Professional Insurance Agents Reaffirm Commitment to Efforts to Prevent Attacks on Houses of Worship

The National Association of Professional Insurance Agents has reaffirmed its support of efforts to stop violence against houses of worship. The action comes as the result of last month's bombing of the First Assembly of God Church in Danville, IL, in which 33 worshipers were injured.

"There are no words sufficient to express the moral outrage we have been feeling," says John C. Alexander, who is national secretary-elect of PIA and whose insurance agency in Danville handles policies for both the First Assembly of God and the nearby Oakwood United Methodist Church. One person was killed in a bombing on the Oakwood church on December 30. So far, investigators have not established a link between the two incidents.

"Decency demands that good people speak clearly against evil," says PIA President John G. Riley of Salisbury, NC. "Our members will do whatever they can to work with local, state and federal agencies to prevent this kind of crime and to ensure that houses of worship can get the insurance coverage they need to protect themselves."

PIA is part of a task force on church arson chaired by Vice President Al Gore, which was set up in 1996 following a series of fires at houses of worship around the nation.

"Our association was honored to be asked by the Vice President to represent agents on this industry-wide panel," Riley says, "That's because local insurance agents play such an important role in their communities."