400 coalition members and a suite of voter protection hotlines, including 866-OUR-VOTE. From aiding voters in polling places to countering disinformation, Election Protection is dedicated to safeguarding the democratic process. Through our office, The Episcopal Church is a national partner.  The Office of Government Relations aims to represent the policy priorities of The Episcopal Church to the U.S. government in Washington, D.C., and to influence policy and legislation on critical issues, highlighting the voices and experiences of Episcopalians and Anglicans globally. The office facilitates the Episcopal Public Policy Network, a grassroots network of Episcopalians engaged in the ministry of public policy advocacy.    Links: Election Engagement Resources, including the Vote Faithfully toolkit and the Election Activators volunteer application Election Protection Common Cause  The Office of Government Relations  Internship Program
Apr 25, 2024
43 min
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