Spokane church and AU model ongoing collaboration

A distinctive collaboration recently took shape in Spokane, Wash., bringing a local congregation and a national civil liberties organization together around a shared concern: protecting religious freedom by preserving the separation of church and state.

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane teamed up with Americans United for Separation of Church and State after a longtime church member — an AU supporter for more than two decades — encouraged collaboration. The church’s minister, the Rev. Dr. Todd Eklof, and its Social Justice Coordinating Council organized activities focused on three related themes: church-state separation; freedom of religion, including the rights of nonreligious Americans; and the growing threat of Christian Nationalism. The goal was to educate both the congregation and the wider Spokane community.

The first step was inviting an AU representative to speak during Sunday services. Initially the organizers considered having a church member summarize a September 2025 Church & State magazine article — “There can be no separation of church and state without equal rights for atheists” — by Edward Tabash, a longtime AU leader and Board of Trustees member. Instead, the church and AU went further: Tabash traveled to Spokane and spoke in person at both services, drawing on the themes of his article and engaging directly with congregants.

His visit extended beyond the pulpit. Tabash met with church members and joined informal conversations, including a coffee-shop discussion with a recently retired Washington state appeals court judge. Two dinner gatherings provided additional time for deeper dialogue on church–state separation, religious liberty, and the implications of Christian Nationalism on democratic institutions.

The weekend also reached beyond the church. Ahead of Tabash’s visit, the Spokesman-Review interviewed him and published a story highlighting his views on church-state separation, religious liberty, and the risks to democracy posed by Christian Nationalism.

To sustain the connection, the Social Justice Coordinating Council proposed sharing AU’s work regularly with the congregation. The result has been a monthly feature in the church’s weekly e-newsletter, SUUN, with a circulation of several hundred. Each installment reprints an article from AU’s Church & State magazine and opens with a brief introduction to AU’s mission, plus a link to AU’s website for readers who want to learn more or get involved. Featured topics so far include: “150 years ago: Words from a U.S. president that ring loudly today,” “America’s Best Idea: The Separation of Church and State,” and “Three new lawsuits and more: Americans United’s most prominent legal work so far this year.”

This Spokane partnership offers a model for values-driven collaboration that strengthens civic understanding through education, engagement, and ongoing conversation.

Tom Mosher is a member of Spokane’s Unitarian Universalist Church. This article represents the personal views of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of Americans United.