Iowa’s Interfaith Alliance will send out information in the coming weeks to churches in the state about the do’s and dont’s of informing parishioners on political contests in their communities. The Alliance’s Alicia Claypool says both politics and religion involve people coming together in their communities. She says there’s a misconception that churches can’t be involved in any election-year activity, but that’s not true and churches can even sponsor a candidates’ forum as long as they invite ALL the candidates. The main point when houses of worship intersect the political process is that churches and congregations cannot favor any one candidate. To take sides, endorce or recommend a candidate or issue within the church would be not only unethical, Claypool says it’s risking the tax-exempt status of that church.A New York church lost its tax-exempt status, and she says she’s heard the IRS is becoming more active in this area. Claypool says it doesn’t mean churches can’t touch politics or candidates. She says it’s the role and responsibility of church leaders and members to be involved in community life, including the “public life” of politics. The Alliance sent a letter to a Des Moines school board candidate recently cautioning that churches in the city would get into trouble if they complied with her request to publish information about her candidacy and solicit votes for her in their church bulletins. The national Interfaith Alliance Foundation’s preparing to distribute a new “Election-Year Guide for Houses of Worship,” and churches can request copies by emailing [email protected] or phoning (515) 279-8715. The group’s website is http://www.interfaithalliance.org/Activism/state/ia.html