Initiative Steering Team work with parishes and other faith communities as needed to develop and conduct an effective educational program for their community. Have a "safe" dialogue on the subject. See if the pastor will deliver a homily on the Church's teaching. Use bulletin Inserts. Have parishioners sign a "Declaration of Life." Provide handouts.

Once the educational program has been completed, each community establish an advocacy initiative. Collect individual letters (which could be based on a model letter developed by the Initiative Steering Team) asking that the state representatives support a moratorium on executions in the state while the death penalty in the state is studied.

Provide training to those people who will be directly involved in lobbying. Invite the state representatives to a luncheon or visit the representatives in their office. Ask for their position on the death penalty and explain why we desire a moratorium (speaking points can be developed by the Initiative Steering Team) and deliver the letters to the representatives.

Initiative Steering Team determine if all state representatives have been visited and letters delivered. Devise plan to cover representatives where gapsexist.

Also visit state representatives during Advocacy Days In Austin.

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