Town Hall Estates Hillsboro

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Welcome to the American Religious Town Hall Meeting, Inc.

American Religious Town Hall Meeting is a non-profit organization dedicated to:

The preservation of basic American civil and religious liberties including freedom of speech and freedom to worship God as one chooses.
Fostering a spirit of unity among all religions and encouraging interfaith understanding in an atmosphere of cooperation without compromise.
Educating the American public regarding varying viewpoints through weekly worldwide television broadcasts.

Dr. Lloyd Gillmett, Episcopalian; Dr. Mahlon Pomeroy, Baptist; Bishop A. A. Leiske, Seventh-Day Adventist; Dr. Ira B. Allen, United Methodist; and Dr. Clifford A. Nelson, Lutheran

The American Religious Town Hall Meeting, Inc., was begun more than 50 years ago specifically to foster understanding between people of all faiths. Bishop A. A. Leiske, the founder, believed that when people talk to one another, they can come to understand one another. The photo to the right shows our five founders as they meet to sign the original agreement on December 5, 1952. The first program was telecast in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 10, 1953. Bishop Leiske introduced the program and the subject, introduced the panelists, and then the debate began, followed by a summary.
The program follows that format to this day.
Pastor Stephen Gifford has served as moderator since 2004. At that time he had just retired from 40 years service as an educator, pastor, and denominational administrator. His skill in human relations and problem solving are very much appreciated as panelists can sometimes vociferously disagree with each other, although they almost always do so with a spirit of charitably.
Current panel members are:

Dr. Bert Beach, a Seventh-day Adventist minister who worked for years at the Adventist world headquarters as a specialist in religious liberty
Bishop Michael Duca, Catholic Diocese of Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana
Reverend Ray Flachmeier is a retired Lutheran minister living in Richardson, Texas. He serves in interim pastoral positions as needed
Bishop Othal Hawthorne Lakey presides over the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church for the state of Georgia
Dr. Allan Lane pastors the Fort Graham Baptist Church near Lake Whitney, Texas
Rabbi Jordan Ofseyer is rabbi of Beth Tzedec Congregation, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Reverend Tom Plumbley is senior pastor of the First Christian Church in Ft. Worth, Texas
Father Michael Olson, Rector, Holy Trinity Seminary, Irving, Texas
Reverend Canon John L. Peterson, Center for Global Justice & Reconciliation, Washington National Cathedral, Washington

In addition to the panel members, the administrator of ARTHs Arlington nursing home, Barbara Ecord, serves as program director, while Larry Thomas, a retired ARTH nursing home administrator, is announcer. The program is produced by AMS Production Group, Andy Streitfeld Chairman of the Board and Andy Sample, Production Coordinator.

BEAMING BROTHERHOOD TO THE NATIONS ON TELEVISION

The program is viewed over satellite, internet and broadcast stations all over the world. Funded by the profits from the different facilities owned by ARTH, it continues to beam brotherhood to the nations through the miracle of the air waves.

American Religious Town Hall Meeting, Inc. P.O. Box 180118 Dallas, Texas 75218