As hundreds of thousands of Americans in the D.C. area and nationwide navigate new realities with the federal government shutdown, faith-based leaders are using their platforms to offer encouragement, unite communities, and urge politicians to put an end to this uncertain time.
“In times like this, we are reminded that we — the faith community — must not only pray, but also act,” said the Rev. Thomas L. Bowen, Earl L. Harrison minister of social justice and congregational care at Shiloh Baptist Church in Northwest D.C. “The impact of the shutdown is felt even more deeply here in D.C., where so many families depend on federal work and services— members of our own congregation among them.”
Imam Talib Shareef of Northwest D.C.’s Masjid Muhammad, also known as “The Nation’s Mosque,” considered teachings from the Quran in encouraging next steps post the shutdown.
“Our tradition reminds us that government is a trust– an Amanah,” wrote Shareef in a statement submitted to The Informer. “When trust is broken, faith communities must remind society of its moral center.”
Bowen and Shareef are among religious leaders across the DMV and country using their faith as a guide to help uplift and unite communities despite the government shutdown, while also urging federal leaders to understand how people nationwide suffer in this moment.
“We are witnessing and experiencing the government shutdown and it’s not just about numbers in Washington,” Shareef continued. “It’s about the single mother whose paycheck is delayed. The federal worker who cannot afford groceries. The community programs that halt. The soldiers, teachers, and first responders who feel abandoned.”
Year-round, religious leaders like Bowen and Shareef, and faith-based organizations such as Catholic Charities USA, get an up-close look at the obstacles community members are facing daily.
“We are always here for members of our church as well as members of our community,” Bowen told The Informer.
Kerry Alys Robinson, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, gets a nuanced look at the challenges people face every day, and through the organization, works to support those who are unhoused, unemployed, hungry, elderly or isolated, migrants and refugees, and more by offering comfort and hope. In a statement published Oct. 1, the first day of the shutdown, she said “the reverberations” from the shutdown “will be felt far beyond the halls of Washington.”
“Government shutdowns take a particular toll on the most vulnerable among us, from hungry children and parents living paycheck to paycheck to seniors struggling to afford medications and groceries,” Robinson explained. “Vital government programs that rely on administrative processing could experience cascading delays during the shutdown, disrupting critical services such as food assistance and housing for people in need.”
With federal employees uncertain about when they will be paid, or if and when they will be returning to work, Robinson warned what could be in store for families if the shutdown continues.
“If leaders from both parties do not put an end to this unnecessary shutdown as soon as possible, even more Americans will fall into poverty, and the recovery from this setback could take months or even years,” she wrote. “In the meantime, Catholic Charities agencies around the country, inspired by the Gospel, will continue to do their best to fill in the gaps and provide life-giving, compassionate aid to those suffering most in their communities.”
‘Faith Calls Us to Stand In the Gap’
While organizations like Catholic Charities continue their mission of working to serve those in need, Shareef and Bowen are also being led by their spiritual teachings to emphasize the importance of coming together to support residents affected by the shutdown and advocate for community action.
“As people of faith, we are taught to see the human face behind policy, and to protect dignity above politics,” Shareef declared. “Civic engagement means more than voting — it means holding leaders accountable, building coalitions, feeding the hungry, checking on our neighbors, and demanding integrity in governance. It means using our voices, our presence, and our faith to call leaders back to their responsibility.”
The Masjid Muhammad imam offered a call to action.
“The shutdown is temporary, but the consequences are lasting. What will remain is the memory of how we responded,” Shareef said. “Did we retreat in frustration, or did we come together with faith, resolve, and service?”
He offered four ways for community members to step up during this trying moment for the District and the nation.
“Now is the time to: 1) Encourage dialogue over division, 2) Demand responsibility over partisanship, 3) Serve communities left in uncertainty, and 4) Show that faith is not passive, but active,” wrote the leader of Nation’s Mosque in an Oct. 3 newsletter, which also highlighted the District’s celebration of Islamic Heritage Month. “In this moment, let us lift our prayers that Allah guides our leaders to wisdom, compassion, and courage. But let us also rise from prayer with action, showing that true faith is a light for the nation in times of darkness.”
Bowen told The Informer Shiloh is working with other churches through the Downtown Cluster of Congregations to “ensure that those affected have access to food, resources, and community support.”
As federal leaders navigate a divided House, Senate and nation, the Shiloh minister applauded “efforts to protect health care and preserve the well-being of those most in need,” but underscored the importance of community members providing support where politicians and government-funded programs cannot.
“Faith calls us to stand in the gap,” he said, “to remind our neighbors that they are not forgotten, and to advocate for systems that reflect equity, justice and compassion.”
