Faith Rising: Palm Sunday Unites Multifaith Leaders Against Injustice and Christian Nationalism

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March 29, 2026

Media Contact: Daryn Copeland | [email protected] | 720-833-1947

Denver, CO – March 29, 2026 — Over 150 people from diverse faith traditions gathered in Denver for “Faith Rising: Path to Love & Liberation,” organized by Together Colorado and the Colorado Council of Churches. The gathering united multifaith leaders and people of faith in opposition to rising authoritarianism and Christian nationalism while promoting justice, dignity, and beloved community.

The program opened with music as faith leaders in vestments assembled on the steps, creating a powerful visual of unity. Speakers highlighted the convergence of Palm Sunday, Passover, and Ramadan as a sacred moment of solidarity and steadfastness.

The program featured blessings, reflections, and calls to action from a diverse array of faith leaders, including Bishop Kristin Stoneking (Mountain Sky United Methodist Conference), Rabbi Kim Harris (Congregation B’nai Chaim), Father Eric Zegeer (Sacred Heart Parish), Rev. Dr. Topazz McBride Johnson (Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance), Lisa Pettitt, Ph.D. (Compassionate Dharma Cloud Monastery), Rev. Juan Pena (Providence Bible Church/CrossPurpose), and Bishop Meghan Johnston Aelabouni (Rocky Mountain Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America).

Meghan Carrier, Executive Director of Together Colorado and Faith in Colorado, set the tone for the afternoon:

“We not only say no—we proclaim a yes.

A yes to the beloved community.

A yes to dignity.

A yes to justice.

A yes to love and liberation.”

Rabbi Kim Harris (Congregation B’nai Chaim) speaking at Faith United

Bishop Meghan Johnston Aelabouni of the Rocky Mountain Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, called on faith communities to denounce exclusion and Christian nationalism:

“As a Christian pastor and bishop, I denounce Christian nationalism as bad theology and bad citizenship. It is bad theology because it makes an idol of the nation and distorts the way of Jesus by seeking not to serve but to be served. It is bad citizenship because it excludes American neighbors who are Jewish and Muslim, of every religious tradition, and agnostic or atheist, who are all fully and equally part of our communities and part of this nation.”

Rev. Eric Banner of First Universalist Church of Denver reminded attendees of the enduring call to love and inclusion:

“We know better, for it is a universal love, a love big enough to include us all, that calls us to our greatest aspirations, our highest hopes, our deepest humanity.”

The afternoon closed with music, reflections, and a call to action: Participants were guided to:

• Contact Colorado House Representatives to support SB26-005, demanding accountability in immigration enforcement.
• Add their names to a sign-on letter addressed to Colorado’s Congressional Delegation, urging them to oppose funding for detention centers and to demand greater safeguards and oversight of ICE and DHS operations. During the event, participants symbolically signed a large letterboard reading, “Coloradans Demand Oversight and an End to ICE Detention Funding,” representing their commitment.
• Plan to attend an upcoming Attorney General Candidate Forum hosted by Faith in Colorado to engage with candidates and raise your voice for justice and accountability this election season.

Adrian Miller, Executive Director of the Colorado Council of Churches, speaking at Faith Rising

As the program drew to a close, Adrian Miller, Executive Director of the Colorado Council of Churches, offered these words:

“We came here—people of many faiths, many traditions, many stories—because something in our spirits refuses to accept cruelty as normal. Something in us insists that every person carries dignity. Something in us knows that compassion is not weakness; it is the deepest expression of our shared humanity. And we know that when any policy strips people of their humanity, people of conscience, people of faith, must rise.”

The day ended with determination—a collective promise to turn faith into action in the weeks and months ahead. Visit the Together Colorado and Colorado Council of Churches websites for action links, sign-on opportunities, and details about upcoming events.

For media inquiries, interviews, or additional information, contact: Daryn Copeland | [email protected] | 720-833-1947

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Together Colorado is a non-partisan, multi-racial, multi-religious community organization that works to place human dignity at the center of public life in Colorado. Together Colorado leaders organize to create a society in which everyone can thrive, without exception.

The Colorado Council of Churches represents 13 Christian denominations and over 800 churches across Colorado. We build relationships between churches and denominations and collect work on social justice issues, especially homelessness/housing, child welfare, criminal justice reform, domestic violence prevention, the education of children, the environment, affordable health care, immigration reform, poverty, and racism.